.kosher

Overview

.kosher is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) owned by OK Kosher Certification and managed through Kosher Marketing Assets LLC. The string was proposed and implemented to promote kosher foods and kosher certification, and to serve as an identifier related to OK Kosher Certification.

History

• Application filed in January 2012 as part of ICANN's New gTLD Program (filed by Kosher Marketing Assets LLC).
• Eleven kosher certification agencies formally objected to the application, arguing that granting the string to a single certifier would create an unfair competitive advantage.
• An International Chamber of Commerce expert found the objections unsupported.
• ICANN granted rights to the .kosher string on January 14, 2014.
• The string was delegated and listed as implemented (delegation recorded June 10, 2016).
• After delegation, the objecting agencies filed for reconsideration; the dispute and objections were a prominent part of the domain's rollout.

Usage and Audience

• Intended use (per the application and registry statements): promotion of kosher foods, kosher certification, and OK Kosher Certification.
• OK Kosher indicated an intent to promote the domain and stated willingness to allow use by others who meet its stated standards.
• Primary audience: organizations, businesses, and stakeholders involved in kosher food production, certification, and related marketing (as reflected in the registry's stated purpose).

Registration Rules

• The sole applicant and manager is Kosher Marketing Assets LLC, a subsidiary of OK Kosher Certification.
• The application stated that the registry would promote the domain through communications with OK Kosher customers and press outreach.
• OK Kosher publicly stated it wanted the domain to be open to others who adhere to its Torah-based standards; specific eligibility criteria and technical registration policies were not detailed in the provided sources.

SEO and Brand Impact

• The decision to award a generic religious term to a single certifier generated controversy, with rival agencies arguing it could confer a competitive advantage and affect brand trust within the kosher market.
• OK Kosher framed ownership as a way to ensure the string "fell into the right hands" and indicated openness to broader usage, positioning the string as both a brand asset and a sector identifier.

Notable Cases or Examples

• Eleven kosher certification agencies filed objections, including the Orthodox Union (OU), Star-K, Chicago Rabbinical Council, Kosher Supervision Service, and the Kashruth Council of Canada.
• Critics compared the handling of .kosher to ICANN's decision to decline a .halal application, noting perceived inconsistencies in treatment of religiously sensitive strings.
• The objection ruling (ICC) and ICANN's grant of the string in January 2014 were the key milestones tied to these disputes.

% IANA WHOIS server
% for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org
% This query returned 1 object

domain:       KOSHER

organisation: Kosher Marketing Assets LLC
address:      391 Troy Avenue
address:      Brooklyn NY 11213
address:      United States of America (the)

contact:      administrative
name:         Manager
organisation: Kosher Marketing Assets LLC
address:      391 Troy Avenue
address:      Brooklyn NY 11213
address:      United States of America (the)
phone:        +1 718.907.9527
fax-no:       +1 718.756.7503
e-mail:       chayac@ok.org

contact:      technical
name:         Senior Director, DNS Infrastructure Group
organisation: Afilias
address:      300 Welsh Road
address:      Building 3, Suite 105
address:      Horsham PA 19044
address:      United States of America (the)
phone:        +1 215.706.5700
fax-no:       +1 215.706.5701
e-mail:       tld-tech-poc@afilias.info

nserver:      A0.NIC.KOSHER 2a01:8840:d6:0:0:0:0:1 65.22.220.1
nserver:      A2.NIC.KOSHER 2a01:8840:d9:0:0:0:0:1 65.22.223.1
nserver:      B0.NIC.KOSHER 2a01:8840:d7:0:0:0:0:1 65.22.221.1
nserver:      C0.NIC.KOSHER 2a01:8840:d8:0:0:0:0:1 65.22.222.1
ds-rdata:     24490 8 2 c4a550145923c0f5ef17f8d247e1e1b1e11de20b1caf26605db23d4e6a5010a4

whois:        whois.nic.kosher

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information: http://www.ok.org/

created:      2016-06-03
changed:      2023-08-07
source:       IANA