COMMENT AND OPINION | Rabbi Yisroel Moshe Guttentag
RABBI YISROEL MOSHE GUTTENTAG
OPINION
The Rabbinic director of FedTech, which advises on matters of technology and Jewish law, explains what is needed and why KBB retailers would do well to explore this market
Creating Sabbath- compliant kitchens S
ome 100,000 Jews in the UK strictly observe Shabbat – with a further 300,000 Jews celebrating it in some way each week. During Shabbat, Orthodox Jews refrain from many common activities. While we may make use of electronic devices, we may not turn them on or off or adjust the controls.
Retailers should make it their business to understand Sabbath
compliance as Jewish households’ heavy kitchen usage means they require upgrades more often
Lights are controlled by a time switch to go off in time for nighttime. Foods are not quickly warmed in a microwave, but are pre-warmed from Friday afternoon ready for Shabbat. All devices must be compatible with complex Sabbath Law – or they are simply not used. A Sabbath-compliant device allows Orthodox Jews to observe the ‘no work’ requirement of the Sabbath while enjoying the use of fridges, freezers, and ovens. Shabbat is the Jewish Sabbath, which starts at sunset on Friday afternoon and ends at nightfall on Saturday evening. Including annual festivals like Passover and Rosh Hashanah, there are around 70 days each year on which observant Jews limit their activities. When purchasing appliances, the main challenge for the Sabbath-observant consumer is knowing how the device will operate. At FedTech, a community service of London-based Federation of Synagogues, we offer advice to the UK and European Jewish community on technology and Jewish Law. We offer pre-purchase advice for domestic appliances – topics include how to ‘kosher’ your fridge using magnets to blind the hidden reed switches. There is a growing number of appliances that will function problematically, even if they claim to offer a Sabbath mode. For this reason, over the past few years FedTech has engaged with industry on a consultancy basis to appliance design teams. An appliance need not have a Sabbath setting as it may intrinsically be Sabbath- compatible if correctly designed in the device’s settings.
Thermostatic control of an oven can present a problem and we are keen to see manufacturers ditch this control method in their Sabbath settings in favour of a slightly less accurate temperature control. Careful design is crucial to ensure all safety parameters are met. We typically only need to keep food warm and not to cook, so there is some room for compromise on the perfect crispy potato in order to allow the oven to meet Sabbath compliance requirements.
Retro yet connected
For Sabbath use, we need to replace intuitive and smart, with retro and basic, but the beauty of a software-based solution is that these settings can now sit comfortably on devices that offer some connected features. A great example of a Sabbath-compliant device is Fisher and Paykel’s new touch-screen ovens, which can be kept at a constant temperature throughout this period and do not turn on lights or have varying fan speeds. This means that pre-prepared food can be kept warm throughout Shabbat, while the high temperature setting also allows food to be cooked on Yom Tov. The Sabbath mode’s non-thermostatic control means that the food can be accessed over the course of Shabbat and Yom Tov without any Sabbath law issues.
Manufacturers who incorporate this technology into their appliances are strongly encouraged to do so in consultation with authoritative members of the Jewish community during the design process. I worked closely with the team at Fisher and Paykel while they were designing their new touch-screen ovens. Not all retailers are clued up on how to sell a Sabbath- compatible appliance, and members of the community find that many retailers do not quite understand their requirements. Retailers should make it their business to understand more about Sabbath compliance as, in turn, this will provide commercial rewards, not least because Jewish households’ heavy kitchen usage tends to mean these kitchens require upgrades more often than the national average.
FedTech worked closely with Fisher & Paykel to ensure its ovens are Sabbath- compliant
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Demand for these devices is there and growing. As the Jewish community grows in its observance levels. And kosher law means that the kosher kitchen may be equipped with more than one oven. A meat oven, a milk oven and even one for Passover.
Consider seeking advice from official bodies like
FedTech to ensure your design can be used by the Jewish community, which, in turn, will allow you to tap into the growing market for Sabbath-compliant appliances.
· June 2021
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