Food laws

• Kashrut are Jewish food laws. These rules are contained within the mitzvot and following them shows obedience and self-control.
• 
  

  • Acceptable food is called Kosher meaning "fit and correct".
  • Non- Kosher food is called Trefah meaning "torn"
• Jews believe food laws come from God. It is an opportunity to bring holiness into everyday life.
• Meat and Dairy should not be mixed, including during preparation. Exodus says do not boil a kid in its mother milk.
• Meat must be slaughtered in the correct way
• Trefah:

  • Food that is not allowed is called Trefah. It means "torn".
  • Examples include pork products and food that has not been slaughtered in the correct way.
  • No animals that have died naturally can be eaten.
  • Animals must have their throat cut with a sharp knife by a shochet, who is a person trained to slaughter animals in a kosher way. The blood then must be drained from the animal.
• Examples of Kosher rules:

  • Birds of prey cannot be consumed. Only clean birds can be eaten.
  • Land animals must have cloven hooves and must chew the cud.
  • Meat and Dairy cannot be eaten together.
• Neutral foods are called Parev. These include pasta, rice and vegetables. As long as these are washed before eating, no kosher rules will be broken.
• Orthodox Jews keep all the Kashrut rules. Reform Jews choose which ones to keep.
• Kashrut can present some challenges in everyday life. For example, eating out at restaurants can be difficult.