By request, we’re doing a section on kashrut/kosher, as well as some fun Jewish recipes. As that’s not really enough to fill an entire week, we’re bundling this into a series of “Jewish Home Economics” that includes mitzvot connected to Jewish home life. Mezuzah is the only mitzvah not included in this week because it was included in previous ones.
Kashrut/Kosher
There are COUNTLESS videos on kashrut. Here’s a simple one.
If you want to “reboot” to kosher the fast way, become a vegan and cook all your own food from scratch. Having said that…
Separate Fact from Fiction
- Kosher is not healthier
- Kosher is not the rabbi “blessing” the food
- The origins of kosher come from the Bible, but the Bible does not use this term. The “biblical kosher” was permissible animals and their slaughter, as well as a prohibition against eating blood. That’s it!
Modern Kosher Practice
- Complete separation of meat and milk, including utensils, cookware, etc. Some have different sinks, trash cans
- No forbidden meat. This includes permitted animals that were not kosher slaughtered. Example: the hot dog might be all beef, but that does not make it kosher
- Certain kinds of cheese contain animal rennet and therefore are not kosher (mixes meat and milk)
- The liberal opinion is that all wine in the USA as well as all milk is kosher. Some are more strict than this
- Some have a concept called Cholov Yisroel, milk that is more strictly scrutinized
- Some observed Meshuval, wine that is boiled to be at a “higher” kosher level
- Some also have a concept called Pas Yisroel, bread that is more strictly scrutinized
- Kosher symbols vary. There are none that are “bad” or “wrong” or “misleading”
Having said this, only about 22% of American Jews keep kosher, and those are primarily Orthodox Jews.
Kosher meat when purchased organic and sustainable is sometimes 10x more expensive than traditional, non-kosher, factory farmed food. Example: a 1/4 lb. hamburger with organic, kosher, free range beef would cost me $6 to make. That same burger at home? $1.50.
Kehillah-Tested Recipes
Our Shabbat dinners are primarily vegetarian because it allows us to use dairy, which extends (in our opinion) the variety of menu items. We tend to go heavy on carbohydrates, which is due to its cost, not a “Jewish practice”.
Some of these are recipes we do for our Shabbats. Some are just favorites.
https://www.splendidtable.org/story/2015/12/18/the-zahav-lamb-shoulder
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017734-zahavs-hummus-tehina
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pasta_with_eggplant_feta_and_mint/
A few great kosher cooking icons…
http://www.kosherinthekitch.com/
Judaica
What’s a Jewish home without Jewish stuff? Here’s a little bit about what you find in a Jewish home.
Building a Jewish Library
Filling a home with Jewish education is powerful. But not every book you *can* buy is a book you need, as much of it is online. Here are a few of Rabbi Patrick’s favorites explicitly for beginners.
Tzedakah
Tzedakah does not mean charity. It comes from the root word for Justice. So this is “just giving” or “justice giving”.
All people including “beggars” (the Talmud’s words, not mine) are required to give tzedakah.
How you give, or what you give to, is entirely up to you. Interestingly enough, the myth that Jews, particularly wealthier Jews, only give to Jewish causes is entirely false. There is also evidence (albeit outdated) that shows that Jewish teens do not see a link between Judaism and tzedakah.