In front of a crowd of rabbis and mashgichim, former basketball star Tamir Goodman presented his innovative "Sport Strings Tzitzis," which evidently has a kosher certification.

By COLlive reporter
Photos by Chaim Perl

Tamir Goodman was easily identified on the basketball court, thanks to his red hair, yarmulka and tzitzis, leading a sports magazine to title him "the Jewish Jordan."

Nowadays, spending his time in business and activism circles, Tamir introduced a new innovation that will help Jewish and Torah-observant sports players remain faithful to their heritage and the game.

At OK Kosher Certification's 13th annual international Mashgiach Conference held Monday, Tamir introduced the "Sport Strings Tzitzit."

He described it as revolutionary tzitzis garment that features hi-performance properties and a compression fit - offering the wearer ultimate comfort and style for sports and everyday wear.

Tamir was joined at the conference in Chovevei Torah in Crown Heights by a friend who also embodies the notion that being religious does not interfere with his career: boxing champion Dimitriy Salita.

While Salita did not say if he wears the "Sport String Tzitzit" himself, Tamir made it clear that anyone would enjoy wearing them for their UV protection, moisture wicking and anti-odor features.

Oh, and the tzitzis is certified absolutely kosher by the OK.

HONORING FROM WITHIN

Over 150 mashgichim and OK personnel were in attendance for the 1 day conference, including rabbis from Japan, India, Greece, Israel, Poland, Germany, Belgium and others from around the world.

Kashrus coordinator Rabbi Chaim Fogelman MC'd the event with his much-loved combination of Chassidic insights and humor.

OK's head Rabbi Don Yoel Levy opened the conference with words of Torah, chizuk, and the latest happenings at the OK. Participants were also greeted by Rabbi Yosef Braun, member of the Badatz of Crown Heights

As in past years, the OK honored two mashgichim; Rabbi Shlome Bistritzky, the newly elected Chief Rabbi of Hamburg, Germany, and Rabbi Binyomin Neufeld from Israel.

The companies that have been honored this year for making strides in increasing their kosher offerings: Post Foods, LLC for providing customers with high quality kosher breakfast cereals for over 50 years and Exter B.V., a flavor company based in Europe.

Rabbi Hillel Baron, from Columbia, Maryland, spoke about shlichus opportunities within certified companies; Rabbi Yitzchok Ort, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, shared insights into the changing kosher dairy industry; and Rabbi Eli Lando gave a brief talk on customer service.

Other speakers were Menachem Lubinsky, CEO of Lubicom Marketing and Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish, a rabbinical coordinator at the OK, who shared his scientific knowledge with a presentation on the Chemistry of Kashrus.

The conference ended with a lavish buffet lunch catered by Bunch-O-Bagels and time for the rabbis to interact and share their experiences.

Attendees received a brand new sefer by Heichal Menachem's series Chassidus Mevueres specially printed for this event. The OK was thanked by Rabbi Yisroel Stern of Chassidus Mevueres for their support.