With all the effort that goes into Pesach, the ideal plan is to not have to make that effort! Go away from home and let someone else do the hard work for you! There is big business in “kosher for Pesach” resorts in Mexico, Arizona, Florida, New York, Israel, and just about everywhere else Jews […]
Adventures in Semantics: D’Oraisa v. D’Rabbanan
Just a quick vocabulary lesson today! There are many ways to classify mitzvot, and one of the major ways is by source: from the Torah or from the rabbis. Mitzvot d’oraita (mitzvos d’oraisa) are mitzvot directly from the Torah, both the Written Law and the Oral Law. The theoretical punishment (when there was/will be a […]
Survival Kit: Living Without Kosher Restaurants
I’m a student, and I’m not particularly fond of cooking. (Though I’m a great chef’s assistant!) And the closest kosher restaurant is 2 hours away. How on earth do I survive?? It’s not for the faint of heart. The answer is pretty straightforward. I cook at home, I eat at the homes of others, B”H […]
Those Tricky Dairy Drinks…
Since I “went kosher” in June 2010, the most annoying thing remains drinks. I am apparently incapable of remembering that drinks can and will be dairy. I don’t drink milk and I rarely eat meat products, so my kitchen is almost entirely dairy. I rarely have to think about dairy v. meat except for what […]
When You NEED to Reveal Your Conversion Candidate Status
You may have previously read When Is It OK to Say “I’m Jewish,” Even If You Really Aren’t. But what about the other side? When MUST you disclose your in-flux status, even if you really don’t want to? I make no promises that this list is exhaustive, but I will update it if other important […]
Halachic Discussion: Kosher Animals
There’s a common argument that I’ve always found interesting: that the Torah names ten species of kosher land animals, and that no other animals have ever been discovered to display the two signs of a kosher species. (The signs are that the animal chews its cud and has a split hoof.) Also impressive is that […]
Kashrut Update: The OU Has Launched Their Kosher Food Website!
The OU (Orthodox Union) is the largest kosher certification agency in America. I think I’ve trained my parents well enough now that they can spot the OU from 20ft away in the grocery store! The search function is incredible! Finding the kosher ingredient you want just got a lot easier! OUKosher.org First order of business? […]
Orthodoxy and Eating Disorders: Kosher Discipline to the Extreme
As someone new to full Jewish observance, I can tell you that the #1 practical lesson you learn from observance is discipline. This is also probably the hardest for people to learn, especially for us spoiled Americans! We take pride in not being “tied down” by rules, people, whatever. (Leaving aside the argument that we […]
Jewish News: Mike Tyson in Talks to Open Chain of High-End Kosher Restaurants
So…Apparently Mike Tyson is in talks to open a chain of high-end kosher restaurants. I promise that isn’t a story from The Onion, but will likely end up in News of the Weird. The Original Story The “Are human ears kosher?” jokes have begun! I’m excited about anyone wanting to open up a kosher restaurant, […]
The Best Inventions Every Convert Should Own
These are the things I’ve found most useful in transitioning to an observant life. Timers. Environmentally friendly and useful for kicking out Shabbat dinner guests who won’t leave at a decent hour! I usually set mine to go off at 1am, but most people seem to prefer midnight. They’re cheap: about $10 for a timer […]