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SECTION 11 Religious Food Practices


Jewish Lifestyle, Observances, and Holidays Kosher can be considered a lifestyle focused on ritual and spirituality—rather than attending to the physical need to eat—causing less focus on dietary needs and health. For observant families, Jewish daily life is guided by halacha ( Jewish Law). Tese laws encompass not only religious practices, rituals, and customs but also decisions regarding a person’s health care, such as when the rabbi is consulted when making health care–related decisions. Research with the Orthodox community revealed two


dominant themes when providing nutrition education and counseling. First is the traditional role of a mother in the home and family-centered mealtimes, and second, that education should focus not only on the individual but also consider the home and community.14 Kosher is more than following dietary laws; it is a sys-


tematic, disciplined, mindful, and focused lifestyle. Various streams of Judaism have developed and evolved, so today there is a spectrum of kosher eating practices. While the various faith streams within Judaism state their position on kashrut as more or less binary (acceptable or unacceptable foods), the beliefs of the individual may fall along a spectrum of practice. Health care providers, particularly RDNs, need to familiarize themselves with traditional practices yet not base a person’s food choices on their identified religious group. Understanding these practices can allow for more open discussions and person-centered, individualized care.


Shabbat Shabbat is a weekly celebration and considered the day of rest. It begins from a few minutes before sunset on Friday and ends 72 minutes after sunset on Saturday evening. It comes from the Hebrew word “shabbat,” meaning to rest or cease. Two references to the day of rest on the seventh day appear in the Torah: one during the creation of the world and another during the time of wandering more than 3,000 years ago, after Moses led the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. A double portion of manna (the daily allotment of sustenance from G-d) was provided on the sixth day, to last through the seventh day as no food could be secured or prepared on Shabbat. For those who are observant, Shabbat is a time to abstain from work and spend time with the family and community.


Te Torah prohibits any work on Shabbat, including cook- ing. Tere are three festive meals consumed: Friday evening dinner, Saturday lunch, and a third meal (seudah shlishit) on Saturday afternoon. For both dinner and lunch, the meals are larger, and begin with kiddush (blessing over wine or grape juice) and blessing over the challah (braided loaves of bread). Te third meal is lighter, including cake, fruit, or a snack, and is typically consumed by men between the afternoon service (minchah) and night service (mariv). It is traditional to serve hot meals for dinner and lunch; therefore, it is common to consume stews or dishes cooked over a low flame or in a slow cooker on Saturday but started before sunset on Friday night.1


For Ashekenzi Jews, this stew is called cholent, and


for those of Sephardic descent, it is called t’fina or chamim. Cholent is a slow-cooked stew containing meat, potatoes, barley, and vegetables.T’fina/chamim is a slow-baked dish containing meat, potato, chickpeas, seasonal vegetables, and seasonings. Refer to Box 1 for additional descriptions and comparisons of Shabbat and holiday meal composition.


Torah (Biblical) and Rabbinic Holidays Several holidays are predominately celebrated in the syna- gogue, the site of Jewish communal worship, and comple- mented with home rituals including Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. For other holidays such as Pesach (Passover), Chanukah (Festival of Rededication of the Temple in Jerusa- lem), and Shabbat (Sabbath), the observance is primarily in the home. Te Jewish calendar and holiday schedule remain con- sistent within a lunar calendar, rather than a solar calendar. Consequently, holidays occur on different dates during the year yet within the same month or two. All holidays begin at sundown and end at 72 minutes after sundown. Te level of observance differs among the different faith streams, as described earlier. Holidays are either biblical, described in the Torah, or


rabbinical holidays, designated to celebrate Jewish historical events or miracles such as Purim and Chanukah (alterna- tively spelled Hanukkah). Biblical-designated holidays hold restrictions on cooking, and work is not permitted. Te holiest days of the year that are observed by most Jews are Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Similarly, the 8 days of Pesach have extensive requirements and strictures on food from food sources through preparation and consumption.


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