This made me laugh! I didn’t know you could be “mostly kosher” the way I’m “mostly vegan.” Pigs may be smart, but they wallow around in excrement and even, yes, eat it. The Jews know to avoid that nastiness. Shellfish, while tempting, is full of bacteria. For some reason, ever since I was pregnant with my second baby, I can’t even smell it without wanting to retch.
I was going to respond earlier but there are Frito chips all over my keyboard. Skipping pig meat is probably a good rule to follow though except for bacon slightly burned on very special occasions. Good article!
This was one of the most delightful posts ever. I love how involved Nellie is with Bari's family. Once you have kids, take it from me, you will realize times a billion what a treasure it is to have warm, loving machatunim (sp?!) (even if, inevitably, you do not see eye to eye on everything).
I'm in love with this subtrack! Thank you so much for writing.
Born in to a Jewish family in the USSR I grew up with little to no Jewish tradition present. Religion had no place in Soviet life. I knew we were Jewish (and anti-Semitism made sure to remind us of that) but did not really know what it meant. In 1990 at the age of 8, with the Soviet regime collapsing my family was permitted to leave to Israel. Suddenly, I found myself in a totally different surroundings were being Jewish was the norm (though now I was reminded I was Russian...) and the rest of my childhood I grew up with Jewish holidays and traditions.
Reading this blog been such a pleasure. Reading about people who consciously make the decision to join the Jewish life really makes you rethink stuff you took for granted, stuff you haven't necessarily been aware of. Being surrounded by Jewish way of life, even if not being religious and reading this blog sometimes reminds me of the "how's the water?" Joke from David Foster Wallace‘s famous speech.
Regarding keeping kosher, my rule is that in Israel I try to stick kosher rules (not always with great success...) but when abroad the food is an integral part of the culture you want to experience so the kosher rules take a break.
Keeping Kosher is one of my favorite parts of Judaism. I read about being "Filet of Fish Kosher" the other day. That perfectly describes me. I do the best I can in my home. I'd love to keep a Kosher kitchen like my friends in RSA do, but I live with a roommate who eats a pound of bacon or sausage for breakfast on the weekends. Just brining a new pot into this house treifs it up. Luckily, I've discussed it with the rabbi overseeing my conversion and he doesn't have an issue with it since I only eat Kosher meat, don't mix cheese and meat, and keep pescatarian in and out of the house otherwise.
But about the milk and meat: A month or so ago, I fixed a chicken thigh cholent overnight before Friday for a me and a friend who were doing services and dinner together that night. I tried a few bites of it and decided to make something else. Pity that 30 minutes later, I was at a bagel shop and went ahead and got a bagel with cream cheese. It wasn't until 8 hours later that I realized I hadn't waited the requisite time. (Insert facepalm here).
Great article. After I converted and married a former orthodox man we joined a conservative shul, and I kept a Kosher house, 2 sets of dishes, 2 dishwashers etc. I had not previously eaten pork, so that was easy, but when eating out, I found it so hard to give up my love of shrimp! My rule was when eating out with with friends that kept Kosher homes, I was sensitive to what I ordered, no pork, bacon or shellfish. But with non Jewish friends, shrimp was definitely free game! I remember one time my orthodox cousin in law came to visit our initial home, pre conversion, and only ate lettuce for 2 days. And then the faux pas that I made when my orthodox inlaws came to visit. They were impressed with my home and kosher cooking. On Shabbos we walked to the local synagogue. Sunday we had a fleishig lunch at home and then needed to pick up some groceries. As we rounded the deli section I sampled some of the cheese that was out. My mother in law nearly passed out with horror. I had not waited 4 hours before eating cheese.
This made me laugh! I didn’t know you could be “mostly kosher” the way I’m “mostly vegan.” Pigs may be smart, but they wallow around in excrement and even, yes, eat it. The Jews know to avoid that nastiness. Shellfish, while tempting, is full of bacteria. For some reason, ever since I was pregnant with my second baby, I can’t even smell it without wanting to retch.
I was going to respond earlier but there are Frito chips all over my keyboard. Skipping pig meat is probably a good rule to follow though except for bacon slightly burned on very special occasions. Good article!
This was one of the most delightful posts ever. I love how involved Nellie is with Bari's family. Once you have kids, take it from me, you will realize times a billion what a treasure it is to have warm, loving machatunim (sp?!) (even if, inevitably, you do not see eye to eye on everything).
I'm in love with this subtrack! Thank you so much for writing.
Born in to a Jewish family in the USSR I grew up with little to no Jewish tradition present. Religion had no place in Soviet life. I knew we were Jewish (and anti-Semitism made sure to remind us of that) but did not really know what it meant. In 1990 at the age of 8, with the Soviet regime collapsing my family was permitted to leave to Israel. Suddenly, I found myself in a totally different surroundings were being Jewish was the norm (though now I was reminded I was Russian...) and the rest of my childhood I grew up with Jewish holidays and traditions.
Reading this blog been such a pleasure. Reading about people who consciously make the decision to join the Jewish life really makes you rethink stuff you took for granted, stuff you haven't necessarily been aware of. Being surrounded by Jewish way of life, even if not being religious and reading this blog sometimes reminds me of the "how's the water?" Joke from David Foster Wallace‘s famous speech.
Regarding keeping kosher, my rule is that in Israel I try to stick kosher rules (not always with great success...) but when abroad the food is an integral part of the culture you want to experience so the kosher rules take a break.
Keeping Kosher is one of my favorite parts of Judaism. I read about being "Filet of Fish Kosher" the other day. That perfectly describes me. I do the best I can in my home. I'd love to keep a Kosher kitchen like my friends in RSA do, but I live with a roommate who eats a pound of bacon or sausage for breakfast on the weekends. Just brining a new pot into this house treifs it up. Luckily, I've discussed it with the rabbi overseeing my conversion and he doesn't have an issue with it since I only eat Kosher meat, don't mix cheese and meat, and keep pescatarian in and out of the house otherwise.
But about the milk and meat: A month or so ago, I fixed a chicken thigh cholent overnight before Friday for a me and a friend who were doing services and dinner together that night. I tried a few bites of it and decided to make something else. Pity that 30 minutes later, I was at a bagel shop and went ahead and got a bagel with cream cheese. It wasn't until 8 hours later that I realized I hadn't waited the requisite time. (Insert facepalm here).
Great article. After I converted and married a former orthodox man we joined a conservative shul, and I kept a Kosher house, 2 sets of dishes, 2 dishwashers etc. I had not previously eaten pork, so that was easy, but when eating out, I found it so hard to give up my love of shrimp! My rule was when eating out with with friends that kept Kosher homes, I was sensitive to what I ordered, no pork, bacon or shellfish. But with non Jewish friends, shrimp was definitely free game! I remember one time my orthodox cousin in law came to visit our initial home, pre conversion, and only ate lettuce for 2 days. And then the faux pas that I made when my orthodox inlaws came to visit. They were impressed with my home and kosher cooking. On Shabbos we walked to the local synagogue. Sunday we had a fleishig lunch at home and then needed to pick up some groceries. As we rounded the deli section I sampled some of the cheese that was out. My mother in law nearly passed out with horror. I had not waited 4 hours before eating cheese.