The kosher kitchen
Kashrut
The word kashrut comes from the Hebrew letters Kaf-Shin-Reish, meaning fit, proper or correct. Kashrut refers to the set of Jewish food and dietary laws contained in the Torah, mainly in Leviticus 11:1-23.
Orthodox Jews will keep to these food laws strictly, however, some Reform or Liberal Jews may choose not to.
Kosher
The term kosher refers to foods which Jews are allowed to eat. Kosher means fit, and is the label used for all foods that Jews are permitted to eat. Kosher foods include:
- all fruit
- all vegetables
- animals with split hooves that also chew the cud
- some birds, eg chicken, duck, turkey are favoured, but birds of prey are prohibited
- fish that have both fins and scales
Shechitah
Animals will only be considered kosher if they have been slaughtered in a certain way. They have to be slaughtered in a way that causes the least amount of pain to the animal. This involves cutting the animals' throat with a razor-sharp knife which causes an immediate loss of consciousness and death to avoid prolonged suffering. This method of slaughter is known as shechitah.
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 鈥淪ay to the Israelites: 鈥極f all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat: You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud.