The Toronto Kosher Guide To Kashrut

Introduction

This guide has been compiled for the grocery industry to help further the understanding of managers, buyers and supervisors of the distinctive buying patterns of Jewish people who follow the stringent requirementsof Jewish Dietary Law. Jewish consumer cannot eat certain foods, or combinations of foods, and purchases different foods throughout the year, based on the Jewish holidays. The Jewish religion is oriented in the home, and on most holidays very specific dishes or meals are served. The Jewish holidays do not commemorate people or founders; rather they are reminders of national triumphs and tragedies and stress faith and peace.

North-American Jews celebrate traditional, non-religious holidays as well, such as New Year's Day and Thanksgiving Day. But, in addition, Jewish families celebrate a host of beautifully significant holidays, providing opportunity for wonderful culinary events throughout the year.

This Guide to Kosher is not, by any means, a treatise on Judaism, history or theology. It is an attempt to provide an enlightened look at the rich cultural tradition of Jewish consumers, their observance of holidays, their ceremonies, and the special foods prepared for certain holidays and seasons.

It is estimated that over 50,000 packaged kosher foods are now available for observant Jews in America, more than twice the number that was available a few short years ago. Processors of foods that adhere to the kosher laws must acquire certification from a recognized Rabbinic group. Ingredients in the foods themselves, as well as all the equipment used to produce them, must not contain foodstuffs or materials that are restricted.

Once a packaged food has been certified as kosher, it is marked with a Rabbinic seal, such as that of the COR or Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (O-U). Increased awareness of the special needs of this vital consumer group has helped food processors create foods that are kosher or obtain certification that the items they package adhere to Jewish Dietary Law.

Although the non-kosher consumer may not even be aware of the significance of the Rabbinic seal, or the words "parve," "dairy," or "meat," on a package, an observant Jewish consumer will not purchase a product unless this vital information is prominently displayed and the package is properly sealed. Because of the strict dedication to the wisdom and beauty of Jewish law, kosher foods have achieved a reputation for quality and wholesomeness among observers and non-observers alike.

The symbol certifying a food as kosher designates it as a product of high quality. In fact, over the years, the word "kosher" has become synonymous with "quality" and "right." Some of the common symbols found on kosher items are:This is not a complete list, and there may be some consumers who will not purchase items that use certain kosher symbols. For further information, we suggest that you contact your local Board of Rabbis or the Rabbis of the local synagogues. They will be happy to help you increase the number of kosher products available in your community.

Toronto Kosher Meats only distributes items that meet the highest standards of kashrut and should be acceptable to even the most discerning consumers. Just as attention to the unique needs of the Jewish consumer has allowed food manufacturers to reach an entirely new marketing segment, Empire Kosher Poultry encourages retailers of food products to take note of the seasonal buying habits and special requirements of their Jewish customers so that both the Jewish community and grocery trade may benefit.

Some of the reasons for the Laws of Kashruth, which are found in the book of Deuteronomy, are to protect the Jewish people from unclean food and to preserve the fair treatment of animals. Although the Laws are complex, they are based on a few simple principles: There should be no mixing of meat with milk (Exodus 23:19). No food item that is dairy in nature can be eaten at the same meal as meat is served, and vice versa. Meat and dairy products, especially those that are not packaged or unsealed, should be separated on a constant basis to avoid accidental mixing.

