About KLBD

KLBD is the largest kosher certification agency in Europe, as well as one of the top five in the world. The KLBD logo is recognised and respected by both manufacturers and consumers worldwide. KLBD certify some 40,000 ingredients and over 3,500 retail products across six continents.

KLBD is an acronym for Kashrut (Kosher) Division of the London Beth Din (Jewish court of law). The organisation is also known as Badatz London. The court is headed by Dayan Menachem Gelley and is under the auspices of the Chief Rabbi. The LBD, a world leading authority on Jewish and Kosher Law, is proud to have been a leading force in kosher certification for more than a century.

The KLBD team, operating from its London based headquarters, comprises world-class technical experts who are qualified in chemistry and food technology, in addition to a skilled team of production and commercial consultants. These personnel together with KLBD representatives and agents around the world work with companies as certification partners. This enables KLBD to meet individual company’s needs, increasing customer satisfaction and developing longstanding relationships with clients.

KLBD is known for their pragmatic approach to solving the challenges faced in certain complex production environments. The organisation’s expertise includes flavours, aromas, herbal extracts, dairy ingredients, fats and oils, and retail products. Currently, KLBD certifies numerous multi-national food brands, processors and raw material manufacturers and offer an affordable and expert kosher certification service. Leading clients include Arla, DMK, Givaudan, IFF and Treatt. On supermarket shelves recent converts to kosher include Hovis, Marmite, McCain’s and Nescafe Dolce Gusto.

KLBD is a member of several international organisations. Read More

Why Go Kosher?

Testimonials

Working with Sharon and the KLBD team at KosherFest 2018 was an amazing experience! As one of KLBD’s newer brands, BEAR’s current goal is to get in front of as many people as possible in order to drive trial. Understanding this, Sharon offered to let us share KLBD’s booth this year at KosherFest. This opportunity provided our brand with a up-front spot at an accredited booth. Almost every person that stopped by was able to sample our BEAR Yoyos and take one home for the family. The KLBD team was unmatched in their kindness, generosity, and helpfulness. When I arrived, our boxes and supplies had been unpacked and were easily accessible throughout the show. Sharon was vigilant in promoting our brand and constantly directed people to our display. We highly recommend working with this team and partnering for a show. The BEAR team is proud to be affiliated with KLBD and we look forward to all opportunities to partner together in the future!

Aromatech is a growing food flavour company which wants to match its international customer requirements.

Those demands are increasingly variable and complex but Aromatech has a true adaptation will.

On a growing kosher market, Aromatech was at that time looking for a reliable partner to assist us to get a share on this market.

The first meeting between Aromatech and KLBD agency was held during IFT exhibition in Chicago on November 2013.

Indeed, Aromatech has a subsidiary in Orlando. KLBD has canvassed Aromatech company during this exhibition. With an international recognition, to work with KLBD was obvious.

Today, KLBD is a real partner of Aromatech, sharing its expertise and advising us about Kosher production rules. This alliance with KLBD has led Aromatech to continue its growing and to take its place on the Kosher market.

The London Beth Din has been supplying an excellent Kosher service to R C Treatt for more than 30 years! More recently, this has been extended to our subsidiary company Treatt USA based in Florida, together with our Organic operation, Earthoil Plantations.

During this time, trusted and professional relationships have been built. Treatt Group is a thriving and ever-expanding business, and coupled with our extensive product range and customer base, seeing the LBD Kosher logo on our materials goes a long way to assure our customers that they are receiving quality products.

Given the amount of customers the London Beth Din has in its portfolio, the service Treatt Group continues to receive is exceptional, and no matter how busy, they are always on hand to offer assistance and advice whenever required.

We look forward to continuing our working relationship for many years to come!

KLBD have been providing our Kosher Certification for over 4 years and I can highly recommend their services and in particular:

  • Rapid and effective communication
  • Pragmatic and proactive project management
  • Cost effective services
  • UK and International scope for inspections – we work closely with KLBD with our producers in Switzerland and Italy as well as the UK
  • International respect for their kite mark – we have over 36 export customers and all recognise the KLBD seal of approval.

When we were at the allergy show last weekend I had several families that had heard about us through your efforts at KLBD, which is so fantastic.
Thanks for your brilliant word spreading!!

