My son needs to bring a Kosher Lunch to School?

Question

My son attends an elementary school that rents facilities from a Reform Temple. The lunch facilities are on campus, but outside of the actual worship site. We have been asked to ensure that our staff and students only bring Kosher foods to school for lunch. We were given the following guidelines: no pork (obviously), no meat and cheese together. That seems a little thin.

I don't want to send a lunch with my child that would offend anyone, and on the other hand, if they are only concerned with appearances, I have little interest in accomodating them. What kind of Kosher guideline is "No pork, no meat and cheese together?" It seems to leave out quite a lot! Also, are Reform Jews required to keep Kosher?

Is it OK to mix poultry and dairy? For example: a turkey and cheese sandwich? How about a chicken salad sandwich that had chicken and mayo (which is primarily eggs and oil)?

Is it OK for a child to bring turkey or beef in one container and cheese in another? Obviously, our families will not be keeping kosher entirely...we just do not want to offend anyone.

I am also concerned theologically and legally with this issue. I don't think that it would be legal for the Rabbi to search the children's lunches for infractions (we're a publicly funded school). Also, it's a bit disingenuous, as he knows darned well that even if the child's lunch does not consist of meat and cheese together, there is no way it was prepared in a Kosher kitchen.

Again, none of us would really be keeping kosher. The knife that sliced the roast beef last night will cut up the cheese this morning. Also, I have found that there are many additional regulations to keep Kosher that our site has not required, such as: no shellfish, no rare beef, I could go on and on. Any input is appreciated. I'll give the "best answer" to the person who is the most informative, not the person who agrees with me! I am in no way "anti-kosher." I do not keep Kosher, as I am Christian, and my theology releases me from those restrictions. However, I want to respect the beliefs of our host site. I plan to pack my child's lunches in a way that is respectful of the host facility. However, it is a bit hard given the Kosher restriction (and I have no experience with Kosher food) and our new anti-peanut restriction. Great. No turkey and cheese sandwiches, no peanut butter sandwiches, he has to learn to eat his dairy first...I hope I do not sound snarky!

Answer 1

So I personally think the whole kosher thing is stupid but I'm also not religious nor would I have my children abide by someone else's rules if it was not part of my religion obviously I wouldn't want to offend but they shouldn't impose they're ideals on your child because he is in they're presence it's ridiculous anyways I googled the info below usually the best way to find an answer sometimes.

* Pork, rabbit, eagle, owl, catfish, sturgeon, and any shellfish, insect or reptile are non-kosher.

    *

    * Other species of meat and fowl must be slaughtered in a prescribed manner to be kosher.Meat and dairy products may not be made or consumed together.

A kosher food that is processed or cooked together with a non-kosher food, or any derivative of a non-kosher food, becomes non-kosher. For example, food coloring derived from a shellfish and used in a cake makes the cake non-kosher.

Answer 2

I assume that your school is a Public Charter school from your description.

And if that is the case, you should contact your local school board.

I do think that there are legal issues here that as a public school, the school has no right to dictate what is in your lunch.  

Answer 3

I don't know a lot about kosher, but I think they make kosher hot dogs (Nathens) and some products in the grocery store are labeled kosher. I don't live in a community that have a lot of Jewish people, but since you do their should be a grocery store or specialty store that sells exclusive kosher. You should look around in there and get some ideas.

Answer 4

Personally if your school is PUBLICLY or STATE funded then by law the school can not impose religous preferences, practices or other things on students period. It's called separation of church and state

Note on hotdogs: nathans are NOT kosher. The only commercial brand of hotdogs that are kosher are Hebrew National.  Most grocery stores carry these.

Answer 5

Try to fallow this school's guidelines, but I am sure that they will understand that you are not kosher and may make occasional mistakes. I believe that mixing poultry and dairy together is fine, same with chicken and mayo. I do not think that the Rabbi would search the children's lunches, I believe that would be an invasion of privacy.

http://www.okkosher.com/Content.asp?ID=1...

Hope this link helps!

Answer 6

I understand the peanut butter rules as I have a child who is severely allergic to it, but an answer I have heard from other parents is Soy butter. (just get it okay-ed by the school first, just in case) I hear it tastes just like peanut butter. According to some sites I have read, I assume this rule is because of allergies and not kosher rules as I did a search for "kosher lunch ideas for kids" and peanut butter popped up all over the place. Here is a site with a few ideas for you. I'm sorry I do not know more, but I hope it helps.  