There are three kinds of foods: dairy, which comprises all products made with milk; meat, which comprises all poultry, beef, veal and lamb; and parve, which includes fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, kosher fishes and eggs. Parve foods may be combined with either meat or milk. Certain animals cannot be eaten. Deuteronomy 14 out lines exactly which animals, fowls and fishes can and can not be consumed. Animals without split hoofs and which do not chew their cud; fishes without true fins and scales; birds of prey; insects and crustaceans are specifically forbidden. In addition, those animals which are permitted must be healthy, and slaughtering must be conducted in a certain manner to ensure that the meat product is "kosher." Kosher meat that comes in contact with either dairy products or non-kosher (treife) products are rendered non-kosher and cannot be eaten. It is necessary, therefore, to maintain separation among kosher and non-kosher meat products. Some foods are forbidden during certain times of the year. For example, leavened products are prohibited during the week of Passover (refer to the holiday descriptions that follow). Kashruth is preserved and inspected by Rabbis. Rabbi in Hebrew simply means teacher. There are many different kinds of Rabbis in Judaism, each with special functions, who specialize in certain fields. Each Rabbinic employee is well trained for specific duties, such as slaughter, to ensure that the kosher laws pertaining to food items are met. Several governing bodies oversee the Kashruth for food companies, most outstanding of which is the Orthodox Union, or O-U. JUDAISM AND TORAH Judaism is one of the oldest and most complex religions in the world. The religion of the Jews is rich with heritage and tradition, abounding in beauty and natural wisdom, and strictly defined in regards to customs and practices. The laws of the Jews and precepts of their faith are found in the Torah, which corresponds to the first five books (Pentateuch) of the Old Testament. The Torah has been carefully copied and preserved by Jewish scholars from generation to generation for thousands of years. It contains the well-known story of creation, the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments, the lineage and history of the Jews, the account of King David and the creation of Israel, and, of course, the very important Jewish Dietary Laws. The Torah and the Talmud, a multi-volume collection of sacred writings and explanation of the laws and customs of Judaism, guide the daily lives and spiritual growth of the Jewish people.

A GLOSSARY OF KASHRUT

Modern Jewish terms are principally derived from Yiddish and Hebrew words, although some German and Russian words have also found their way into the vernacular. Yiddish, used for more than 1,000 years throughout most of Europe, has become a written, rather than oral, language only in recent years. Hebrew, as written, does not specify vowels and the alphabet contains sounds that cannot be translated directly in the English language. As a result, a great deal of variation occurs in the spelling of most Jewish words.

Bagel: A bread roll, made of yeast dough and boiled in water, then baked in an oven.
Blintz: Very thin pancakes, or crepes, rolled with a variety of fillings, the most popular of which is cheese.
Boreka: A triangular pastry of layered dough, originally from Greece, usually stuffed with cheese or spinach.
Borscht: "Soup" in Russian, usually beet soup, served hot or cold, with or without meat.

Challah : A twisted or braided loaf of white bread prepared for the Sabbath and for holidays.
Chanukah : Festival of Lights (refer to holiday description following).
Charoses : A mixture of nuts, cinnamon, honey, apples and wine, symbolizing the mortar used by Israelite slaves for the construction of the Pyramids of Egypt.
Chometz : Leavening or leavened bread, proscribed for Passover. Chometz may also be used to denote any product or utensil that is not Kosher for Passover.

Dreidel : A traditional Chanukah toy, similar to the spinning top.

Farfel : Matzo or noodle dough, chopped into grains.
Fleishig : "Meat," used to denote food products containing meat.

Gefilte fish : "Stuffed fish," usually chopped together with onions, eggs, bread crumbs or carrots.

Haggadah : "The telling;" an ancient book narrating the story of Exodus (Passover), read at the Seder.
Hamantashen : Triangular cakes filled with poppy seeds, chopped prunes and a wide variety of fruit, eaten at Purim; named after the three-cornered hat of the evil ruler Haman.

Kabbalah : Certificate issued by a Rabbi, certifying the recipient (schochet) as a kosher slaughterer.
Karpas : Parsley, celery or other green vegetable dipped in salt water, used during Passover.
Kasha : Buckwheat (a fruit, not a grain) with the shell removed, used as a cereal.
Kasher : To "make kosher," usually applied to the soaking and salting procedures used in the production of kosher meat and poultry.
Kashruth : The Jewish Dietary Laws, the basis of which are found in Deuteronomy.
Kichel : A cookie or wafer.
Kiddush : "Blessing," usually with wine; also, the wine used for blessing.
Kielbasa : A highly seasoned, Polish-style sausage.
Kishke : A long tubular roll stuffed with savory fillings and roasted with onions, salt and pepper.
Knish : A baked or fried dumpling, usually served with soup, filled with chopped, seasoned meat, potatoes or kasha.
Kosher : "Proper;" used to designate foods that comply with the Jewish Dietary Laws.
Kosher for Passover : Kosher for use during Passover, containing no chometz (leavening).
Kreplach : Noodle dough, cut into small squares or triangles, filled with meat and cooked in soup.
Kugel : Baked pudding, especially one made with noodles and/or potatoes.

