Kashrut

Why do we need Kosher Guidelines?

The outlines of Kashrut are found in the Torah, and are expanded in the Talmud. The word “Kosher” literally means “fit” or “proper”.

The laws of Kashrut, of keeping Kosher, are associated with holiness in the Torah. Together with the blessings we say when we eat, they raise the act of eating from one of merely satisfying hunger to a spiritual realm.

Kashrut is also a statement of Jewish identity. It links us to our Jewish heritage, to the generations who preceded us and to Jews the world over.  The actual foods we may choose to eat may be different in origin but they will have Kashrut in common.

We are a Kehilla Kedosha, a sacred community.  As such, we must be welcoming and inclusive to all our members and guests who observe the dietary laws.  We know that people may have varying interpretations of aspects of Kashrut but as a synagogue, we must have clear and consistent guidelines for all.

We trust that all our members and friends, whatever their personal practices may be, will be willing to observe these guidelines so that all may be comfortable sharing in the joy that we find in communal meals.

In addition, all synagogue or synagogue adjacent functions, must also abide by guidelines set forth to ensure everyone’s comfort level with the food and with Jewish observance.

Main Kitchen Rules

1. Only one type of meal may be prepared at a time. We are fortunate to have two kitchens, both a dairy and a meat kitchen.  Only one may be used at any given time to prepare food for a function or event.
2. Any caterers or outside food being brought in to be cooked in, heated up, or otherwise prepared in our kitchens needs to be approved by the Rabbi or her designee.
3. When food is being prepared in the synagogue by volunteers, all questions about Kashrut should be directed to the Rabbi or her designee.
4. Food may not be cooked on Shabbat though precooked food may be heated up by staff.

Standards for Raw Ingredients and Processed Foods

1. The following are kosher without any certification needed: fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, eggs, milk, salt, sugar, flour, pure spices, unflavored coffee, unflavored tea, beer, raw grains, beans, rice, raw nuts or nut flour, and pure olive oil. Except for milk (which is dairy), these items are also Pareve- they may be used with either dairy or meat meals.
2. All meat must come from a Kosher butcher or a Kosher provider as approved by the Rabbi or her designee. Meat products may only be used/prepared in the meat kitchen.
3. Fresh fish (from Kosher species, having both fins and scales such as salmon, tuna, cod, flounder) does not require Kosher certification. It is also Pareve and may be used with either dairy or meat meals.
4. Frozen produce (fruit or vegetables) which consist only of fruit or vegetables (no sauce or other additives) do not require separate Kosher certification.
5. In order for processed foods to be considered Kosher, they need to have Kosher ingredients and also be prepared in a Kosher manner. Therefore, all prepared, packaged, or processed foods must have a Kosher certification on the label. The list of approved labels is appended to these guidelines.  If you have a question, please check with the Rabbi or her designee.
6. Vegan items are considered to be fully in line with our standards. Items with Vegan certification can be used as would any other item with a Kosher certification on the label.  These items may be served with either a dairy or meat meal.
7. The Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative movement (of which First Hebrew is a part) holds that hard cheeses produced in the United States are acceptable without separate Kosher labeling, as long as no non-Kosher ingredient is present in the cheese.
8. Except for milk and cheese as noted above in #7, all other dairy products require Kosher labeling.
9. When looking at product labels, if there is a “D” next to the Kosher symbol, that indicates the item is a “Dairy” food and it can therefore only be used with a dairy meal.
10. Pareve items are identified by the word “Pareve” next to the Kosher symbol. Pareve items can be used with either a dairy or meat meal. However, once a Pareve item has been used for one or the other at the synagogue, it should not be moved between the two kitchens.
11. If there is a “P” next to the Kosher symbol, that indicates the item is for Passover. This does not mean the item is Pareve.

Special Notes

1. Eating meat is a compromise in Jewish history and vegetarianism has an honored place in Jewish observance. All are encouraged to be sure there are vegetarian options with any planned meal, especially with a meat meal.
2. Everyone is encouraged to provide labels for the foods at all meals and events so that everyone may know what is being served. This helps us be thoughtful about those with dietary concerns/allergies.
3. Food brought in by any individual for their personal use must not be brought into one of our kitchens nor may our kitchen utensils/dishes be used with it.
4. For Kiddush and for Simchas at FHC, only certified Kosher wine may be served. It is commendable to buy certified Kosher wine (even when not required), especially from Israeli wine.

Items from Home

Items may be brought from home or made at home ONLY when specifically allowed by the Rabbi. Whether you are buying or making a dish, it is commendable to use hekshered products where possible. The innovation is that we are allowing non-hekshered vegetarian and dairy products, and allowing food made in private homes – regardless of their Kashrut level – to come to the buffet table.

When buying ingredients for such an event when food is allowed to be brought from home, check the packaging for a heksher. Please note that there are many kinds of hekshers, but K is NOT a heksher.  It is the manufacturer’s opinion that the food is kosher.  If there is no heksher, read the ingredients. All ingredients should be vegetarian or pareve/vegan. If there are unfamiliar words, you may wish to take a picture of the label and share it with the Rabbi for verification.  It is preferrable to buy hekshered products when possible.

When preparing food at home: Begin with a freshly cleaned sink, workspace, and utensils.  As you prepare the food, be careful to use freshly clean utensils.

If your recipe includes eggs, crack one at a time in a glass and check for blood spots. If it has blood spots you must discard it. Use only eggs that are blood free. Pour that egg into the bowl, then crack the next one in the glass, inspect, and (if no blood spots) add it to the bowl. Repeat until you have all your eggs in the batter.

If you are putting two items in the oven, one for FHC, and a different one you made for yourself, make sure that one is covered so there is no splatter from one to the other.

Delivery: You may bring your food to the synagogue prior to Shabbat (Yay for Fobs! You can get into the building.) The building is open Wednesday evenings.  Friday you can get in from 9 to 4:00 (Please check for candle lighting time on Fridays which is listed in our weekly News You Can Use email.)

You may bring your dish with you on Shabbat if you choose.

PLEASE LABEL YOUR OFFERING. PUT YOUR NAME, THE NAME OF THE DISH, and ‘HEKSHERED’ OR ‘NOT HEKSHERED’. This is for transparency purposes. All foods will be served on disposables. At the end of the meal, you are invited to take the remainder of your dish back home. (Consider a swap or gifting, if you like.)

*Revised April 2023