Our history

Our History

With the return of the Jews to England in 1656, a central religious authority was established in the 1700s. In 1934, with the appointment of the Gaon HaRav Yechezkel Abramsky (the author of Chazon Yechezkel) as Rosh (Head) Beth Din, the London Beth Din (LBD) became a world ranking authority on Jewish law; many of his policies are still followed to this day. The LBD combines both the Beth Din – Rabbinic Court of Justice and the Kosher Division (KLBD). For over a century KLBD has been certifying factories, in 1902 Marmite became kosher certified. Click here for more information on the history of the KLBD.

Meet the team

Click here for more information about kosher establishments and licensing

Click here to find out where you can meet the sales and marketing team

Rabbi Yechiel Lampert Rabbinical Inspector

Rabbi Yechiel Lampert has been a member of the certification team for a number of years and has vast experience in commercial kosher supervision. As one of our rabbinical inspectors, he conducts audits worldwide.

Rabbi Yechiel Lampert
Rabbinical Inspector

Rabbi Elchonon Spitzer Rabbinical Inspector

Rabbi Elchonon Spitzer is a Rabbinical Inspector for KLBD. He has been carrying out kosher audits for many years and has vast knowledge of processing and manufacturing in the food industry.

Rabbi Elchonon Spitzer
Rabbinical Inspector

Paula Kaye Kashrut Researcher

Paula is responsible for investigating thousands of products for listing in The Really Jewish Food Guide, the Kosher Nosh guide as well as the online Kosher Product Search.

Paula Kaye
Kashrut Researcher

Elisheva Wolfson Kashrut Researcher

Elisheva is on the Kashrut Research Team, responsible for investigating products for listing in The Really Jewish Food Guide, Kosher Nosh Guide & isitkosher search.

Elisheva Wolfson
Kashrut Researcher

Rabbi Pinchas Goldberg Rabbinic Coordinator & Food Technologist

Rabbi Pinchas Goldberg attended Yeshivas in Manchester and Jerusalem. He completed an advanced kashrus training course through the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, and studied Food Technology at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He joined KLBD in 2018 with 13 years of experience in kosher certification; carrying out factory inspections and authorising ingredients, as well as training hundreds of shomrim (kosher inspectors) over the years. Rabbi Goldberg is responsible for auditing and reviewing the kosher aspects of complex factories and liaising with companies following their audits.

Rabbi Pinchas Goldberg
Rabbinic Coordinator & Food Technologist

Léa Riegelhaupt Kashrut Researcher

Léa is on our Kashrut Research Team. She researches products for listing in The Really Jewish Food Guide, the Kosher Nosh Guide and the Is It Kosher? search. Originally from Belgium, Léa moved to London over 5 years ago, after graduating from the University of Antwerp. Léa went on to work in the Pharmaceutical field, primarily as a community Pharmacist and has a great deal of experience in this area.

Léa Riegelhaupt
Kashrut Researcher

Odeliya Dadoun Certification Assistant

Odeliya serves as Certification Assistant, working closely with Gita Rotenberg on the day to day issuance of certificates and contracts. Odeliya has a BSc in Genetics and an MSc in Immunology with a great deal of experience working in Research in Biotech in Cambridge.

Odeliya Dadoun
Certification Assistant

Rabbi Ariel Eisner Certification Coordinator

Rabbi Ariel Eisner attended Yeshivas Nesivos Ahron in Israel and graduated from State University of New York at Stony Brook with a BSc in Biology. His primary role includes maintaining and updating the ingredients database of the certified companies and approving tankers for transport of kosher certified products. Ariel also manages applications from our certified companies for new ingredients or new products they wish to add to their kosher certificate.

Rabbi Ariel Eisner
Certification Coordinator

Naomi Green Kashrut Researcher

Naomi undertakes special research projects in order to update information published in The Really Jewish Food Guide.

Naomi Green
Kashrut Researcher

Rabbi Shaul Khalili Sales Manager for South America & Iberian Peninsula

Rabbi Shaul Khalili is responsible for developing kosher certification in South and Central America, Spain and Portugal. His language skills, Portuguese, Spanish and Hebrew, and extensive knowledge of the regions are an asset to the team, enabling KLBD to offer a superior service to companies in these locations. He also works for the licensing department as an inspector. Rabbi Khalili’s studies at yeshivos in Brazil and Israel provide him with an in depth knowledge on Jewish law including kosher. He was the Chief Rabbi of Torremolinos / Spain and acts as KLBD’s rabbinical representative on the Iberian Peninsula.

