Keeping Kosher: Will Rough Times Mean Eating More Treif*?
When I was in Fall River, Massachusetts, recently to tour the Lizzie Borden House, I had a fabulous meal afterwards at a Portuguese restaurant. I ordered the pork, littleneck clams and potatoes. This was an interesting dish for me to consume as it had not one, but two non-kosher elements. When I was a kid, growing up in New Jersey, my family kept kosher. Lobster never touched my lips until I was 18 years old. But once it did, I never looked back. I have eaten ham, pork fried rice, mussels, crab, and all manner of other treif*.
Kosher meat, in particular, has never been cheap. And now it’s more expensive and actually scarce because of the closing in May of the Agriprocessors Inc. kosher meat plant in Postville, Iowa, due to a raid in which 389 immigrant workers were arrested. For most Jews who eat kosher, keeping kosher is a non-negotiable thing. But I wonder how many might be rethinking it now that money is growing scarce.
Kosher beef getting scarce in Cleveland, Ohio
Kosher meat supplies in Australia
December 3rd, 2008 at 5:59 pm
That’s an interesting question. But I do know I wouldn’t be having lots of lobster ;D
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Well, in my German Jewish family ham was “kosher” (old family funny story) so it has never been part of my background. And I’ve known too many Jews who would keep kosher at home, yet eat bacon and other treif out (very hypocritical in my opinion).
Perhaps if money is an issue going vegetarian might be the best option.
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:29 pm
I was brought up in a very Kosher home and until about 6 months ago, kept Kosher myself. But I just could not afford it anymore. Meat from my local Kosher butcher was 3 times the amount as treif meat, and even with so little red meat in our diets, the cost of keeping Kosher was just killing me. I still buy kosher poultry because it’s much more available than is red meat, and it’s pretty much the same price, or a tiny bit higher. Plus you can get it at Trader Joe’s. But all the other products, the cheese, the milk, the yogurt, the butter, the margerine… it was KILLING me financially.
I feel badly about it because it’s not the way I ever wanted to live, but economics are economics and when my food bill literally doubled for the same amount of food, changes had to be made.
It just ticks me off no end how expensive it is to be Jewish.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
In a vague way I understand. Being raised Catholic, I found the occasional forbidden hot dog on a Friday night of my teen years, to be unbelievably delicious.
December 4th, 2008 at 9:16 am
There are a few reasons to be sad about this topic. Many religions/cultures have dietary restrictions or special observances. Those who want to follow tradition should be able to do so.
I understand and empathise with having to budget – so many of us have had to cut back and many of us find ourselves “almost vegetarian” because of the cost of meat.
I do my best to participate in the Eat Local programs even though most weeks it amounts to one item. I work at menu planning for varied meals within budget as well as special meals for the holidays. For us, a special meal is pork chops, one chinese take-out meal to share or pizza. Even that has become less and less.
This year I have, in hopes of finding a new place to live in time, planned to keep a small garden. Tomato is versatile as are some of the veggies and herbs. Perhaps, potatoes also. Not sure yet, yet I pass this along for consideration and some savings at the grocery store which may help offset the cost of purchasing the foods we need to sustain our faith.
December 4th, 2008 at 10:06 am
My family was definitely one of those that kept kosher at home but ate out a lot, especially Chinese!
Margalit, I am sorry to hear you have had to give up kosher food. You are a perfect example of what’s happening with those trying to keep kosher these days.
Linda, vegetarian is a good option for some.