"Hands on" Shatnez Seminars – A Smashing Success"

In an effort to raise public awareness about the mitzvah of Shatnez, testers met in Har Nof to discuss ways of alerting people to the most recent laboratory findings. As a result, a lecture and Shatnez presentation package was developed.  It offered lectures by renowned educators that provided vital consumer information to the schools, seminaries, yeshiva and other groups which invited them to speak.

Rabbi Chaim Morgenstern, a noted scholar and lecturer, has prepared a fascinating series of lectures in English based on weeks of research and interviews conducted with Shatnez experts in Israel and abroad.

Starting with the basic laws and progressing to modern marketing techniques, Rabbi Morgenstern describes how Shatnez today has become a common reality more than most people usually realize.

The series reaches its dramatic climax when Rabbi Yaakov Gurwitz, a Torah educator and Shatnez tester comes with his looms, spindles another paraphernalia to give a "hand – on" demonstrations of the clothes making process. He show how knowledge of the subject will enhance one’ mitzvah observance in many areas of Halacha, specifically as it pertains to Shatnez testing.

These demonstrations, suitable for young children and adults alike, are given in Hebrew or English and can hold an audience captivated for several hours. The program is usually followed by an-the-spot check by a certified tester or a Shatnez pickup from that location.

The response to these classes so far has been overwhelming, and has produced immediate results. As an example, after experiencing one such encounter, an enthusiastic group of ""Hadar" seminary girls studying in Israel for the year, proceeded to stack two dining room tables high with clothes which they suddenly realized needed testing. Wool and linen was actually found in several pieces that never occurred to them to have checked before.

English speaking kollelim in Israel were fortunate to hear lecturers from the international authority – Reb Yoel Schockett of Lakewood, NJ who has been here lecturing and training for the past few months. Speaking for a group of future Rabbonim and mechanchim in the Ohr LaGolah program, he shared first hand halachic and technical information that enables them to effectively deal with Shatnez issues which they inevitably will encounter in Chutz La'aretz. He was also instrumental in the formation of the Shatnez Update magazine and continues to be a trailblazer in the field of Shatnez.