Tag
Kosher
30 articles
Jews and Chocolate: A Sweet and Surprising History
From the converso merchants who brought cacao from the New World to the iconic Hanukkah gelt, Jews have played a surprisingly central role in the history of chocolate — as traders, manufacturers, and enthusiastic consumers.
Finding Jewish Community Abroad: The Traveling Jew's Guide
Whether you're backpacking through Southeast Asia or on a business trip to São Paulo, finding Jewish community abroad is easier than you think. From Chabad houses to synagogue finders to Shabbat hosting networks, here's how to stay connected wherever you go.
Finding Kosher Restaurants: A Practical Guide for Every Traveler
Whether you're visiting a new city or exploring your own, finding a kosher restaurant can be a challenge. Here's how to navigate certification symbols, different kosher standards, and the best tools for finding kosher food anywhere in the world.
Kashrut: The Jewish Dietary Laws
More than just 'no pork' — kashrut is a comprehensive system that transforms eating into a sacred act.
Building a Jewish Home: What Every New Household Needs
Whether you're a newlywed, a new convert, or simply starting fresh — here is what you need to turn a house into a Jewish home: from mezuzah to Shabbat candlesticks, kiddush cup to tzedakah box.
Why Do Jews Keep Kosher? Understanding the Jewish Dietary Laws
Jews keep kosher because the Torah commands it — a system of sacred eating that transforms every meal into an act of spiritual discipline and Jewish identity.
Why Don't Jews Eat Pork? The Real Reason Behind the Prohibition
The pig is forbidden in Judaism because the Torah says so — but there's a deeper reason the pig became the symbol of everything non-kosher.
Kosher for Passover: The Complete Guide to Chametz, Kitniyot, and Preparation
Everything you need to know about keeping kosher for Passover — what chametz is, the kitniyot debate, Sephardi vs. Ashkenazi rules, kashering your kitchen, and what to buy.
Why Jews Don't Mix Meat & Dairy
The prohibition comes from the Torah's command not to cook a kid in its mother's milk — repeated three times and expanded into one of Judaism's most detailed dietary laws.
Kosher vs Halal: A Complete Comparison of Jewish and Islamic Dietary Laws
Both kosher and halal come from Abrahamic tradition, but they differ in key ways — alcohol, slaughter method, dairy rules, and certification. Here's a thorough, respectful comparison.
How to Set Up a Kosher Kitchen: A Practical Guide
A practical, no-nonsense guide to setting up a kosher kitchen — separate dishes, labeling, waiting periods, kashering existing equipment, and what you actually need to buy.
The OU: Kosher Certification and Community
The Orthodox Union — known worldwide for its OU kosher symbol — is the largest Orthodox Jewish organization in America, combining kashrut certification with education, advocacy, and community programming.
Parashat Shemini: The Eighth Day, Nadav and Avihu, and the Laws of Kashrut
Parashat Shemini describes the inaugural service of the Mishkan on the eighth day, the tragic death of Aaron's sons Nadav and Avihu for offering 'strange fire,' and the foundational laws of kashrut — which animals are kosher and which are not.
Kosher Certification Explained: What Those Symbols Actually Mean
OU, OK, Star-K — what do those symbols on food packaging mean? How does kosher certification actually work, who pays for it, and what is the difference between 'kosher style' and actually kosher?
Jewish Holidays in the Workplace: A Guide for HR
A practical guide for HR professionals and managers — which Jewish holidays require time off, why dates change every year, Shabbat considerations, kosher requirements at events, and best practices for accommodation.
Jewish Wine: From Kiddush to Cabernet — A Complete Guide
Wine is the most sacred beverage in Judaism — required for Shabbat, holidays, weddings, and the Passover seder. From the sticky Manischewitz of your childhood to the world-class Cabernets of the Golan Heights, here is everything you need to know about Jewish wine.
Kosher Wine: How It's Made, Why It Matters, and What to Drink
Kosher wine has come a long way from the syrupy sweet bottles of your grandmother's Seder table. From the volcanic soils of the Golan Heights to the Judean Hills, here's everything you need to know about how kosher wine is made, what makes it kosher, and which bottles are worth opening.
Keeping Kosher: The Complete Guide to Jewish Dietary Laws
Everything you need to know about keeping kosher — the biblical foundations, the practical rules, setting up a kosher kitchen, reading labels, eating out, traveling, and navigating Passover. Whether you're fully observant or just curious, this guide has you covered.
Being a Guest in a Jewish Home: A Friendly Guide for Everyone
Invited to a Shabbat dinner? A Passover seder? A Jewish home for the first time? Here's what to bring, what to expect, and how to be the guest everyone wants to invite back.
Jewish Food Trucks and Pop-Ups: The New Kosher Cool
Jewish food trucks and pop-ups are reinventing kosher cuisine — from Korean-Jewish tacos to Iraqi-Israeli fusion. The new generation is making Jewish food cool, creative, and accessible.
Hosting a Jewish Guest: Practical Tips and Etiquette
Hosting a Jewish guest? This practical guide covers everything from kosher basics and Shabbat timing to conversation topics and how to make your guest feel truly welcome.
Shechitah: The Laws and Ethics of Kosher Slaughter
Shechitah is the Torah-prescribed method of slaughtering animals for kosher consumption, governed by precise laws designed to minimize animal suffering.
Waiting Between Meat and Dairy: Jewish Dietary Practice
Jewish law requires waiting between eating meat and dairy. Learn about the different customs — from one hour to six — the reasoning behind the wait, and practical guidelines.
How to Kasher Your Kitchen for Passover: A Complete Guide
A practical guide to preparing your kitchen for Passover — from searching for chametz to kashering counters, ovens, and dishes, with clear instructions for every surface and utensil.
Tractate Chullin: The Complete Laws of Kosher Slaughter
Tractate Chullin is the Talmud's comprehensive guide to kosher animal slaughter, meat and dairy separation, and the identification of kosher species — laws observed daily worldwide.
How to Start Keeping Kosher: A Practical Beginner's Guide
A practical step-by-step guide for beginners who want to start keeping kosher, covering kitchen setup, shopping, dining out, and building sustainable habits.
Kosher Cheese: Understanding the Rennet Question
An explanation of why cheese requires special kosher certification, covering the rennet issue, gevinat Yisrael requirements, microbial rennet alternatives, and the range of kosher cheeses available.
Kosher Insects: A Guide to Checking Produce for Bugs
A practical guide to checking fruits and vegetables for insects according to kosher law, covering which produce needs checking, methods for inspection, and solutions for commonly infested items.
Bishul Akum: Understanding the Laws of Non-Jewish Cooking
An explanation of bishul akum — the rabbinic prohibition against food cooked by non-Jews — covering its origins, the two-part test, exceptions, and how kosher restaurants and factories address it.
The Plant-Based Kosher Revolution
How the plant-based food movement intersects with kosher observance, covering vegan kosher cooking, the halakhic advantages of plant-based eating, ethical kashrut, and the growing market for pareve products.