Shalom Dear Vav Families and Happy New Year for the Trees in Israel,
I know we’ve only been back for a short time since winter break, but here is a brief update about what we’re doing in class.
We have started our Unit on Kashrut using the Jewish Theological Seminary’s “Etgar” (Hebrew, meaning “Challenge”) curriculum. As part of that unit, students will be creating Kosher menus for a Kosher restaurant.
Main Concepts Covered and Yet to be Covered:
Understanding the progression of permitted diets in the Torah from The Garden of Eden to the time of Noah, through the Five Books of Moses and how rabbinic interpretation(s) has affected our ongoing practice of Kashrut.
The Primary reason Jews observe Kashrut (Jewish Dietary Laws) is that “God commands” this in the Torah and it makes “holy”.
Prohibition to eat/drink blood, because blood is Life.
Land animals must “chew their cud” AND have “true split-hooves”.
Fish/SeaFood must have fins AND scales.
Prohibited Birds are listed in the Torah.
Prohibition on eating Insects.
Prohibition on eating the sciatic nerve/hip area due to Jacob’s lasting injury when he wrestled with the angel.
Mashgiach=Person who inspects and sanctions Kashrut standards.
Shochet=Person who slaughters the Kosher animals according to laws of Shechitah=the process of harvesting the animal and checking for diseases and other impurities.
Hechsher=the Kosher Symbols for labeling items as Kosher/Dairy/Pareve once approved by a certified Rabbinic inspection.
Separation of Dairy and Meat (foods and utensils/dishes/etc.) and the meaning of Pareve.