22 November 2011

An Excellent Place for QR Codes in Jewish Life: Kashrut Certificates

While on vacation in Florida, a difficulty presented itself to us: we would see a kosher certificate with a rabbi's name on it, but know nothing about the rabbi. Thus, even when there is a kashrut certificate (תעודת כשרות), that gives the [potential] consumer very little information regarding either the kosher supervising agency or the rabbi providing the supervision. Although for big cities, people may frequently not know who the particular rabbis or certifying agency is, but especially so when travelling and one has no sense of the local rabbinate. Now while one could do a quick google search on one's smartphone while pondering the restaurant, there could be an easier way of informing the consumer.

Just as I have suggested for zoos and for Jewish communal agencies, it would be helpful if, on the kashrut certificate, it would include a quick response (QR) code (it looks like a two-dimensional barcode). The QR code that would appear on the kosher certificate would send the potential consumer to a webpage either on the supervising kosher agency's website, the supervising rabbi's website, or the restaurant/supermarket's website.

(As an aside, this would also be helpful in the case of the Tav HaYosher, which would send the potential customer to either a page with information about the Tav HaYosher in general, a Tav HaYosher page with information about the particular restaurant, or a page on the restaurant's website.)

The inclusion of a QR code (or Microsoft Tag or any other similar products) would be a quick and easy way for informing customers and it wouldn't be much more difficult to include on the kashrut certificate.

5 comments:

Woodrow/Conservadox said...

Am definitely finding this troublesome in NYC- so many heckshers that even if you ask a rabbi you know sometimes chances are he won't know anything....

Rebecca Einstein Schorr said...

I think this is a fantastic idea. Why not use the available technology to make it even easier to live a full and meaningful Jewish life?

You should speak to someone about this...

Drew Kaplan said...

Woodrow - Indeed: There are numerous times when my friends or I would know nothing about the mashgiah, etc....

Frume Sarah - :)

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Unknown said...

Good to know that there is a way of maintaining our traditions and believes no matter how or where.
























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