New York – Kosher Lamp Innovator In Exclusive Interview With VIN News [video]

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    New York – The seeds for Kosher Innovations, the Canadian manufacturer of the Kosher Lamp and other unique products for the kosher consumer, were sown when Rebbetzin Chana Veffer wanted a practical way to have proper reading light on Friday nights. Her husband, Rabbi Shmuel Veffer approached Moshe Orzech, one of his congregants in the Aish Village Shul in Toronto, who happened to work in the lighting business.

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    It took approximately two years for the pair to work out all the technical and halachic nuances of producing a lamp with a movable shade that would safely provide adequate light but could still be covered as needed, but in 2004 the classic Kosher Lamp took the Jewish world by storm. While the original Kosher Lamp Classic has been retired its successors, the decorative Regency Kosher Lamp, pink or blue bear shaped Teddy Night Lights and Kosher Lamp Max, available in seven colors, can be found in Jewish homes is all over the world.

    Realizing that the Kosher consumer has certain needs that were not being address by commercially available products, Kosher Innovations began to grow their product line and today, they offer two different clocks featuring multiple alarms with automatic shut off for Shabbos, Fridg-eez, a Velcro strap to disable the refrigerator light on Shabbos, Shabbos toothbrushes and toothwash, a light box for checking lettuce and unique precut Shabbos toilet tissue which hangs on a standard toilet paper holder. All products are approved by Rabbi Shlomo Miller, Rosh Kollel of Kollel Avreichim of Toronto.

    While most of the ideas have been developed in house, Moshe Orzech President of Kosher Innovations says that consumers often send in suggestions for new products and the company’s website, kosherinnovations.com, has a link for people who would like to submit ideas for consideration.

    “We encourage people to come forward with their ideas,” said Orzech. “There is another Kosher Lamp idea out there. And if we are not going to come up with it we want someone else out there and we would love to work with them.”

    The goal at Kosher Innovations is to come up with novel products for the Jewish community at the lowest cost possible in order to provide the best value to customers. The “T” Sweater, for example, a grey v-neck sweater with zippers up the sides of the sleeves to accommodate tefillin wearers, though popular among customers, was discontinued when price increases made the product no longer commercially viable.

    In an exclusive VIN News video interview, Yosef Shidler of CJ Studios talks to Moshe Orzech about the success of Kosher Lamp and other fascinating products produced by Kosher Innovations.

    Watch below.


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    7 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Some of these products are really helpful and make being shomer shabbos easier…others seem to be created for the churmrah types who worry about everything and may make some feel better so they are hamless.

    oygevault
    oygevault
    13 years ago

    Are these the people who make the rubber bristle toothbrushes?

    ShatzMatz
    ShatzMatz
    13 years ago

    it is certainly a terrific innovation. I would suggest two thing. 1) I would suggest to market the lamp to the general population. People are very enviromental concious nowadays. People want to use CFL bulbs. The problem is that you cannot use a dimmer with a CFL. But this product could be used as a dimmer. 2) my second suggestion is to design a similar lamp to be mounted on the wall. For new construction the electrician would put an electric box above each bed. The kosher lamp would be mounted to the electric box like a sconce. The lamp should have two strings hanging down like a window shade. When you pull one side it gives more light and when you pull the other it gives less. The way you could read in bed on shabbos the pull the string to shut the light and go to sleep.

    The next thing that requires an innovation is hot water on shabbos.

    Jothar
    Jothar
    13 years ago

    They use cfl’s which are not considered aish.