Articles Index
What is Kashrut?
Kashrut is the Hebrew word for keeping kosher. The basic laws of kashrut, as known as Jewish Dietary Laws, can be found in the Judaism's holy book, the Torah.
What is Parve?
Parve is a Hebrew term (pareve is the Yiddish term) that describes food without any meat or dairy ingredients. Jewish dietary laws considers pareve food to be neutral; Pareve food can be eaten with both meat and milk dishes. Fish, eggs, fruits and vegetables are parve.
What is an Etrog?
Etrog is a type of citron cultivated primarily in Israel. This citrus fruit is one of the Four Species used in a waving ritual during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.
What is Hechsher?
A hechsher is the special marking found on the packages of products that have been certified as kosher.
What is Mashgiach?
Mashgiach is a person who inspects and supervises the kosher status of a kosher establishment.
What is Eruv Tavshilin?
Eruv Tavshilin is a Jewish ritual that permits cooking and food preparation on the second day of the holiday (Friday) for use on the Sabbath.
What is Mandelbrot?
Mandelbrot, which literally means almond (mandel) bread (brot), was a popular dessert among Eastern European Jews. Mandelbrot is similar to Italian biscotti in that both are twice-baked hard breads.
What is Matzo?
Matzo is an unleavened bread that Jews eat during the Jewish Festival of Freedom called Passover (Pesach in Hebrew).
What is Treif?
Non-kosher food, food not in accord with Jewish dietary laws, is called treif.
What is Mehadrin?
Mehadrin refers to the most stringent level of kosher supervision.
What is a Blech?
Blech, an aluminum sheet which is placed over a gas or electric fire before the Jewish Sabbath begins, enables Jews who do not light fire on Shabbat to eat warm food on Shabbat.
What are Ashkenazim?
Jews who came from Eastern Europe and Russia are called Ashkenazim.
What are Sephardim?
Sephardim refers to Jews who originated in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) as well as Jews of Arabic and Persian backgrounds who use Sephardic liturgy.
What is Glatt Kosher?
If a kosher animal was slaughtered in a kosher way and, upon internal examination, the lungs of the slaughtered animal were found to be smooth or adhesion-free, then the meat from the animal is considered to be glatt kosher.
What is Hamantashen?
Hamantashen is a triangular, filled pastry which is traditionally served on the Jewish festival of Purim.
What is Chalav Yisrael?
Milk or dairy products are referred to as Chalav Yisrael (Israel Milk) if they were produced under constant rabbinical supervision from milking through packaging.
What is Torah?
Torah, Judaism's most holy book, is the source of Jewish Dietary Laws of Kashrut.
What is Farfel?
Farfel, a popular side dish in Jewish Ashkenazi cuisine, are small, pellet-shaped, egg noodles.