Judaism FAQs

Conservative Judaism and Kashrut

Conservative Judaism holds that Jews should follow the laws of kashrut.

There are small number of differences between the Orthodox and Conservative understanding and practice of kashrut; they are discussed herein.

Wine and grape juice

[From "A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice, p.306-307 and 525-526]

The permissibility of Yein nesekh (wines of the gentiles) is a controversial subject. It was originally prohibited because it was used for libations in idol worship, and anything used in idol worship is forbidden to Jews....In our day, however, there is no yein nesekh since there is no longer any idol worship. [Avodah Zarah 57b in Tos, Yoreh Deah 123:1 in Rama]. Rather, we are concerned nowadays with stam yenam, ordinary wine made by handled by gentiles. The Talmud forbids such wines as a precautionary measure to prevent socializing with gentiles since it might lead to intermarriage [Avodah Zarah 31b] or because those who use such wines might...be persuaded to apostatize. A heksher on wine therefore indicates that no gentiles were directly involved in any stage of the wine making process.

The CJLS approved a teshuva by Rabbi Israel Silverman on this subject; he found that most wine making in the United States was fully automated (his study did not cover imported wines) and no human hand comes in contact with the wine from the momment the grapes are put into containers and brought to the winery until the wine appears in sealed bottles. Wines manufactured by this automated process may not be classified as wine manufactored by gentiles, and thus do not come under the interdict against the using of stam yaneem. However, a later CJLS teshuva by Rabbi Elliot Dorff focused on the fact that some wineries use a small amount of dairy or non-kosher substances as fining agents in the processing of wine. As such, his CJLS teshuva urged that only rabbinically certified wines be served. There is, however, basis for the view that considers the forbidden substances in the finding agents nullified, and such wines are thus not uncategorically unkosher or dairy. One who drinks them is not drinking unkosher wine. If one uses such wine in one's home, it does not render the home unkosher. Only certified wines - preferably from Israel - should be used for ritual purposes in the synagogue.

Milk and dairy products

Many Orthodox Jews use only Cholov Yisroel milk and dairy products, meaning milk that has been under constant rabbinical supervision from milking to bottling, to make sure that it is not adulterated with the milk of a non-kosher animal. Today this is not a practical concern in the USA or most western countries; As such, most Modern Orthodox rabbis, and all Conservative rabbis, accept that FDA supervision is sufficient for milk to be considered automatically kosher.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and cereals, eggs, fowl

All fresh fruits and vegetables are kosher. Canned and frozen foods are usually permissible since manufacturers add only water and spices during the packaging process. Sometimes, however, fruits or vegetables are prepared with milk products or with nonkosher ingredients such as nonkosher meat broth. A careful reading of the ingredients is always necessary....All unprocessed grains and cereals are kosher. It is important to check the ingredients of processed items such as dry cereals or baked goods to make sure they have only kosher ingredients and, if desired, are free of dairy ingredients. (From Dresner, p.64)

Eggs from kosher fowl are kosher (and pareve). However, because of the prohibition against eating blood, an egg that contains a speck of blood may not be used. Most domestic fowl are kosher, including capon, duck (domestic), goose (domestic), chicken, turkey, guinea fowl and many others.

Cheese and rennet

Rennet is an enzyme used to turn milk into curds and whey; most forms of rennet are derived from the lining of the stomach of an animal, and is classified by most Orthodox Jews as a meat product. Thus, when making cheese, rennet must come from a halakhically slain animal, and the process must be supervised by Jews. A vegetable substitute for rennet can be used, in which case none of these restrictions apply.

Conservative, and some Orthodox, authorities maintain another long standing Jewish legal tradition: that rennet is actually a secretion of the stomach wall, and thus does not have the status of meat. Further, in its normal processing, rennet undergoes a chemical change and becomes inedible, this halakhically becoming a non-food; All foods in this category automatically lose any kashrut restrictions; They are considered to have changed so much from their original state that they are a d'var chadash, a new substance with properties significantly different from that of their original form. All such substances are considered pareve (neutral and kosher). Therefore the CJLS has ruled that all dairy products can be eaten.