Latkes : Pancakes made of minced potato and onion and fried in oil.
L'Chaim : "To life!" A toast.
L'Shanah Tova : "Good Year," a greeting used for Rosh Hashanah
Lox : Smokedsalmon.

Mandlen : Soup nuts.
Mashgiach : Specially trained rabbinical inspector to assure adherence to Kashruth in food processing. Plural: Mashgichim.
Matzo : Unleavened bread.
Mazel Tov : "Good Luck!" or Congratulations.
Megillah : "A scroll," used to denote any of the five books of the Hagiographa, especially the Book of Esther, read at Purim.
Menorah : An eight-branched candelabra, used at Chanukah.
Milchig : "Milk," used to denote dairy foods or meals.
Mitzvah : A commandment or precept, or an act of fulfilling a commandment.
Mogen David: "Shield of David," the six-pointed star recognized as the international symbol of Judaism.
Moror : Bitter herbs such as horseradish or romaine lettuce eaten as part of the Passover Seder as a reminder of the bitter condition of the Israelites in ancient Egypt.

Parve : A term indicating that a food is neither meat nor dairy, and can therefore be eaten with either. Parve items include all fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, eggs, kosher fish and their derivatives.
Passover , Pesach: The holiday commemorating the liberation of the Jewish people from enslavement and their exodus from Egypt (refer to holiday description following).
Pesachdig : For use during Passover. Pierogie, Piroshki: A dumpling made of pastry dough stuffed with a variety of fillings.
Purim : The Feast of Lots, commemorating the deliverance, by Esther, of the Jews from massacre by Haman (refer to holiday description following).

Rabbi : "Teacher," and "spiritual leader."
Rosh Chodesh : "Head of the Month," the first day of the Jewish month.
Rosh Hashanah : "Head of the Year," the Jewish New Year (refer to holiday description following).

Schav : Spinach soup, usually served cold.
Schmaltz : Rendered chicken or goose fat.
Schochet : A person specially trained for the ritual kosher slaughtering of animals. Plural: Schochtim.
Seder : "Order of Arrangement," used to describe the symbolic Passover meal, eaten in the order of the exodus from Egypt.
Shabbos : (Yiddish)"Sabbath."Hebrew:"Shabbat."
Shalom : "Peace." Used in greeting, both hello and good bye.
Shofar : Ram's horn, used as a wind instrument to trumpet the arrival of Rosh Hashanah and summon one to repentance.
Simchat Torah : "Rejoice in the Law," a festival at the conclusion of the annual cycle of Torah reading.
Strudel : A dessert pastry of rolled or stretched dough filled with apples, raisins or other fruits.
Sukkah : A temporary hut or booth, built for the holiday of Sukkot.
Sukkot : The fall festival of the harvest (refer to holiday description following).
Synagogue : A place of worship.

Talmud : Collection of writings that constitute the Jewish civil and religious law.
Torah : "The Law," the divine law, correlating to the first five books of the Old Testament. The Torah is hand scribed on a scroll of parchment and kept in the ark in the synagogue.
Tov, Tova : "Good," frequently found in expressions and combined words such as Mazel Tov.
Treife : Not kosher.
Tzimmes : A dish of sweetened meat and carrots.

Yarmulke : Head covering or skull cap worn by Jewish males.
Yiddish : A language of the Jews in eastern and western Europe based on the German, Hebrew, Aramaic and Slavic languages.
Yom Kippur : "Day of Atonement," the most religious of Jewish holidays (refer to holiday description following).
Yom Tov : (Hebrew) "Good Day," used to signify a holy day. Yiddish: Yontiff

The Jewish Calendar

The keeping of the calendar is essential to Jewish life. The Jewish calendar remains one of the oldest calendar systems still in use today, predating by more than 3700 years the standard Gregorian calendar now used throughout the world. Judaism is based on a lunar calendar, marking the months by the appearance of the moon rather than using a fixed number of days each month. Each Jewish month begins with the occurrence of the new moon and has four weeks of seven days.