Answer 7

Here is a sight that gives you some lunch idea's for the Kosher...

http://www.jewz.com/alef/kosher_camp_lun...

or

http://www.royalgenes.biz/misc.kids/thre...

Answer 8

why are you making your son go to a jewish school where you can only eat kosher, when you're not even kosher at home?

why don't you just send him to a normal school?

Answer 9

You asked:

Is it OK to mix poultry and dairy? No.

For example: a turkey and cheese sandwich? No.

How about a chicken salad sandwich that had chicken and mayo (which is primarily eggs and oil)?

A:  Use "salad dressing: no eggs" if they are strict. Ask about this: I'm sure they'll tell you.

Is it OK for a child to bring turkey or beef in one container and cheese in another?

A: I would avoid meat and cheese in the same meal. This is about helping your child fit in....who knows: someone might criticize him...It's easier to just follow the rules.

A: An "all dairy meal" is great protein: Yogurt, string cheese, chips. An all meat meal is great: just send juice as the drink.

Rest of answer: I know at first, it seems difficult: but you'll get used to it. Ask your child: what meals he sees other kids eating: that he would like: you'll get ideas! Also ask the teachers, they'll  be great with suggestions also!

Wait until Friday: be sure to order at least 2 loaves of Challah bread! You'll be glad you did!

Answer 10

I am Jewish. Here are the basic rules for keeping Kosher:

Kosher foods are those that conform to the Jewish dietary laws. Reasons for food being considered non-kosher include the presence of ingredients derived from non-kosher animals or from kosher animals that were not properly slaughtered, a mixture of meat and milk, wine or grape juice (and their derivatives) produced by gentiles, the use of produce from Israel that has not been tithed properly, or even the use of cooking utensils and machinery which had previously been used for non-kosher food.

Also as far as milk and meet. You cannot mix it AT ALL no chicken and cheese, i think you could get away with mayo, if its mixed in well. You can NOT have meat in one container, and cheese in a another. You should not mix dairy and meat AT ALL in the same meal.

It is Legal for the Rabbi to search lunches, as some families take this VERY seriously. Beware, if you pack food that is not Kosher, they CAN take this food away from your child, and it is not breaking any rules, because they clearly told you not to pack this type of food. It has happened to people before, and yes it does suck, but it is their wrong for bringing it.

If you want more info on keeping kosher, and what is and is not kosher, please feel free to IM/email at [e-mail]

Hope I helped!!

Answer 11

It is true that the public school has rented facilities from a reform, jewish place, and it's unfair to the parents of the children that they now have to abide by Kosher laws. The school must have been desperate, to agree to mix "separation of church and state" laws.

That being said, here's the quick rundown of kosher laws.

1) Kosher fish is defined as any fish that have fins and scales

2)Kosher meat is defined as any animal that meets the criteria of both, chewing their cud, and having split feet. and then they have to be slaughtered specified according to jewish law.

3) Kosher dairy is defined by the milking of a Kosher animal that a Jew has milked, or watched being milked.(the more stricter version. a lenient version says, that if it's not possibble to obtain milk that was milked, or supervised being milked by a Jew, as long as it was milked from a Kosher animal, it can pass as kosher

4)any meat and dairy being mixed together would be violating kosher laws, even if they're in separate containers. Mayo, unless it's dairy (which means that it has milk derivitives in it) is not a problem to mix with meat. (there are NO jewish prohibition laws of mixing eggs with meat. eggs is not dairy -- according to Jewish law. So you can have a chicken and mayo sandwich, without breaking any laws.

Answer 12

I think it is nice you don't want to offend anyone.  Truly this is a rare quality these days.

I am not Jewish but I don't think you can send the dairy products just separate from the meat.  I mean a kosher meal doesn't combine the two at all I believe.  If meat is on the table, dairy is not (PLEASE someone correct me if I am wrong!) so it isn't just a simple matter of eating his dairy first lol.  

If you are willing to accept this request I think you should ask for some sort of guideline from the school as to what is kosher.  It sounds like you are not the only non Jewish family in the school so them providing detailed info on their requirements is their responsibility.

You could just make a meat sandwich one day, cheese the next.

It sure seems odd that a publically funded school, even though it is on property owned by a religious organization can demand such a thing.  Personally I'd put in the lunch sack what I would if there had been no request made for kosher only and just not make an issue out of it. I can't imagine they are going to have kosher inspectors looking through lunches.    