Rabbi Shaul Khalili
Sales Manager for South America & Iberian Peninsula

Michal Emanuel Kashrut Researcher

Michal answers enquiries from members of the public, received by Facebook, email, Twitter and the KLBD Kosher London app.

Michal Emanuel
Kashrut Researcher

Dalia Bloch Kashrut Researcher

Dalia is responsible for investigating thousands of products for listing in The Really Jewish Food Guide, the Kosher Nosh guide as well as the online Kosher Product Search. She also answers product related telephone enquiries from members of the public.

Dalia Bloch
Kashrut Researcher

Zvi Brooks Shomrim Coordinator

Zvi is responsible for coordinating the shomrim (supervisors) for KLBD certified caterers, licensees and restaurants throughout the country and occasionally abroad. Zvi’s wealth of experience enables him to organise the shomrim even at very short notice. Zvi’s diplomatic skills and kosher experience are frequently called upon to lead the supervision teams at attending some of the major events that take place at VIP locations including Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, Annabel’s Night Club and the George V Hotel in Paris.

Zvi Brooks
Shomrim Coordinator

Yocheved Khalili Assistant Accountant

Originally from Argentina, Yocheved gained a B.A. in Media and Sociology from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She is responsible for financial processing and credit control for over 1200 worldwide clients. Additionally, she promotes new business within South American and Iberian territories.

Yocheved Khalili
Assistant Accountant

Ian Edmundson Accounts Manager

Ian has over 30 years experience as a Financial Controller in commercial business marketing and film promotion. He is responsible for the financial administration of the UK licensing and worldwide certification of all KLBD clients.

Ian Edmundson
Accounts Manager

Rosalind Coten Senior Food Technologist

Rosalind is head of the research unit responsible for investigating thousands of products for listing in The Really Jewish Food Guide and on the online Kosher Product Search, as well as the Kosher Nosh Guide and the Pesach Supplement. Rosalind graduated from Leeds University with a degree in Food Science and was the originator and first researcher of the KLBD Kosher Guide project.

Rosalind Coten
Senior Food Technologist

Rabbi Hillel Simon Senior Rabbinic Coordinator

Rabbi Hillel Simon is the Rabbinical Head of Shomrim (supervisors) for KLBD certified caterers, licensees and restaurants. He is on hand to answer any questions that may arise from the shomrim or caterers at all times of day and night. Rabbi Simon also produces a periodic newsletter for shomrim, and works side by side with Rabbi Conway and the Dayanim to formulate policies for the KLBD. Rabbi Simon also assists in responding to queries from the public through social media.

Rabbi Hillel Simon
Senior Rabbinic Coordinator

Ilan Grossman Senior Coordinator

Ilan Grossman, former director of licensing, now lives in Israel and is still involved in the finances and payroll of the licensing department.

Ilan Grossman
Senior Coordinator

Naphtoly Lauer Director of Administration and Finance

Naftoly Lauer is responsible for administration and finance for the KLBD. Naftoly has worked at KLBD for over 20 years in a variety of roles and has been responsible for the enormous growth and increasing success of the licensing and supervision areas.

Naphtoly Lauer
Director of Administration and Finance

David Busse Technical Sales Manager

David spends most of his time on the road representing KLBD at exhibitions around the world. He has a wealth of experience in food, dairy and beverage industries acquired over the last 30 years. An engineer by profession, David’s vast experience in technical equipment for the food industry gives him the ability to communicate effectively with prospective clients.

David Busse
Technical Sales Manager

Russell Brown Commercial Consultant

Commercial Consultant for KLBD. He is a qualified chartered management accountant having trained with Muirhead plc. He is responsible for managing and coordinating the commercial side of the Certification Department. This covers marketing, commercial negotiations, exhibition planning and other allied activities.

Russell Brown
Commercial Consultant

Gita Rotenberg Certification Operations Manager

Gita manages and oversees the day to day issuance of certificates and contracts and liaises closely with all KLBD certified facilities worldwide. She coordinates inspections for factories and organises the schedules, and provides a superb back up and support for the Rabbinical Coordinators and factory inspectors irrespective of the time-zone they find themselves in.

