Kashrut Policy
Revised: February 25, 2004

(For kosher vendor listing see end of policy)

The Board unanimously adopted a new Kashrut Policy for the synagogue at its last meeting.  This policy is the product of a two-year process overseen by the Kashrut Task Force and included study, surveys, parlor meetings and conversations with other congregations.  Our new policy reflects our Reconstructionist values and our commitment to Judaism as an evolving religious civilization.  Yasher Koach and thanks to the members of the Task Force:  Michael Rozyne, Susan Sussman, Julie Libon, Cathie Cruz, John O'Connor.  This is the text of the policy:

Kashrut Kavanah (Intention)
Eating is an immensely personal act. The foods we eat contribute to, and sometimes determine, our long-term health. They reflect personal choices, and they express not only our likes and dislikes, but our personal values. Eating has the potential to be a sacred act. But to make eating sacred, one must invest their time and intention.

Kashrut, the body of Jewish dietary laws and customs, is a central practice in Jewish tradition. Observing kosher in either modern or traditional ways brings holiness to the daily, instinctive act of eating. It puts Jewish values into action. Observing kashrut provides us with a continual reminder of the sanctity of all life. It imposes discipline and consciousness when choosing and preparing the foods we eat. It sanctifies the process of eating.

As Reconstructionist Jews we look for the meaning in our ancient traditions and combine it with current information and understanding to make our rituals relevant to modern living. The kashrut policy guidelines for Congregation Agudas Achim were developed from this perspective - combining the laws contained in our sacred texts with awareness of the contemporary challenges posed by modern day food production and consumption.

It takes commitment and constant effort to eat healthfully and stay fit while living a modern American lifestyle. A large majority of Agudas Achim members, in the year these Kashrut guidelines were created, made a bold declaration that nutrition was the leading value that should influence the food choice of American Jews.

In our contemporary practice of kashrut, we aim for greater mindfulness about how foods are grown, manufactured and prepared. We urge members to learn more   about the connections between diet and health, and to take responsibility for how the foods they eat impact the environment. And we encourage all to remember to express gratitude for that which makes it possible to feed and nourish our bodies.

Keeping kosher connects us with all Jews, those who have come before us and those who live around the world. It strengthens our Jewish identity and deepens our feeling of community.

Our intention is not to lay down a set of rules, and be done with it. Our intention is to open a door of opportunity and assist all in walking through it.

Principles behind the Practice of Kashrut at Agudas Achim
1. Greater mindfulness toward the food we eat, and to the Source of Life, who makes food and life possible. There are three dimensions to this.
a. Continuous learning about how foods are grown, manufactured, and prepared, and about ways that food can make life more meaningful, healthful, and full of wonder.
b. Gratitude to those whose labor and sacrifice make our nourishment possible, expressed through our thoughts, prayers, and blessings.
c. Responsibility for how the foods we eat impact our own bodies and health, other peoples' bodies and health, the earth, and the workers who make them, as expressed by our food choices, and by our communications with others.

2. Investing time to eat more healthily and to make food taste as wondrous as possible.

3. Using food to foster togetherness among families and in the synagogue community at large, that is, more time together, more conversation together, and more laughter.

4. Using food to strengthen our jewish identity by eating traditional Jewish foods whose recipes our own families have been preparing for centuries; and, through adherence to kashrut, either the traditional kosher food guidelines laid out in the Torah and Talmud, or your own modified version based on what makes food and eating sacred to you.

Kashrut Policy Guidelines
A.  SYNAGOGUE EVENTS HELD AT CONGREGATION AGUDAS ACHIM
This section applies to events held at the synagogue, including, but not limited to Oneg Shabbat, kiddush receptions, pot luck meals, meetings, congregational parties, bag lunches or dinners, and classroom snacks.

