British Rabbi Brings Fresh Kosher Milk to China

For the first time in recent memory, a Beijing dairy is distributing strictly kosher, or chalav yisrael, cow’s milk throughout China.

The first ton of milk – produced under the supervision of British-born Rabbi Shimon Freundlich, director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Beijing – hit the market last week. Completely organic, the milk meets European and American health standards in addition to satisfying the strictures of Jewish dietary laws.

Rabbi Akiva Osher Padwa from the London rabbinical court assisted in the supervision. Future production will take place on a monthly basis, said Freundlich, and the milk will be available in Guangzhou, Pudong, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Kowloon and Yi Wu in addition to Beijing. He estimated that some 10,000 Jews live in China.

"Until now, families like ours have been living off powdered milk shipped from Israel," said Beijing resident Rivkie Lipsker. "Now, we can have cereal and fresh milk for breakfast."