Image by drhenkenstein via Flickr
Food is an important part of Jewish life and culture, and our class period allowed us only to scratch the surface. “Jewish Food” is a huge category: it’s what Jews eat, be it kosher or un-kosher, holiday brisket or the lowly bagel.
We talked a bit about the various reasons Jews have distinctive food traditions, including the laws of kashrut:
- The traditional understanding: The laws of Kashrut are mitzvot (commandments) from God in the Torah.
- The anthropological understanding: We began as a tribal people, and kashrut is a way to distinguish the group from outsiders.
- Kashrut and food traditions are a statement about the sanctity of life. Taking the life of another creature in order to live is serious business.
- It’s a form of self-discipline.
- It’s a mindfulness practice.
- Some have suggested that it represents a healthier way of eating.
- It discourages assimilation.
- We do it because our ancestors did it: Tradition!
There are lots of different reasons for it, but what we know is that it is a practice with ancient roots. One in six American Jews practice some form of kashrut.
There are many different forms that Jewish dietary practice can take:
- Some Jews practice traditional kashrut.
- Some Jews practice a modified food practice, eating no forbidden animals.
- Some Jews only observe some food laws during Passover.
- Some Jews don’t keep kosher but enjoy eating “kosher-style” food as a cultural expression. Saul’s Deli is a kosher-style deli.
- Some Jews are very interested in Eco-Kashrut, which is concerned about the ecological impact of our food choices.
- In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in the broader topic of Ethical Kashrut, which is concerned not only with ecology, but also with the treatment of animals and with labor practices.
Click this link for a basic primer on Kashrut. If you are interested in learning more about keeping kosher, you may want to take a class on the subject. Let me know and I will help you find one.
For the Biblical roots of kashrut, read Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14: 12-21.
To buy kosher food locally, you can visit Oakland Kosher Foods, and Grand Bakery. Some supermarkets have a kosher section, and Trader Joe’s sometimes has kosher chicken for sale. Kosher restaurants include Amba, and Holy Land Kosher Food. For a complete listing of food sources (groceries, bakeries, restaurants, caterers, etc) in the East Bay, check out the restaurant list on the Congregation Beth Jacob website.
If you have a Jewish recipe (kosher or not!) to share with the class, please send it to my email address by Saturday night at the latest. I will compile a file of recipes for the whole class and email it. If you would like to recommend a particular cookbook, I’ll include that in a list at the end.
Also, please watch your email for an invitation to the class’s Google Group.
Next week: We will learn about Passover!
– Rabbi Adar
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