Thirst Quenching, Soul Quenching

Kosher hot dogs, kosher chicken, kosher pizza, kosher strawberries—these are all part of a regular kosher diet. Well here’s a new one to add to the list: kosher water.

People turn to bottled water for one thing in particular: purity. And what's more pure than something that's certified kosher?

And with a certification from the Orthodox Union, Mizmor Kosher Water is capitalizing on the importance of purity and kashrut in the marketplace.

“In order to be sold on the kosher shelf in the supermarket, you must have a kosher certification,” said Shoshana Teri, Mizmor CEO and president, adding that an OU mashgiach (inspector) ensures that the bottling facilities are kept clean and void of any nonkosher elements.

Mizmor, which is marketed to a specifically Jewish consumer, is actually not the first brand of kosher bottled water. Most bottled water is kosher, including such popular labels as Crystal Geyser and Fiji.

So what makes Mizmor specifically tailored for Jews? In the true spirit of Judaism, the company donates  10% of its net operating profit to underprivileged children.

“You get to quench your thirsty soul with Mizmor kosher water, and at the same time, you are an instant participant in raising money for children in need," Teri said. Mizmor donates to several organizations, including Mamash Yeshiva in Israel and the Mizmor Family Foundation in B'nai Berak, and is also involved with the Jewish National Fund. Mizmor has recently filed an application to help support St. Jude's Hospital as well. Teri was inspired to work with water when her father was ill in 2000. During a lunch outing, Teri's father asked for a bottle of water, and as he turned to her, he said, "My daughter, do water.”

Originally, Teri wanted to call her product “Kosher Water,” but her lawyer advised that it was too generic. So she decided she'd look to G-d for inspiration. She opened up a siddur and chose the first word she found —mizmor, which in Hebrew translates to “psalm.”