World Kosher Day Launches February 1st, 2026 as Annual Global Celebration

First-ever dedicated day celebrates kosher food and the professionals who make it possible

HOUSTON, Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Something's been missing. For decades, the kosher food industry has worked quietly behind the scenes. Inspectors monitor facilities. Millions of people choose kosher products every single day.

But there's never been a moment for the kosher world to celebrate itself. A day to come together. A chance to show the world what kosher is and why it matters.

That changes February 1st, 2026, with the launch of World Kosher Day (also known as National Kosher Day), an annual celebration open to everyone.

"The kosher industry includes millions of certified products, yet most people have no idea what goes into that small kosher symbol on their favorite foods," says Rabbi Nosson Dubin, Dean of Kosher Institute of America. "World Kosher Day celebrates these rigorous standards and honors the professionals who ensure them."

Consumer research reveals why kosher has broad appeal: while 14% purchase kosher for religious reasons, the majority choose it for other benefits—62% cite food quality as their primary reason, 51% choose it for general healthfulness, and 34% for food safety.

Kosher certification involves strict oversight: trained inspectors monitor facilities, verify ingredients, and ensure products meet exacting standards.

World Kosher Day envisions a global celebration with no prescribed format. A restaurant in Paris might create a special kosher-certified tasting menu. A certification agency in Chicago could offer supermarket tours explaining kosher inspection. An educator in London might host a session on kosher food standards. A college student in South Africa might try keeping kosher for 24 hours.

All happening on the same day. All celebrating kosher. All connected.

The initiative welcomes participation from certification agencies, restaurants, food companies, inspectors, educators, and individuals curious about kosher food.

Resources are available through certification agencies like OU Kosher, OK Kosher, Star-K, cRc, and Kof-K, and many other national and regional agencies. Kosher.com provides thousands of recipes and cooking shows. World Kosher Day will feature curated guides at worldkosherday.com.

Kosher Institute of America, the leading global provider of professional kosher training, founded World Kosher Day as an annual celebration for the kosher world. Kosher Institute is offering special World Kosher Day discounts on all courses.

Participants are encouraged to share their celebrations using #WorldKosherDay on social media.

For more information, visit worldkosherday.com

SOURCE Kosher Institute of America