Jewish traditions come from many years in history and Jewish food, therefore, is very diverse. Over many centuries of the development of Jewish nation, Jewish food traditions have evolved and formed the traditional Jewish food and dietary traditions and laws, known in the world as Kashrut (or eating kosher).
Kashrut is a Jewish way of making eating not just a physical pleasure, but more a spiritual thing. It is a way that Jews use to follow Torah and live a Jewish life, as well as to show that you are a Jew. Jewish people believe that eating a very significant effect psychologically, physiologically and spiritually. Following kashrut and keeping the Jewish dietary laws causes you to think and make a choice every time you put something in your mouth. Jewish food traditions are passed from one generation to another.
It is wise to say that Jewish food traditions have been affected by the geographic positioning – as Jewish people live all over the world, as well as local agriculture and economics, but Jewish food is a lot more traditional and a lot more meaningful, than any other national food in the world.
Jewish food varies in style and is different for Jewish people from different areas:
• Ashkenazi – Jews that live in Central and Eastern Europe. Jewish food from these areas is usually characterized by a lot of various seasonings in a special style with sweet and sour flavor. Dishes from these areas are usually sweeter;
• Sephardic – Jews that are Iberian Jews descendants (Jews from Balkans, Italy, Turkey and Greece). This type of cooking usually include lots of herbs, olive oil and spices that are traditional to these areas, as well as lots of such fruits and vegetables, as lemons, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cumin and other;
• Mizrahi – Jews from North African countries, such as Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, as well as Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, and even Indian Jews;
• Jews from Israel adapted most of these cooking traditions, also adding the Middle Eastern flavor, creating the Jewish fusion cooking style;
• Jews from Central Asian countries also have distinctive cooking traditions in Jewish food.
Following kashrut requires Jewish people to understand the Torah and its meaning. Here are the major Jewish food laws that Jews should follow:
1. Animal, bird and fish meat in Jewish food. Has to be ruminant with split hooves (like cows, goat, sheep). Pig is not kosher. Birds that come from prey are not kosher, kosher birds include chickens, geese and ducks. Tuna, founder and salmon, as well as other sea creatures that have scales and fins are kosher. Squids, shellfish, whales meat is not kosher.
2. Slaughtering of an animal or bird should be performed according to Jewish laws, called shechita.
3. Animal or bird, in order to be kosher, should not have one of the 70 different categories of injuries and diseases, called treifot.
4. Some fats, called chelev, are not allowed for eating. Meat should not contain blood. Sciatic nerve has to be remover in each of the animal legs, as well as all surrounding fat.
5. It is not allowed to mix milk and meat (animal or bird) in Jewish food in either eating or cooking.
6. Tithes should be separated from all crops, such as barley or wheat, and fruits.
7. Milk products are only kosher, if they come from a kosher animal.
From these rules and traditions in the Jewish food we can see that keeping kosher is mostly about discipline and self-control. Eating is an important spiritual and psychological part of Jewish tradition, so Jewish food habits are important for any Jew in the world.
Tags: Kosher Food
