Learn About the Kosher Lifestyle This Week

STROUDSBURG, PA — For a fresh approach to food, explore a 4,000-year-old tradition.

This is “Poconos Week of Kosher Awareness.”

The Hebrew word kosher means “fit.” Kosher laws define the foods that are fit for consumption for a Jew according to God.

It has a unifying effect on a dispersed people and shields against assimilation.

But you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy the benefits of keeping kosher.

Kosher offers health benefits and the humane treatment of animals.

“The real benefits of a kosher diet are beyond mere physical health. It tunes your mind and your body, clears your spiritual arteries, and puts you in touch with your creative source,” said Rabbi Mendel Bendet of Chabad Lubavitch of the Poconos.

Bendet and his staffers have been found at Weis/Mr. Z’s stores around the area this week, teaching shoppers about kosher products.

“80 percent of the grocery store is kosher,” Bendet said. That is because fruits, vegetables and grains are always kosher.

How do you keep kosher?

“It’s a lot to digest,” Bendet quipped. He suggests starting slowly.

A good first step is to separate milk and meat.

Meat and milk are never combined. Separate utensils are used for each, and a waiting period is observed between eating them.

The next step is to keep a kosher kitchen. There must be one part for meats and another for milk and cheeses. They may never be cooked or served with the same pots, plates or utensils.

Many people eat kosher only at home because it can be tough to find at restaurants.

“Part of keeping kosher is planning ahead. Planning meals on the road is not simple,” Bendet said.

Many foods are kosher style, but if the kitchen is not separated, the food is not fit. All processed foods and eating establishments require certification by a reliable rabbi or kashrut supervision agency.

Part of the mission of Chabad Lubavitch of the Poconos is to help people who live and work or visit the Poconos find kosher food.

They get a lot of calls from visitors asking where they can find a kosher restaurant.

“There is an increasing demand. We get a lot of requests from weekenders and vacationers,” Bendet said. But for now, there are no kosher restaurants in the area. That could soon change.

“We are close to having prepared kosher food available in the Poconos,” but it is too soon to make an announcement, Bendet said. Chabad Lubavitch is interested in hearing from anyone who would like to serve kosher food in their restaurant.

Look for Bendet at the Stroudsburg Mr. Z’s store today and Thursday.