Answer 13

Basically, there are different interpretations of kosher rules even among the very Orthodox about the details.  In a reform congregation it is not uncommon to ask people to make a nod towards keeping kosher without requiring everyone to buy food prepared by someone else.  They will try to make sure the food doesn't touch the tables directly and will worry about keeping microwaves kosher, etc.  

We are Jewish, don't keep kosher, and send in 'kosher' lunches for our kids schools.  Our kids' school doesn't allow meat at all.  the kosher rules for meat are strict and no milk and meat will mix at school if no one brings in meat.  It sounds like they are not asking that.  Be glad.

No milk and meat in the same meal.  Different containers are not enough.  Eggs are not milk. They can go with milk or meat.  Fish is not meat.  Tuna fish is fine with anything.

Don't send pork or shellfish.  The smell is very clear and to many people who do keep kosher it is a bit offputting.

they ask us to only send in prepared food that is kosher.  You would be surprised how much food in your kitchen is already kosher.  You can get kosher fruit cups, juice boxes, chips, cookies without more trouble than checking hte packages.  No  extra expense or trips.  Kosher meat is another story.  That is why they don't sweat it.

Your food isn't really kosher.  But they won't be sharing food so it is ok.

I don't really think kids have a legal right of privacy from people seeing their lunches.  Lots of schools forbid peanuts.  I guess the school chooses to rent the space there.  I doubt a reform congregation would raise much of a fuss if something isn't what they request.  But it seeems to have been asked as a matter of courtesy with as much leniency built in as possible.  Hope this helps.

Answer 14

My daughter attends a Torah Academy and the rules there state that only dairy or  are allowed.

The easiest way to prepare lunches following these rules are to make sandwiches such as egg, egg salad, PB&J, cheese sandwiches.  Eggs are not dairy or meat, they are parve, which is nuteral.  No chicken with cheese, but fish with cheese is acceptable.

Fruit, chips and the like.  Just make sure they have a hechser.

See these sites for additional info:

People who do not keep kosher often tell me how difficult it is. Actually, keeping kosher is not particularly difficult in and of itself; what makes it difficult to keep kosher is the fact that the rest of the world does not do so.

As we shall see below, the basic underlying rules are fairly simple. If you buy your meat at a kosher butcher and buy only kosher certified products at the market, the only thing you need to think about is the separation of meat and dairy.

Keeping kosher only becomes difficult when you try to eat in a non-kosher restaurant, or at the home of a person who does not keep kosher. In those situations, your lack of knowledge about your host's ingredients and food preparation techniques make it very difficult to keep kosher.

Some commentators have pointed out, however, that this may well have been part of what G-d had in mind: to make it more difficult for us to socialize with those who do not share our religion.

General Rules

Although the details of kashrut are extensive, the laws all derive from a few fairly simple, straightforward rules:

Certain animals may not be eaten at all. This restriction includes the flesh, organs, eggs and milk of the forbidden animals.

Of the animals that may be eaten, the birds and mammals must be killed in accordance with Jewish law.

All blood must be drained from the meat or broiled out of it before it is eaten.

Certain parts of permitted animals may not be eaten.

Fruits and vegetables are permitted, but must be inspected for bugs

Meat (the flesh of birds and mammals) cannot be eaten with dairy. Fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and grains can be eaten with either meat or dairy. (According to some views, fish may not be eaten with meat).

Utensils that have come into contact with meat may not be used with dairy, and vice versa. Utensils that have come into contact with non-kosher food may not be used with kosher food. This applies only where the contact occurred while the food was hot.

Grape products made by non-Jews may not be eaten.

There are a few other rules that are not universal.

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Try these for reading:

http://www.ssdsabq.org/docs/kosher.ssds....

http://urj.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=683...

http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Kosher-As-a-...

http://www.asiaing.com/how-to-keep-koshe...

http://www.star-k.org/cons-keep-basics-o...

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Keeping kosher for your child's school should be a fairly easy task, and not that expensive at all.  You would be surprised at the amount of food available at a regular grocery store that have the appropriate symbols which are kosher.

Good luck.  You are welcome to email me for more info if you would like to.

Answer 15

Kosher law does not allow any meat to touch any form of dairy, including in sauce or with cheese on top. They're just asking general guidelines.