1. Blessings. Meals are sanctified when they begin (or end) with blessings.

2. Ingredients
a. All foods served must be dairy or pareve. In other words, no meat or poultry, shellfish, non-kosher fish, and no foods containing meat, poultry, or non-kosher fish ingredients may be served at these events.
b. Healthy eating. To enhance the holiness of food shared in our community, efforts will be made to provide nutritious and healthful foods.
c. No peanuts. To protect the health and safety of those with severe peanut  allergies, no peanuts, foods containing peanuts, or peanut products (such as peanut oil) are to be provided.
d. Grape Juice (or Ritual grape juice and wine). All wine or grape juice used for rituals must be labeled Kosher.

3. Preparing foods at home for a synagogue event
While we limit the foods served and eaten at the synagogue to dairy and pareve, we want to encourage home cooking of meals to be served at synagogue events.
a. Your kitchen is a sacred place. There is no special preparation required of containers, appliances and utensils used in making or serving a dish for a synagogue function.
b. No treif ingredients. Foods prepared at home or purchased commercially MUST be checked to make certain they contain no treif ingredients. Special care should be taken that commercially prepared baked goods are made with vegetable shortening, not lard, and that they are dairy or pareve, and contain no meat ingredients, peanuts or peanut products.
c. Kosher certification is not required for packaged ingredients used in home cooking.

Lastly:
d. Please list the ingredients; an act of courtesy and education. Members are encouraged to write a list of ingredients to accompany their home-made dishes. This simple act is appreciated by members who don't eat dairy, fish or eggs, and by those with health concerns such as diabetes, heart disease or food allergies.

B. PRIVATE EVENTS HELD AT CONGREGATION AGUDAS ACHIM
A private event held on the Congregation Agudas Achim premises, for example b'nai mitzvah celebrations or a 50th birthday party, whether sponsored by a member or a non-member, must conform to the following:

1. Caterers and event sponsors. For private events, the event sponsor may contract with a kosher or non-kosher caterer. All caterers and event sponsors MUST be provided with a copy of these guidelines in advance of the event. ALL CATERERS AND EVENT SPONSORS MUST AGREE IN WRITING TO ADHERE TO THE GUIDELINES. All caterers and event sponsors responsible for providing food must be interviewed by the Rabbi or the Rabbi's designated representative to make sure that they understand these guidelines and are willing and able to abide by them. Congregation Agudas Achim will maintain a list of approved caterers to assist event sponsors in planning their events.

2. No treif foods, nor foods that contain treif ingredients (see definition below) may be served at the event regardless of whether the food is prepared on-site or off-site.

3. Kosher meat and poultry is allowed as long as it is certified kosher. Furthermore, any food containing meat ingredients (e.g. broth) must be made with certified kosher meat or poultry.

4. Meat or meat products may not be served as part of the same meal in which dairy products are served.

5. Utensils or serveware from the kitchen may not be used to serve meat or meat products at any synagogue event.

6. Kashering (making kosher) the Congregation kitchen. The sponsor of a private event may have the Congregation Agudas Achim kitchen kashered to their own specifications. The kashering of the kitchen will be at the sole expense of the event sponsor. Similarly, the sponsor or the sponsor's caterer will be responsible for making the arrangements for kashering the kitchen. All such arrangements must be approved in advance by the Rabbi or the Rabbi's designee.

C.  OFF-SITE CONGREGATIONAL EVENTS
Off-site congregation-sponsored events such as committee meetings, fundraisers, or holiday parties, will follow the dairy/pareve guidelines for on-site events.

D. OFF-SITE PRIVATE EVENTS
The policy guidelines for Congregation Agudas Achim events do not apply to private life cycle events held in members' homes or sponsored by members at other facilities, even if an open invitation has been extended to the entire community.
If there is doubt as to what food to bring or provide for such an event it is always best to use these communal guidelines as a common denominator.

DEFINITIONS
Kashrut: The dietary laws of Judaism, defining what food is and is not "kosher." Kashrut is cited in the Torah in Leviticus 11 and in Deuteronomy. It is expanded in the Talmud and in the codes of Jewish law. The word "kosher" literally means "fit" or "acceptable." Modern Jews have expanded on this concept.