Meat (mammals)

To be kosher, an animal must have both cloven hooves and chew their cud. All kosher animals are herbivores that can be domesticated, such as cows, goats, deep and sheep. Jewish law states that kosher animals must be slaughtered in accordance with Jewish law, large blood vessels must be removed, and all blood must be removed from the meat; This is most commonly done by soaking and salting, but also can be done by broiling.

East European Orthodox Jews, who are among the greatest consumers of kosher meat, moved to the United States after World War II; they brought with them an additional qualification: they refuse to eat kosher meat unless it also meets a standard in which the lungs of an animal are perfectly smooth ("glatt"). This standard is rejected as unnecessary by Conservative Jews; historically most Ashkenazi Jews in general have rejected this standard, but in recent decades many Orthodox Jews have begun to demand this.

Fish
To be kosher, a fish must have both fins and scales. The lack of either characteristic renders that species of fish unclean. Examples of unkosher fish include shark and catfish. All shellfish, such as crabs, lobster, and shrimp are not kosher. All sea mammals, such as dolphins, whales and seals are unkosher. All other sea animals, such as octopus, squid, jellyfish and eels are unkosher. However, seaweed and other sea plant life are all kosher.

There are two fish that are somewhat controversial, and have had a long history of dispute whether they are kosher or not: Swordfish and sturgeon. Both of these fish have scales as young fish, but lose them later in life. Most (but not all) Orthodox say these two fish are unkosher for this reason. The CJLS has accepted a teshuva from Rabbi Isaac Klein that permits them to be eaten; another valid position in the Conservative movement declines this ruling, and states that these fish are not kosher. As in Orthodoxy, either view can be maintained within Jewish law.

Gelatin, Mono and Di-glycerides
Given their extensive chemical processing, one teshuva of the CJLS has determined that mono- and di-glycerides, whatever their origin, are pareve and kosher. ["The Kashrut of Mono- and Di-Glycerides", Proceedings of the CJLS, 1980-1985]. This is also true of many other chemical additives used in commercial food products. Another valid position in the Conservative movement declines this ruling. Dresner and Siegel's guide provides an extensive list of commonly used additives that are kosher and pareve.

One of Kashrut's most controversial topics is the kashrut of gelatin, which comes from the processed bones of animals. If the source of gelatin is a kosher animal that was properly slaughtered, than such gelatin is considered kosher by all Jews. Most American Orthodox Jews insist that all other gelatin is treif (non-kosher). However this issue has had a long and contentious history; Respected halakhic authorities have noted that gelatin undergoes such extensive processing and chemical changes that it no longer has the status of meat, and as such is pareve and kosher. As such, most Conservative Jews, and many Israeli Orthodox Jews, accept that all gelatin is kosher. Pepsin too falls into this category. Another valid position in the Conservative movement declines this ruling, and states that these products are generally not kosher without a heksher (certificate of kashrut). As in Orthodoxy, either view can be maintained within Jewish law.

Pesach
The laws regarding the use of food on Pesach are more involved and involve more restrictions. A good introduction and guide by the Rabbinical Assembly can be found in Dresner and Siegel's book. It also is available on-line at:
http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/info/pesahguide/index.html

http://www.uscj.org/uscj/seabd/alexanaa/pesach.html

The Masorti movement has ruled that it is permissible for Ashkenazi Jews to eat kitniyot (legumes) on Passover. This ruling has not been generally accepted outside of Israel.
http://www.masorti.org/responsa/kitniyot.html

For more information on Kashrut see any of these texts:

James M. Lebeau "The Jewish Dietary Laws: Santify Life" United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, NY, 1983

Samuel Dresner, Seymour Siegel and David Pollock "The Jewish Dietary Laws" United Synagogue, New York, 1982

Isidore Grunfeld "The Jewish Dietary Laws" London: Soncino, 1972

Issac Klein "Responsa and Halakhic Studies" Ktav, New York, 1975

Issac Klein "A Guide to Jewish Religious Pracitce", JTSA, 1992

Steven Weintraub's Kashrut WWW page:
http://www.pswtech.com/~stevenw/jewish/kosher