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July 16, 2004
A closer look at a kosher facility
Mashgiach takes readers behind the scenes at the Snider Campus
to whet their appetites to learn more.
YOSEF VERNON SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
When does the kosher go in? How much kosher do you need to put
into that? When do you bless the food? These are just a few of the
questions I have been asked over the years, with respect to kashrut
– the administration of kosher food preparation. So, let me
start from the top: kosher is an adjective, not a noun. Kosher
is the status applied to something that renders it permitted, fit,
acceptable and useable – on the up and up so to speak.
A pizza may be kosher (permitted) if it is prepared according to
halachah (Jewish religious law). An animal may be considered not
kosher (unfit for consumption) if the shechitah (slaughter)
was done incorrectly. An article of clothing may or may not be kosher
and fit to wear depending on the materials used in its production,
as Jews are forbidden from wearing an article of clothing that is
shatnetz (has both linen and wool woven together).
I act as the mashgiach (supervising rabbi overseeing kosher
food production) at the Dr. Irving and Phyllis Snider Campus, site
of the Louis Brier Home and Hospital and the Harry and Jeanette
Weinberg (of Baltimore) Residence, the only kosher, long-term care
facility in Western Canada. We have approximately 275 residents
living on campus that range from assisted living to palliative care
and everything in between. Their nutritional and food care requirements
vary substantially and it is the responsibility of the food service
department to provide that care 24-7. It is my responsibility to
ensure that all of that food is kosher.
Ensuring that the Snider Campus remains kosher seems at times a
daunting task. Our current ingredient list numbers very close to
500 items and that does not include fresh fruits and vegetables,
fresh fish, individual cuts of meat and raw grain and lentil products.
That means that each and every one of those nearly 500 items must
be sourced, researched and confirmed in its kosher status; on an
ongoing basis.
The food industry has become a very complex world, with many ingredients
used in modern food production deriving from a non-kosher source.
For example, civet (from cats) is used as a flavoring in gum, ice
cream and candy, carmine (from a beetle) is used as a red dye, and
pepsin (from pigs) is used as a flavoring in candies and gum. None
of these previously mentioned items would be permitted in any kosher
food because cats, beetles and pigs are not kosher.
Some other aspects of kashrut halachah that delve beyond what Jews
can actually eat is how the food is prepared, where it is prepared,
what day it is, what time of year it is, what they had at their
last meal and how long ago. Here are some examples of what goes
on at the Louis Brier to keep it kosher.
• As milk and meat may not be served, cooked or eaten together
– due to a passage in the Torah that states we "may not
seethe a calf in its mothers milk" – it becomes necessary
to have two separate areas for the preparation of milk and meat
foods. At the Louis Brier, we have a central food service area that
contains both meat and milk kitchens. Each kitchen is fully equipped
with its own dishes, utensils and cooking equipment, none of which
may be used in the opposite kitchen.
After eating meat, a Jewish person is required to wait six hours
before eating dairy products to ensure that a mixture of meat and
milk does not take place. If a piece of meat was caught in a tooth
or there is a trace of beef fat that remained on the palate, it
would pose a problem if a glass of milk was taken or an ice cream
cone eaten.
• A Jewish person must be involved in the preparation of any
food product that is cooked and that will be eaten by someone Jewish.
Thus, if there is non-Jewish staff who may be using cooking appliances,
a Jewish person must, at least, turn them on. Food baked in this
way is referred to as pat Yisroel (baked by a Jew) and food
steamed, boiled, fried or otherwise cooked in a fashion different
than baking is called bishul Yisroel (cooked by a Jew). We
are unable to turn cooking appliances on or off on Shabbat, so the
appliances must be left on for warming food over Shabbat (Friday
before sundown to Saturday after sundown). Foods may not be cooked,
but only re-warmed on Shabbat.
• During the holiday of Passover, chametz (leavened
foods) may not be eaten. This requires that all food areas on the
entire campus must be thoroughly cleaned of forbidden foods, that
the kitchens be cleaned and re-koshered and that all new, special-for-Passover
dishes, utensils and equipment be put out and the regular, everyday
dishes be put away until after Passover.
• Even though we do have some non-Jewish residents living on
site, the kosher rules apply to everyone on campus. All food eaten
on our dishes, prepared in our kitchens and eaten in public areas
of the facility must be kosher and approved by the mashgiach prior
to their being used. Residents may eat what they wish in their private
rooms or space in shared rooms, so long as no kosher dishes are
present.
• Though there are some leniencies in halachah in administering
the kosher supervision in a facility such as ours, there are some
difficulties as well. The basic premise remains to uphold the highest
standard of resident care, while ensuring the integrity of the religious
and cultural needs of the patient. When confronted with a conflict
between health and keeping strictly kosher, we are required to take
the residents health and well-being into account as a priority and,
in consultation with a medical and rabbinic adviser, a solution
can always be found.
And now to end on a story:
There once was a man that wanted to convert to Judaism and he went
to speak to the great Rabbi Shamai, who was known for his terse
teaching style and strictness.
The man asked Shamai, "Tell me all about Judaism, its customs
and laws, while I stand here on one foot."
Shamai told him he was crazy. "Do you know the volumes of books
and libraries, by the thousands, that cover the laws of God's holy
Torah! Get lost!"
Disheartened, the man went to visit Shamai's opponent, but friend,
Rabbi Hillel. Hillel was known for his kindhearted manner and patience.
"Dear Rabbi Hillel," the man asked, "please tell
me everything there is to know about Judaism, its laws and customs,
while I stand here on one foot."
Hillel thought for a minute then said, "What is distasteful
to you, do not do to others."
The man was flabbergasted, "What are you talking about? That's
it? Shamai said it filled thousands of books, libraries, there must
be more!"
Hillel smiled at the man and said, "Oh yes, dear sir, there
is most definitely more. But you asked me to tell you all while
you stood there on one foot, so I told you the essence, the root
of Judaism. The rest is commentary, now go forth and learn."
Kashrut is like that – it's hard to jam into a few words or
a short article, but I've shown you the essence. So, now that I
have whetted your appetite, if you are still hungry and wish to
know more, go forth and learn.
Yosef Vernon is the mashgiach of the Dr. Irving and Phyllis
Snider Campus for Jewish Seniors, comprising the Louis Brier Home
and Hospital and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg (of Baltimore)
Residence.
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