Food for Thought

My father (may he rest in peace) was both devout and practical. His approach to life in general and religion and spirituality in particular can be summed up in one of his classic phrases: "If you are going to do it, do it right!" I suppose that it was that motivation that led my wife and I, very early on in our Jewish journey, to take on our most challenging task.We determined to "keep kosher." This was a task that required study, planning and a financial investment. We learned several interesting facts very quickly.

1. We were in the minority.
Here in the USA at least, most Jewish families do not keep kosher. In a recent survey of synagogue members, only five per cent of respondents said they keep kosher! Observing the laws of kashrut is perhaps the most recognizably Jewish observance to most gentiles. Ask any non-Jew what "kosher" means and he will likely tell you that it has something to do with Jewish dietary regulations ("Jews can't eat ham.") Perhaps therein lies part the problem. Privately many of my Jewish friends admit that they don't want to appear "different." Others just didn't want to invest the time and effort into getting and keeping kosher.

For my wife and me, identifying with the Jewish people was a powerful incentive for keeping kosher. Especially to our Christian relatives, we wanted to show that we meant business when it came to living our Jewish lives. The major reason for our commitment to kashrut however was much more basic. It is a mitzvah, a sacred commandment. God requires us to do it.  To learn more about why to keep kosher, please click here.

2. We needed help.
We realized very quickly that there was a lot we needed to do to become fully kosher observant. More pots, pans and utensils had to be obtained; we needed two sets of dishes; there were so many things to consider. So we contacted a local rabbi for help. He was a fountain of information. His guidance was essential to making the proper choices. The laws of kashrut were even more extensive than we had expected but the rabbi made them as understandable as possible. We took a class at a local synagogue. We learned how to find kosher products at the local store and other practical steps. We also found that there were resources available from books and videos to to on-line courses. Some larger communities even offer financial assistance to families who are becoming kosher for the first time. Without question we would have been overwhelmed if we had tried to go it alone. Asking for help was a very wise choice indeed! Click here for information on keeping kosher.

3. Keeping kosher wasn't as hard as we thought.
We were pleasantly surprised that most of our favorite products were certified kosher! We learned to look for the hecksher or kosher certification mark on packaged products. Some of the better known marks are the O-U, O-K, and Star-K. We were shown how to identify kosher vegetables and how to make sure our eggs were kosher. Surprisingly kosher meat was not much more expensive than non-kosher and sometimes it was even cheaper. Don't let anyone tell you that kosher food is too expensive! Our food budget hasn't gone up significantly in years. Considering the rate of inflation, that's amazing!

If you are considering beginning to keep kosher, please do it! The benefits are more than worth the effort. First find a helpful rabbi in your community to help you. Not only will he be able to show you the way, but his advice will keep you from getting overwhelmed. Our family has never regretted our decision. And my children have already decided that they will continue to be kosher when they go off to college and start their own homes. Now there is some food for thought!

Related Links:
Kashrus Magazine
Guide to Keeping Kosher - Chabad