Gita Rotenberg
Certification Operations Manager

Rabbi Shimon Black Rabbinic Coordinator

Rabbi Shimon Black attended Yeshivas Kerem B’Yavneh in Israel, earning his BA in Talmudic Literature, and graduated Manchester University with a BSc in Microbiology. Currently managing the ingredients department, he works closely with clients to review raw materials, ingredients and products. Rabbi Black is responsible for updating ingredients information for the KLBD ingredients database. Additionally, he manages batch productions and the team of rabbinical co-ordinators.

Rabbi Shimon Black
Rabbinic Coordinator

Rabbi Shlomi Wise Rabbinic Coordinator

Rabbi Shlomi Wise is responsible for liaising with companies following a factory audit. Rabbi Wise learnt at Yeshivas Mir for many years where he gained his semichas (rabbinic ordination).

Rabbi Shlomi Wise
Rabbinic Coordinator

Dr Moshe Rosenfeld Senior Certification Consultant & Chief Chemist

Dr Moshe Rosenfeld, an expert flavour chemist and graduate of Imperial College London and Yeshivot in Manchester and Jerusalem is the senior consultant to our flavouring department utilising a specially designed flavour database. Dr Rosenfeld works together with companies, in particular flavour houses, and develops a unique rapport enabling him to assist companies through the complexities of flavours and kosher ingredients. His extensive knowledge and experience in the global food and beverage industry provides KLBD with a unique insight for solutions to kosher complexities, sought after by many kosher agencies worldwide.

Dr Moshe Rosenfeld
Senior Certification Consultant & Chief Chemist

Menasche Scharf Rabbinic Coordinator

Menasche is responsible for liaising with companies following a factory audit. His experience in IT and organisational skills are also a valuable asset for the KLBD team. Menasche speaks English, French, German, Dutch, Flemish and Hebrew which assists the certification in communicating with companies.

Menasche Scharf
Rabbinic Coordinator

Rabbi Elie Schoemann Director of Licensing

Rabbi Elie Schoemann is the director of licensing which includes KLBD certified caterers, restaurants and other licensees. He is responsible for liaising with the licensees, shomrim (supervisors) and new applicants.
Rabbi Schoemann has gained many qualifications including various smichot (rabbinic ordination), Bachelor of Talmudic Law and Certificate in Kosher Supervision from the Jerusalem Kosher Institute. He also contributes to many other areas of the KLBD including the website, IT, marketing and community projects such as running educational projects on the subject of kosher and representing KLBD at community events and exhibitions.

Rabbi Elie Schoemann
Director of Licensing

Rabbi Akiva Padwa Senior Certification Consultant

Rabbi Akiva Osher Padwa, is a world renowned expert on kosher law and manufacture. Besides writing numerous articles published in Jewish media, he has given lectures about the dairy industry, whiskey and other prevailing Kosher issues all over the world including Israel, Australia, Canada and USA. He also gives lectures to the main Kosher organizations via the AKO (Associated Kosher Organisations) in New York and other Rabbinical bodies such as the Rabbinical Council of Europe in Brussels, the Rabbinical Council of Canada (COR) in Toronto and the Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC).

Rabbi Akiva Padwa
Senior Certification Consultant

Carole Marlow PA to the Director

Carole serves as the PA to the Director and is also the first point of contact for the KLBD. Responsible for organising Rabbi Conway’s busy schedule, Carole also coordinates KLBD’s licensees, and general office logistics. Carole is fluent in French, Spanish and Hebrew; her language skills are an asset to the KLBD team. She frequently assists with international enquiries and other language related issues or documents.

Carole Marlow
PA to the Director

Rabbi Jeremy Conway Director

Rabbi Conway was formerly the Rabbi of the Beis Hamedrash Hagadol Synagogue in Leeds and London University Chaplain. Rabbi Conway is the driving force behind the KLBD for both the commercial and community aspects. Rabbi Jeremy Conway, Director of the KLBD, is an expert on ingredients and food manufacturing as well as Jewish law, he is a renowned lecturer on kosher related subjects. Under his leadership the KLBD has seen significant growth; successfully launching a rebrand, highly acclaimed B2C platforms including a website and various publications and apps and the North West London Eruv.