Just as a "leap year" is used in the standard calendar to keep the months occurring in their appropriate seasons, the Jewish calendar adjusts certain years with a thirteenth month, a second month of Adar. The Jewish "day" begins at sundown and the Jewish "week" begins on Sunday, ending on Saturday, the Sabbath. In accordance with the fourth commandment, the Sabbath, from sun down Friday until sundown Saturday, is a special day reserved for prayer, rest and attention to spiritual needs. The first of each month is known as Rosh Chodesh (the head of the month), an occasion for special prayers and celebration.

Special prayers for the month to come are given on the preceding Sabbath. Rosh Hashanah (the head of the year) marks the beginning of the new Jewish year and has special significance as a day of reflection and hope. Rosh Hashanah usually falls in September, depending on the lunar cycle's conjunction with the Gregorian calendar.

SHABBOS - The Sabbath

The Sabbath is the oldest of all Jewish holy days and the most honored. The Sabbath is first cited in the second chapter of the Torah, which corresponds with the first five books of the Old Testament [Genesis 2:3]. The fourth commandment [Exodus 20:7] requires that this day be observed and kept holy. During Shabbos, from sun down Friday until sundown Saturday. no work is performed; no fires are kindled, and no money is carried.

Traditional synagogue services are held Friday evening and Saturday morning. In observance, the house is cleaned prior to the Sabbath, and the table is set with the best linen, china, silver, and glassware. A special meal is prepared, the family dresses for dinner, and two Sabbath candles are lighted. Traditional Foods The fine Sabbath meal includes kosher wine and two loaves of twisted Challah bread. Roasted, boiled or broiled chicken is a favorite main course. Traditional Jewish dishes, such as gefilte fish, chicken soup with rice, noodles or matzo balls, chopped liver, potato kugel (pudding), and borscht are popular additions to the weekly Sabbath feast.

ROSH HASHANAH - The New Year

Rosh Hashanah, or "head of the year," is celebrated as a two-day holiday, a time for reflection on the thoughts and deeds of the passing year and a time for hope for the year to come. The shofar, or ram's horn, is sounded on both days of Rosh Hashanah. The oldest and most soulful of wind instruments, the shofar awakens observers to repent for their sins. On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, a body of water- lake, pond, river, or sea-that contains live fish is visited.

Special prayers are given to "cast away" sins. Traditional Foods A festive meal for Rosh Hashanah is prepared as for the Sabbath, with roast chicken or turkey, challah bread, chopped liver, wine, and chicken soup with kreplach or matzo. It is also customary on Rosh Hashanah to eat foods that symbolize sweetness, blessings and abundance for the coming year. A plate of sliced apples is added, and a slice of apple and challah bread are dipped in honey with hopes of a sweet year. Other customs include eating the head of a fish, pomegranates and carrots.

YOM KIPPUR - The Day of Atonement

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year, when judgment is rendered on life, death, health and disease. In observance, a complete fast from sunset until sundown the following day is held, special prayers are recited. Five activities, in addition to the prohibition of work, are forbidden on Yom Kippur: eating and drinking; anointing oneself with perfume or lotion; marital relations; washing for pleasure; and wearing shoes made of leather. Traditional Foods The afternoon prior to Yom Kippur, a table is set for a meal before the fast.

Like Rosh Hashanah , the meal usually includes roast chicken or turkey, challah bread and chopped liver. Kreplach, filled noodle dough, is a customary dish. No wine is served at this meal, and highly seasoned foods are avoided to prevent intensifying thirst during the coming fast. To break the fast after the sunset following Yom Kippur, a dairy meal is usually served. Traditional foods include eggs, cheeses, blintzes, sour cream, gefilte fish, lox, bagels and pickled herring.

