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JRCB Food Policy
Preamble:
"Of every tree in the garden thou may freely eat..." (Gen 2:16). One of the first mitzvot the Creator gave to us was instruction on what to eat and what not to eat. As a holy community we accept the following policy to serve as guidance for how we will eat together. This policy is expected to be followed at all public JRCB events. This policy is expected to evolve in accordance with the practices we wish to observe. For example, we may wish to become a vegetarian community, which is the practice of many other Jewish renewal congregations. Or we may adopt the eco-kosher definitions being developed by a committee of renewal rabbis. This policy belongs to the community and should be evolutionary as many of our policies are. There will probably be disputes, questions, or disagreements regarding this policy. As they arise, if immediate rulings are required we grant authority to our rabbinic leadership to resolve them.
• Milk and meat
products will not be cooked or served together. Either food will be
dairy, vegetarian/vegan, or meat, vegetarian/vegan.
•
JRCB does not require that meat be kosher (shechted).
• JRCB does not permit shellfish, pork, or birds of prey or other
animals considered tref (unkosher) by traditional standards.
• Animal products
that are known to involve severe forms of cruelty, such as veal or foie
gras, will not be served.
Honoring the Earth with our choices:
• We encourage
the use of organic food where possible.
• When we use an outside facility (e.g. caterers) we encourage
them to recycle materials used for our functions.
• We further encourage them to donate left over food to food banks
for the homeless. This should also be the practice with our own in-house
food usage.
• Use of re-usable (i.e. non-disposable) plates, cups and silverware,
etc. is encouraged. Environmentally problematic materials such as styrofoam
should be avoided.
•
We vigorously encourage the use of foods raised by farms and ranches
that follow fair labor practices and where possible purchase food stuffs
from farms where agricultural workers are members of the United Farm
Workers Union.
• We recommend the use of fair-trade organic coffee.
Since wine and/or grape juice is used ceremonially it is called out for special consideration. The selection of these products involves both issues of kashrut and ecological/societal concern. WHereas many in our community may well prefer kosher wine, it may not be the most appropriate choice. Many of the requirements for kosher wine are based on a particularistic paradigm that does not fit into Jewish renewal sensibilities and principles. THerefore, the wine at JRCB rituals does not need to be kosher.
Additionally, there is the issue of taste & preferences in wine. THere are fine tasting kosher wines including Israeli wines from the Golan. Also, there is a good kosher wine from France. IF kosher wine is selected, a variety including some higher quality (i.e. less syrupy) wine is recommended. Organic wine is also available and should be sought out.
Wine and grape juice should be from wineries where the field workers are members of the United Farm Workers Union. Wine should not be purchased from wineries that do not accept the union standards for work conditions. Also, the conditions of cleanliness should be of concern.
Where possible the food should not be prepared on Shabbat and Holidays, even when the preparers are non-Jewish. It is considered good practice to list the ingredients of items prepared for potlucks, so people with food allergies or other dietary restrictions can make informed decisions. Vegetarian options at all meals are encouraged.