Orlah Update: Elul 5778

This post is a follow up to the Kashrut for New Olim post. If you haven't seen it yet, please check it out -- there's important information there! 

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES in Israel - Specific Kashrut Issues

Unlike in other parts of the world, in Israel, fruits and vegetables are NOT automatically "kosher" - here we need to make sure that they are not "orlah" fruits (harvested during a tree's first 3 yrs, with other rules applying to year 4) and that trumot and ma'asrot have been taken (from both fruits and vegetables). Without these basics, these fruits and vegetables are NOT acceptable in a kosher kitchen!

If you shop at a market that doesn't have an ishur kashrut (kosher certification) on their produce, you'll need to investigate these issues further, if you are interested in adhering to the halachot of the Land of Israel OR if you regularly host people who assume the food in your home is kosher! I must say that it's important to familiarize yourself with these special halachot, as they are part of keeping kosher in Israel! (If you say you keep Kosher in Israel, everyone assumes that you have taken care of these issues; and if you don't, then you may be unwittingly putting someone in a situation they don't want to be in!) 

It's definitely possible to take trumot and maasrot on your own (I do it often), so vegetables are easiest to buy without a teudah, as that is all you need to do (and very often, it would be without a bracha). Some of the fruits on the market may be ok to purchase even from a non-certified establishment and just take trumot and maasrot, because of the extremely low percentage of orlah fruits being sold, but those lists change frequently, so you'll constantly need to stay up-to-date.

Other fruits can be a problem, because of orlah (from the first 3 years after the tree was planted). I try very hard to post a monthly update here on my site with a list of the fruits where the percentage of orlah fruits on the open market is greater than 0.5%. These fruits should only be bought from a reputable source that does not sell orlah fruits (i.e. a place with a teudah). This orlah issue is a serious issue for kosher consumers:

ORLAH Update for Elul 5778

Fruits to AVOID buying without a teudah:

• Pears - Brown, Nashi
• Blueberries
• Annona
• Peach - variety 1881, large white, very large yellow
• Guava
• Strawberry Guava
• Olives
• Lemon
• Apricot - large
• Nectarine - large yellow, large & medium size white
• Seedless grapes: many or most varieties
• Seeded grapes: Muscat
• Papaya
• Pitaya (Dragon Fruit)
• Prickly Pear (Sabra Fruit)
• Kiwi
• Starfruit
• Passionfruit
• Plum - Wickson, Miriam varieties
• Almonds
• Figs
• Apples - Grand, Granny Smith, and Brookfield

Please be sure to speak with your personal Halachic Authority about purchasing fruit in Israel without a teudah. Not everyone holds by the 0.5% threshold, and there are differences of opinion about certain fruits and whether they are subject to Orlah. This information is just for informational purposes and is not a halachic psak! Even if you follow a psak that relies on the 0.5% threshold, you still must take trumot and maasrot on all produce grown in Israel (or be sure it has been taken), in order to fulfill your halachic obligations.

Also, be aware that this list does NOT apply to fruit grown by an individual. If your friend has a fruit tree, you'll need to find out how old it is! 

I hope you find this helpful! Please follow or like my Facebook page and don't miss out on updates and other posts!

iHerb savings and TIPS for iHerb shoppers!

This post contains my iHerb referral link. You'll save money using it (even existing customers), and I may be compensated by iHerb. It won't cost you extra - but it WILL save you money!  I've promised to share iHerb deals whenever I hear about them, so none of you will miss out on the extra savings! So here's the current big news: Any iHerb shopper (new or not) can get 5% off if you shop using this link or any of my links in this post, for that matter (or enter code QEJ101 at checkout)! And right now, aside from Weekly Specials, there's a HUGE selection of skincare products on sale! It's definitely stock up time for those items that rarely, if ever, are on sale! If you use Shipping Savers, you can get really affordable shipping, even if you choose DHL Express shipping (I highly recommend this shipping method, as you can make a much larger order - I often order 10 lbs of stuff, it arrives really quickly, and I can choose for it to be delivered to my door! Last time I used the free shipping option, my package got lost in transit. It was annoying, to say the least...)! You can sort for Shipping Savers on iHerb by clicking the Shipping Saver checkbox on the left-hand side of the page. Check out my Shipping Saver suggestions, too! Not sure if shopping at iHerb makes sense? I shop there pretty often, as you may already know. I find it makes life easier for me - not only do they make it easy to find some "hard to find" products my family needs (like fragrance free shower products), but I save a significant amount of money on things like vitamins and probiotics. So many products are definitely less expensive at iHerb than at my local stores, and shipping is VERY affordable as I mentioned above. Here are some of the things I like to buy at iHerb: Palm Oil (this eco-friendly version is not available in Israel at all, and is perfect for making frosting or fudge) Magnesium Tablets (these and many other supplements are quite pricey in Israel and iHerb is a great way to save!) Stash Teas (I buy these when they are on sale, as the sale price comes out to less than the lowest price I can find herbal teas for locally, and these are just SO MUCH HIGHER quality than teas I can find for an affordable price!) Vitamin D (so many people are deficient, it turns out! And my doctor prescribed a rather high dose, and what's sold here is very low dose and more expensive) Probiotics are far less expensive from iHerb than any I've found in Israel, and they don't weigh much! Many of these are "shipping savers" - so they'll lower your shipping costs for the whole order if you add them in! EO shower gel (we like this kid friendly all-in-one shower product that doesn't irritate our skin!) Ricola throat drops (these work out to be only slightly less expensive than the local price, so I use them as a "filler" product, never as my "reason for buying") Witch Hazel (it's really difficult to find witch hazel products locally, and if you love witch hazel, you'll be thrilled with iherb's price. This one is a toner with alcohol in it - some people like the alcohol in it, but if you don't, they also have plenty of no-alcohol witch hazel products) Coffee Filters (unbleached) - I can find the #4 size locally, but I use the #2 size, and can't always find unbleached, and it's so easy to order it, rather than running around town! Brown Rice Pasta (I only buy these when they're on sale though. Great for people who don't eat wheat! The local equivalent is more expensive unless there's an amazing sale going on) Grapefruit Seed Extract (similar product, 1/4 of the size, cost more than twice as much at my health food store, and many people are convinced this keeps colds away,!) Essential Oils (I use them in homemade cleaners) - for a fraction of the price here in Israel! Yes, they are real and natural (and very importantly, not an MLM)! Soy-free Teriyaki Sauce (for my soy allergic child) - I've never seen this in Israel! Calendula Cream (so soothing and wonderful for eczema!) Aquaphor Ointment - impossible to buy locally! When it's not available, you might find CeraVe to be a good alternative. I also regularly check the Specials Page to see if products I use are on sale and work out to a better deal thru iHerb during a sale, and I also occasionally will order a hard-to-find spice. Let me know what your favorite deals are! Don't get surprised by import taxes! If you are ordering items from overseas, be sure to familiarize yourself with the most recent personal import regulations!

UPDATED INFO: Subsidized Glasses - NEW store hours!

I recently posted about the new year-round subsidized optical store: "Ezra Ba'Re'iyah"  inside Pitchon Lev in Karmiel.
Find them at HaLevona St #1, Karmiel. You can reach them by phone at 050-326-7501 

They've changed their hours of operation, so I'm posting the new hours HERE. In any case, it's good to call before you go, to verify that places are open - sometimes things change and websites don't get updated.

Opening hours are: 
Sun: 12:00 - 7:00pm
Mon - Thurs: 10:00am - 4:00pm
Fri: 9:00am - 2:00pm

You'll be able to get a pair of glasses (standard frames + standard lenses!) for just 100 shekels! Sunglasses are 50 shekels! Specialty lenses are subsidized on a different scale (multifocals, for example, will cost 600nis and transition lenses for most prescriptions will cost 300nis - still a really awesome deal! My high index lenses cost an extra 200nis, the cost varies by exactly what you need), and some frames are a bit more expensive, but still affordable. 

Additional subsidies may be available. If you cannot afford your glasses, please ask at the store about additional subsidies.

Please note: Glasses are not made on the spot, as far as I know.

Hope this helps some of you out there! There's been a lot of discussion about the cost of glasses lately!

Be sure not to miss out on more ways to save money - find me on Facebook!

P.S. I am not affiliated with the sponsoring organizations. I was not compensated to post this information. I received a press release, and have passed this information on as a public service.

Kosherfrugal.com's Ebay Deal of the Day!

(This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission when you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!) 

Still trying to reign in your spending, but not sure how to do it?

I'm begun posting ebay deals here, and plan to continue on a regular basis, that will help bring costs down.

Today's deal is PERFECT for those of you, like me, whose kids constantly ask for expensive biking accessories.

My kid has been bugging me to get cycling gloves for him. So I finally agreed. And then -- I was shocked when I saw the markup at all the local stores (and even the internet-based Israeli stores)! I mean, serious price gouging. We are looking at about 80 shekels per pair, even for the cheapest ones!

So I decided to ebay them - you've got to see this!

Check out the screenshot on the left here - you can find this listing at https://ebay.to/2w3UPFt -- I searched ebay, and discovered that even if I buy TEN pairs I will spend about 70% less than that. (ok, I'm definitely looking at the less expensive lines... but still!!!)

I'm ordering several pairs of these right now! I'm not going to kid myself and think they'll last forever, but at this price point, I honestly don't care very much. Biking is a really pricey hobby and I've got to find ways to help my son keep it up, without going broke!

Find other ebay deals here, and deals from all over here

Follow my blog (or like or follow me on Facebook) for more ebay money savers for Israelis, coming soon! If you have items you love to buy on ebay, let me know at ester@kosherfrugal.com !

Happy savings!

Great News about Subsidized Glasses!

Residents of Northern Israel - I have really great news! Subsidized eye exams and glasses are now available year-round at the new "Ezra Ba'Re'iyah" location inside Pitchon Lev in Karmiel.
Find them at HaLevona St #1, Karmiel.

Opening hours are: 
Sun: 12:00 - 7:00pm
Mon - Thurs: 2:00pm - 7:00pm
Fri: 9:00am - 2:00pm

You'll be able to get a pair of glasses (standard frames + standard lenses!) for just 100 shekels! Sunglasses are 50 shekels! Specialty lenses are subsidized on a different scale (multifocals, for example, will cost 600nis and transition lenses for most prescriptions will cost 300nis - still a really awesome deal! My high index lenses cost an extra 200nis, the cost varies by exactly what you need), and some frames are a bit more expensive, but still affordable. 

Please note: Glasses are not made on the spot, as far as I know.

Hope this helps some of you out there! There's been a lot of discussion about the cost of glasses lately!

Be sure not to miss out on more ways to save money - find me on Facebook!

P.S. I am not affiliated with the sponsoring organizations. I was not compensated to post this information. I received a press release, and have passed this information on as a public service.

Book Sale (Free Shipping, too)

this post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links. Thanks for your support!

Love books? Well, it's the perfect time to order for your Lat Summer and Fall reading (let's face it, orders can take a few weeks to arrive, let's not kid ourselves).

Book Depository has a sale going on right now!

Click HERE to shop at Book Depository

If you can't find what you're looking for at Book Depository, don't forget to check Better World Books, too. Tons of items are on Clearance, and with clearance, the more you buy, the bigger your discount is!

Happy Shopping and saving!

If you are new to online shopping from overseas, please see this important information about taxes and fees you need to be familiar with!