SUKKOT - Festival of Tabernacles

The eight days of Sukkot commemorate the flight of the Jews from Egypt and thanksgiving for the harvest. It is commanded in Leviticus 23:42, "During seven days you must live in thatched huts (Sukkoth)," to symbolize the temporary quarters in which the Jews lived during their exodus. A Sukkah, or temporary hut with a roof of branches, is constructed outside the home and the synagogue. All meals are eaten in the Sukkah during the festival, which is celebrated with special prayers and beautiful ceremonies. The beginning and last days of the festival are established as holy days (Leviticus 42:39) and no work is performed. Eating meals and spending time outdoors provide a unique religious experience.

Traditional Foods The foods prepared for the festival are the same as for the other festive holidays. Because Sukkot occurs at the time of the grain harvest, many fresh fruits and vegetables are served with the meals. Foods are also used to decorate the Sukkah, with autumn fruits, vegetable and gourds adorning the roof. Clusters of grapes, red apples, eggplants, squashes and peppers embellish the hut, and strings of cranberries and fresh flowers add a festive touch.

CHANUKAH - Festival of Lights

The eight days of Chanukah celebrate religious freedom. This convivial holiday commemorates the victory of the Jews over Assyrians and the rededication of the temple of Jerusalem. Under the totalitarian ruler Antiochus, the Assyrians raided the temple and tried to force the Jews to bow to Greek idols. The Maccabean army led the Jews to defeat the enemy. The dedication, or Chanukah, of the temple lasted eight days.

Chanukah is celebrated with a feast of lights and a feast of dedication. Each evening, the family gathers for a benediction and a beautiful ceremony. One candle of the menorah, an eight branched candlestick, is lighted each night until all candles are burning. The merry evenings are filled with games of dreidel, an ancient ancestor to today's spinning top, and Chanukah gifts are given.

Traditional Foods The feasts of Chanukah are abundant with Jewish specialties such as gefilte fish. Roasted turkey, duckling or chicken are popular entrees at the family gatherings. To commemorate the oil that burned in the menorah of the temple, foods cooked in oil are eaten. Potato latkes, pancakes of minced potatoes and onions fried in oil, are especially prized additions to Chanukah meals.

PURIM - The Carnival

Purim, the most mirthful of Jewish holidays, celebrates the rescue by Mordechai and Esther of the Jews of ancient Persia from massacre by the evil ruler Haman. In observance, there is a Fast of Esther followed by the reading of the Megillah , the scroll of Esther, in the synagogue. The Feast of Purim is celebrated with feasts, plays, carnivals and gift giving. When Haman's name is mentioned during the reading of the Megillah, it is customary to twirl noisemakers and stamp one's feet to "drown out" his evil name. Although merriment is accented, Purim is also a time for charity to at least two needy individuals. Gift-giving among friends, employing children as "messengers" emphasizes friendship and unity among Jews during this festive holiday. Traditional Foods The Purim feast is a family get-together. Roasted duck, chick en or turkey is usually selected as a main course. Hamantashen, cakes filled with poppy seeds or fruit, and kreplach, dough filled with meat, are characteristically eaten at the Purim feast be cause their triangular shape serves as a reminder of Haman's three-cornered hat.

PASSOVER - Festival of Freedom

Passover, or Pesach, is one of the most important holidays in the Jewish year. It commemorates the birth of the Jewish nation, their liberation from Egyptian slavery, and their exodus from Egypt. The name Passover refers to the last of the ten plagues on Egypt described in the book of Exodus. All first-born males were slain; but the Jewish homes were "passed over." As the Jews fled from Egypt through the desert, they had no time to bake bread, so they took with them unleavened bread known as matzo.

In observance, all leavened products (chometz) are forbidden during the week of Passover, as commanded in Exodus 12:15, "Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the very first day you should remove leaven from your houses." All chometz, which includes grains, legumes and yeast, is removed from the home. Before Passover, the entire house is cleaned and the stove and oven are cleaned and koshered. Special pots and dishes are reserved for use during this holiday.

The night before Passover, a formal search for chometz is made, and all products containing chometz are removed or destroyed by fire. Many beverages, canned goods, candies, meat products, processed foods, shortenings, vinegars and wines are specially produced with chometz-free recipes under strict Rabbinical approval by food manufacturers at this time. Packaged food that does not have the Kosher for Passover (KP) marking cannot be brought into the home.

