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KASHRUT AT NORTHERN HILLS SYNAGOGUE
Kashrut is
one of the basic institutions of Jewish religious life. We read in
the Talmud Tractate Bava Metzia, “It has been taught
in the school of Rabbi Yishmael: The Holy One, Praised be He, said, ‘If
I had brought Israel up from Egypt only for this one thing, that they
not contaminate themselves with creeping things, it would have been
sufficient.’”
Promoting observance
of the dietary laws is also one of the basic principles of Conservative
Judaism, included
in the Aims of the United Synagogue, and in Article IV, Section 1
of the Standards for Congregational Practice in this language: The congregation
shall require, and make every effort to ensure, that Shabbat and Kashrut
are appropriately observed at all functions on the
premises owned or under its control, and functions sponsored by the
congregation or under its auspices on other premises. All of such functions
shall
be viewed as means to further the teachings and values of Judaism.
Northern Hills
Synagogue – Cong. B’nai Avraham supports and
promotes the observance of the dietary laws in several ways.
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All food served in the synagogue itself is prepared and served
in accordance
with the standards of the NHS Kashrut Manual.
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Instruction in kashrut is regularly given at the synagogue, and
bulletins containing
current kashrut information are sent to
the
congregation.
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When
synagogue activities are held at congregants’ homes,
only kosher food is served, in accordance with the applicable
synagogue protocol.
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When synagogue activities are held away from the synagogue building,
and not in congregants’ homes, the following considerations
are taken into account:
a. Although
the practice of eating fish, dairy, or vegetarian dishes in non-kosher
facilities is very widely accepted
in the Conservative
movement, there is no official position of the movement
which gives blanket approval to the practice.
b. Under
the best of circumstances, eating in a non-kosher facility involves
compromising the observance of kashrut.
c. In order
to promote Jewish life in our community, the congregation supports
kosher restaurants and
suppliers of kosher food.
d. The values of convenience and conviviality
which may be realized by holding a synagogue
meeting or
activity in a
non-kosher facility
are
weighed against the values of kashrut observance
and supporting kosher establishments.
e. Official synagogue events, activities, or
meetings (i.e., things which might appear on
the synagogue
calendar) are
not held in non-kosher
restaurants
or facilities unless the following options have
first been considered:
i. Structuring
the event so that food is not included in it
ii. Holding the event at a kosher restaurant
iii. Holding the event at the synagogue, and
bringing in food from a kosher source
iv. Holding the event in a congregant’s
home
f.
If a synagogue event, activity, or meeting is held in a non-kosher
facility,
then all participants eat
only kosher
fish, dairy, or
vegetarian foods.
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