Rabbi Don Yoel Levy Memorial Edition

As the president of OK Kosher, Rabbi Levy set policies, empowered the staff, and personally approved every initial report and setup, yet he never micromanaged. He led by example, never cutting corners, giving it all he had, and being as transparent as possible. He encouraged and expected the same from all the rabbis and staff he hired.

Rabbi Levy was a very deep thinker who was able to analyze all angles and take things apart quite effectively, while simultaneously having a clear vision of the bigger picture.

He always had one thing in mind: the overall betterment of kashrus; not just his own agency, but for the standards of the entire world. In light of the fact that he truly viewed his whole life as a shlichus in spreading Torah values, this is really no surprise.

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When thinking about the life and achievements of Rabbi Levy, the stronghold and Kashrus empire that thrived under his constant guidance, it is difficult to fathom who will replace the captain of this great liner.

In the kashrus world, the Ari Shebichabura, the lion of the pack, was Rav Don Yoel Levy. He followed in his father’s footsteps guided by his mission statement, “Kosher without compromise”.

Under Reb Don Yoel’s leadership, and with a sterling reputation, the OK grew to become one of the world’s most formidable Kashrus organizations. The OK was not about signing up one more company—but rather about signing up one more company, that upheld the highest standards of kashrus. As a matter of principle, if a company was not able to comply with the OK standards, they would not receive the OK Kosher certification.

I saw firsthand that he would think nothing of dropping a lucrative contract for the OK if it involved lowering his standards, a value he observed from his father and made his own.

Rabbi Levy z”l had a great desire to see achdus among the various Kashrus agencies. To that end, he attended numerous meetings where issues that affected the world of Kashrus were discussed.

Rabbi Levy was a very special person and his untimely petirah is a huge void in so many places.

He didn’t only give tzedakah; he was interested in every aspect of our lives and our community development. To him the money part was insignificant in comparison to the activity being done.

[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.ok.org/assets/k-weinfeld-1.pdf” title=”k weinfeld”] Rabbi Kalman Weinfeld is a member of the Kashrus Committee and the Foodservice Rabbinic Coordinator at OK Kosher Certification

[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.ok.org/assets/s-weinfled-1.pdf” title=”s weinfled”] Rabbi Shlomo Weinfeld is a member of the Kashrus Committee and the Director of OK Israel

I know my job as a preschool teacher had a special place in her heart. She would often recount the story of how she became a preschool teacher, appointed by the Frierdiker Rebbe [Rabbi Yosef Y. Schneersohn of Lubavitch], after she married Rabbi Berel Levy o.b.m.

My Savta (great-grandmother) is someone I looked up to. She was a strong woman who always encouraged me and cared about me.

My Savta (great-grandmother) has been a fixture in my life from a very young age.

“There would have been no OK if not for Mrs. Levy,” says Rabbi Menachem Hacohen, former member of the Knesset, Chief Rabbi of Romania, and family friend, “She kept everything together. She made sure that bills could be paid, rabbis would receive their salaries, and they could continue to grow.”

I had the privilege of working alongside my dear father at OK Kosher and I enjoyed an extremely close working relationship. I admired my father’s scrupulous honesty, determination to do the right thing and adherence to the highest standards of kashrus without compromise.

When I discussed the details with Rabbi Levy, it was clear that despite the fact that there were certain leniencies that could be applied, the OK certifies products “lechatchila” and we will not be certifying this product. When another hechsher reached out to them, willing to certify based on the leniencies, the company said no. The company recognized and appreciated the high standards of the OK.

There are no words and feelings to describe the shock and pain of the great loss of [Rabbi Levy], so young, so active, and so important, the driving force and centerpiece of his family, and the head of the OK Kosher Family. He was a great man full of love and respect to all mankind, and when we needed some good advice he was always there for us.

Rabbi Levy’s passion for and dedication to kashrus were the driving forces in his life. It was his shlichus and his responsibility to Klal Yisroel—
both to bring as many types of kosher food as possible to the community, and to ensure that the standards of kashrus were the highest possible. Nothing ever diverted him for those goals.

Rabbi Levy showed me what it means to be a true leader—he led us with conviction, with principle, with a clear plan, and with true concern for each one of us. This is what propelled the OK to the top of the kashrus world and what will keep us focused on our mission to continue the shlichus that Rabbi Levy established for each one of us.

[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.ok.org/assets/allouche-pdf.pdf” title=”allouche pdf”] Rabbi Ouriel Allouche is a Rabbinic Coordinator at OK Israel

Kashrus had to be without any form of compromise, only after that was assured could any customer relations issue enter the conversation. Even when things were good enough he constantly pushed and prodded to do better and enhance kashrus standards and systems even more.

[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.ok.org/assets/neufeld-1.pdf” title=”neufeld”] Rabbi Binyomin Neufeld is a Rabbinic Coordinator at OK Kosher Certification

Writing about Rabbi Levy is probably the biggest challenge I have; much more than writing reports. English is not my mother language, but words spoken from the heart will enter the heart, and will be understood iy”h by all readers. My first feeling upon hearing of … Continued

Over the course of my work at the OK, I had the merit to observe a giant in kashrus, who was extremely focused, with a clear sense of mission, and a great role model to people like me, who were trying to learn the delicate balance between real kashrus standards and good customer service.

Rabbi Levy was also of that cloth— שלא שינה. He cared to do things right—completely right; he would patiently work even years on an issue until it was indeed made right.

One of the first things I noticed when I started working at the OK was how unyielding Rabbi Levy was when it came to kashrus principles. Rabbi Levy made abundantly clear what his life mission was: Kashrus without compromise. This is the path which he prepared for us and entrusted us to follow.

We were so blessed to really know Rabbi Levy and saw firsthand the tremendous care he showed to the Shluchim and especially their children. From the very first day of establishment of the Tzeirei Hashluchim Winter Camp, he was our partner and supporter in ensuring the children’s camps’ success.

All Rabbi Levy’s accomplishments shared one common denominator: first and foremost, he was the Rebbe’s chossid. The Rebbe’s directives were his shlichus, and the Rebbe’s mivtzoim were the platform from which he spread them to the world.

Over the years, I never left a conversation with Rabbi Levy without learning some new concept or principle of Kashruth. His explanations were exact and with a level of detail equal to my understanding at the time. It is my experience this is a gift given from G-d to Master Teachers. I consider it a blessing to have been taught these things by Rabbi Levy.