In addition to the removal of chometz, Passover is also marked by a fast of the first-born, to show gratitude for the sparing of the first-born of Israel during the last plague, and by two Seders, family meals with special foods and prayers. Five obligations are performed by each Jew during the Seder: eating matzo; drinking four cups of wine; eating bitter herbs; relating the story of the exodus; and reciting Psalms of praise.

The ritual Seder is performed in accordance with a special book known as a Hagaddah . Traditional Foods The highlight of the Passover holiday is the Seder, the most impressive family meal of the year. A Seder plate with six symbolic foods is prepared. Matzo symbolizes the unleavened bread used during the exodus.

Maror, or bitter herbs such as horseradish and romaine lettuce, signify the cruel suffering of the Jews in ancient Egypt. Beitzo, a hard-boiled egg, commemorates the festival sacrifice at the Temple in Jerusalem. Charoseth, a paste of walnuts and apples with wine, represents the clay used by Jews to make bricks under Pharaoh's enslavement. Karpas, a vegetable such as celery or parsley dipped in salt water, suggests the tears of the ancient Jews during their captivity.

Zeroah , a piece of roast meat or chicken neck, symbolizes the Paschal sacrifice on the night of freedom from Egypt. Traditional foods for the Passover feast include gefilte fish, chopped liver, chicken soup with matzo balls, turkey, chicken, kugels (puddings usually made with potatoes), and Passover spongecake. Prohibited foods include barley, biscuits, cakes, crackers, dried peas, hops, leavened bread, cereals, oats, rice, rye, wheat, and all liquids that contain ingredients or flavoring made with grain alcohol.

SHAVUOT - Feast of Weeks

Shavuot, also known as the Festival of the First Fruits, marks the beginning of the wheat harvest and commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments to the Jews at Mount Sinai (Exodus 24). These two themes are closely inter woven on this festive holiday. The Feast of Weeks marks the end of the barley harvest. Community offerings of two loaves made from new corn (Leviticus 23:17) are made. The Book of Ruth, chronicling Israel's grain harvest, is customarily read. In ancient times, pilgrims flocked to Jerusalem to bring offerings of barley, wheat, olives, dates and fruits for the festival at the Temple. Today, synagogues and homes are decorated with flowers and leafy branches, and the festival is marked with pageants, songs, music and dancing.

The giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai marked Israel's birth as a nation. Because it is said that the Israelites fell asleep during the night and had to be awakened, it is customary to stay awake all night to study and discuss Torah. Traditional Foods Fruits and dairy products are usually eaten at Shavuot. Traditional foods include fruit and cheese blintzes, cheeses, sour cream, fish, gefilte fish, noodle puddings, and cheesecake.

TISHA B'AV - The Three Weeks

Tammuz 17 marks the date that Moses descended from Mount Sinai with two stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments (Exodus 31-32). While Moses was receiving the Commandments, the people had grown impatient and had begun worshipping a golden calf and drinking. When Moses returned, he became so angry that he smashed the tablets on the ground. In observance, Tammuz 17 is a public fast day. It begins the "Three Weeks," a period of national mourning for the destruction of the two temples of Jerusalem.

Jewish people celebrate no weddings and schedule no festivities. Av 1 through Av 9 (Tisha B'Av) are known as the "Nine Days" at the end of the Three Weeks. For the Nine Days, mourning is intensified for the destruction of the temples and subsequent persecution of Jews.

Tisha B'Av marks the anniversary of the Divine decree that the Jewish people remain in the desert for 40 years (Numbers 13-14). The saddest date in the Jewish calendar, it is commemorated by a 25-hour fast from the sunset of the previous evening. Traditional Foods During the Nine Days, meat is prohibited and all meals are of dairy nature. Traditional foods include fish, cheeses, yegetables and vegetarian meals, bread products and pasta.

IN CONCLUSION

We have provided this information as a guide to the concept of Kashruth. We hope that it has addressed the basic concepts of kosher and Kashruth but we strongly advise that if you have any questions, please contact your Rabbi or the appropriate authority for clarification. Kashruth Council Of Canada Vaad Hakashruth Adas Yisroel