There is a certain kind of avodas hakodesh that no one sees. The olam sits down at a simcha, makes a brachah, and eats with a clear conscience. Few stop to think about who was standing in the kitchen since early morning so that they could. In Milwaukee, more and more often, that person is Yitzy Forbes.
Yitzy serves as mashgiach for Kosher Supervisors of Wisconsin at the Mosaic Catering kitchen in the Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, which feeds simchas and community events across the city. He checks what comes in the door, watches over the fire, and makes sure that what goes out to the tables is something a frum family can rely on without a second thought.
He grew up on Milwaukee's east side and is a graduate of Bader Hillel High. He is doing this work full time now, before he begins studying finance at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle reported in a photo feature this month. For a bochur his age, it is a serious undertaking, and a real zechus for the kehillah.
The hashgachah behind him
Kosher Supervisors of Wisconsin, based in Glendale, gives hashgachah to stores, caterers and dozens of commercial food plants, and is a member of the Association of Kashrus Organizations. Its rabbonim include Rabbi Akiva Freilich, rabbinic administrator; Rabbi BenZion Twerski, rav hamachshir; Rabbi Tuvia Torem, rabbinic liaison; and Rabbi Shulem Horowitz and Rabbi Ayson Ganeles, rabbinic supervisors.
A need in every kehillah
Kehillos across the country will tell you they need more mashgichim. The hours are early, the work is demanding, and there is little kavod in it. When a young man chooses this path, it strengthens the whole community's kashrus, and it deserves to be recognized.
Kol America has reached out to Kosher Supervisors of Wisconsin and hopes to share more from Yitzy and Rabbi Freilich about how a young mashgiach is trained, and what other kehillos can learn from Milwaukee.
How we reported this: based on a Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle photo feature published Oct. 16, 2026, and the public website of Kosher Supervisors of Wisconsin. We have reached out to the agency and will add their words when we receive them. Milwaukee's Kashrus Council of Wisconsin, under Lubavitch, is a separate hashgachah and is not connected to this kitchen. Kehillos with news to share can reach us at [email protected].