Treif: All non-kosher foods including pork products, shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster, etc.) and non-kosher fish (fish without fins and scales, such as shark), non-kosher meat or poultry, ingredients made from non-kosher meat, fish or poultry, and foods that contain both dairy and meat or poultry.

Dairy (also called "milchig" in Yiddish, "halav" in Hebrew): Foods that contain milk or products derived from milk (e.g. butter and cheese).

Meat (also called "fleishig" in Yiddish, "basar" in Hebrew): Foods that consist in whole or in part of ingredients derived from the flesh of animals (but not fish). To be kosher, meat must come from poultry, or from an animal that has split hooves and chews its cud (e.g. cows, sheep, etc.), and has been prepared according to the requirements of kashrut under rabbinic supervision.

Fish: Only fish that has both fins and scales is considered kosher. Shellfish is treif. Kosher fish is considered pareve.

Pareve: Foods, that in the natural state, are neither meat nor dairy. Examples are fruits and vegetables, fish, eggs, pasta, grains, nuts, coffee. Pareve foods can be served with either dairy or meat.

Kosher Certified (also called "Hashgacha", "Hechshur"): Food products approved as kosher under rabbinic supervision. The packaging of Kosher Certified foods are marked with symbols.

Thanks to congregation Adat Sholom and their communal food guidelines for inspiring us in the preparation of these documents.

These Guidelines were prepared during 2002-2004 by the Congregation Agudas Achim  Kashrut Task Force : Cathy Cruz, Julie Libon, John OÆConnor, Michael Rozyne, and Susan Sussman.

Questions concerning these Guidelines should be addressed to the Rabbi and/or the chairperson of the Ritual Committee.

The following caterers, stores and bakeries are Kosher and may be used (updated 6/07)

Catering
Tova's Catering, 253 Mansfield Ave., Norton, MA 02766, Tel: 508-286-2242. www.tovascatering.com
GT Catering, www.gtcatering.com, 508-791-8443, email: gtcater@aol.com
Provender, A Kosher Catering Company, Tel: 781-871-1364, www.provenderkoshercatering.com
Daniel Gourmet Kosher Catering, Inc., www.danielkoshercatering.com, Tel: 401-726-0197
Accounting for Taste, LLC, 401-301-1889

Bakery
Ruth's Bake Shop
Kaplan's Bakery, 756 Hope Street, Providence, RI 02906, 401-621-8107
Comanzo & Co. Specialty Bakers, www.comanzo.com
Stop & Shop in-store Bakeries: 987 Central Street Framingham, Stoughton,
781-344-8993 Stoughton, and Norwood, MA & the Branch Avenue location in Providence, RI

Markets
East Side Marketplace, 165 Pitman Street, Providence, RI, Tel: 401-831-7771, www.eastsidemarket.com (Kosher butcher and fish service every Thursday 8 AM - 2 PM).
Larry Levine's Kosher Meats & Deli, 474 Lowell Street, Peabody, MA. 800-547-1869 or 978-535-6449 (delivery service to RI). Also has Seder dinners available. www.levineskoshermkt.com.

Other
My Sweet Tooth - candy and gift baskets - 718 Reservoir Avenue, Cranston, RI Tel: 401-943-7704
Blossom Trail Orchard, Smithfield, RI 401-949-0100
Autocrat Coffee, New England Syrup, New Harvest Coffee Roasters, Drum Rock Products

There are other Kosher bakeries in Cranston, Brookline and Newton. Please contact the synagogue office if you need further info.

Jewish Items but NOT Kosher!

Catering by Izzy's, 1800 Post Road, Warwick

Izzy's Marketplace Cafe, Elmgrove Avenue, Providence, RI

The Bouyea-Fassetts Bakery Outlet is not kosher; however, they carry fresh Entenmann's Products at reasonable prices. This store is located in the Ocean Fresh Seafood plaza on East Washington Street (Route 1) in North Attleboro

Kosher Wines

East Side Prescription Center, 632 Hope Street, Providence, RI 401-751-1430 (carries Kosher for Passover wine)

Swan Wines, 806 Hope Street, Providence, RI 401-421-5760