Learn About Keeping Kosher
KOSHER FOOD ON THE MOVE
Welcome to our incredible shrinking world. Not only can we zip around speedily in planes, highspeed trains and automobiles, but wherever you go you are almost certain to bump into someone you know, or who knows your grandmother! The Jewish world is a very connected place and a very welcoming one. Every traveller has stories about walking into an overseas synagogue and being invited home for a meal (does this happen in London?), offered hospitality for the night, or even someone’s unmarried niece’s telephone number.
KOSHER RESTAURANTS
Kosher restaurants open up everywhere, and can sometimes even be found where the guidebook says they are. Websites are a boon here. Not only are they easily updated, but many incorporate review sections where travelling diners can be honest about the food and service they encountered there. Useful websites include:
www.chabad.org/centers
www.kosherinfrance.com (kosher facilities in France)
www.123cacher.com/index_en.php (restaurants in France with reviews, English version)
NB: The KLBD cannot endorse the kashrut of the establishments listed on these websites. Travellers should consult the local Rabbinate or kashrut authority for guidance on restaurants and hechsherim. See our list of Kashrut Contacts Worldwide below.
BEFORE YOU TRAVEL
1) Check online for the nearest synagogue and Jewish communal organisations to your destination.
2) Phone the local Rabbi and ask for his help - reasonable requests only.
3) Pack food which will last without refrigeration until you reach your hotel room mini-bar (eg vacuum packed meat, cheese etc), and don’t forget your tin opener!
4) Ask the airline for kosher food in-flight (Eurostar also offers this service).
5) And one piece of advice from Jewish mothers everywhere: always take food for the journey.
STAYING IN HOTELS ON SHABBAT
Technology in hotels can raise issues of Shabbat observance. When staying at a hotel over Shabbat, prepare to deal with the following issues.
1) Automatic sliding doors
2) Lifts - It may be worth requesting a room on a low floor and locating the emergency stairs for Shabbat.
3) Electronic room keys.
4) Energy-saving systems - eg bedroom lights and air conditioning systems which may come on automatically when you enter your room.
NOTHING KOSHER?
If you are travelling in a country where there is no kosher food available, the following guidelines may be helpful:
• Cold drinks are mostly no problem apart from grape juice, or drinks containing grape juice.
• Plain coffee or tea etc in a disposable cup may be purchased from establishments where the hot water is heated in separate machinery to the other drinks.
• Plain, unflavoured, cold smoked salmon is generally acceptable.
• Tinned vegetables are usually fine - but check that they are pure vegetables in water or brine and there are no added ingredients other than salt and preservatives.
• Look for tinned tuna in brine or vegetable oils.
• Buy fresh fruit and vegetables which do not require checking, eg tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado.
• Look for kosher matzos and crackers eg Ryvita or Jacobs.
• Ice cream - a number of international brands are supervised.
• Cereals - look for Kellogg’s cereals and other imported brands listed in
The Really Jewish Food Guide and www.isitkosher.uk.
• American brands often have a discreet hechsher printed on the packaging.
• Disposable barbecues can be used to cook fresh fish.
• Kosher takeaway food can often be ordered from restaurants and caterers in the cities with kosher facilities or by arrangement with specialist companies.
KASHRUT CONTACTS WORLDWIDE
While the KLBD does not endorse overseas products and establishments, the following contacts may be helpful for travellers.
AUSTRALIA
Victoria
Kosher Australia
Tel: + 613 8317 2500
info@kosher.org.au
www.kosher.org.au
www.travel.kosher.org.au
New South Wales
The Kashrut Authority of Australia & New Zealand
Tel: + 612 9365 2933
info@ka.org.au
www.ka.org.au
AUSTRIA
Vienna
Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde Wien
Rabbi Schlomo Hofmeister
Tel: +43 664 303 2926
s.hofmeister@ikg-wien.at
www.ikg-wien.at
BELGIUM
Antwerp
Shomre Hadas
Tel: + 32 3232 0187
info@kosherbelgium.org
www.shomre-hadas.be
CANADA
Montreal
MK: Canada’s Kosher Certifier
Tel: + 514 739 6363
info@mk.ca
www.mk.ca
Toronto
Kashruth Council of Canada
Tel: + 416 635 9550
questions@cor.ca
www.cor.ca
CHINA
Shanghai
Shanghai Jewish Centre
Rabbi Shalom Greenberg
Tel: + 8621 6278 0225
Mob: +86 135 0183 7044
rabbi@chinajewish.org
www.chinajewish.org
Wechat ID: ChabadShanghai
CZECH REPUBLIC
The Jewish Community of Prague
Rabbi Menachem Kalchheim
Tel: + 420 224 800 804
kosher@kehilaprag.cz
www.kehilaprag.cz
FRANCE
Paris
Consistoire de Paris
Tel: + 331 4082 2676
cacherout@consistoire.org
www.consistoire.org
Rav Mordekhai Rottenberg
Grand Rabbin de la Communaute
Israelite Orthodoxe de Paris
Tel: +331 4277 8151
GERMANY
Berlin
Jüdische Gemeinde zu Berlin
Rabbi Yitshak Ehrenberg
Tel: + 4930 211 2273
rabbi.ehrenberg@gmail.com
www.jg-berlin.org
Jewish Community Chabad Berlin
Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal
Tel: + 4930 2128 0830
kontakt@jgemeinde.de
www.jgemeinde.de
Frankfurt
Jüdische Gemeinde Frankfurt am Main
Rabbi Avichai Apel
Tel: +4969 768 036 400
rabbinat@jg-ffm.de
www.jg-ffm.de
Munich
Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde München und Oberbayern
Rabbi Shmuel Aharon Brodman
Tel: + 4989 202 400 220
info@ikg-m.de
rabbinat@ikg-m.de
www.ikg-m.de
HOLLAND
Amsterdam
Joodse Gemeente Amsterdam
Tel: + 3120 646 0046
rabbinaat@nihs.nl
https://www.nik.nl/
HONG KONG
Chabad of Hong Kong
Rabbi Mordechai Avtzon
Tel: + 852 2523 9770
www.chabadhongkong.org
Jewish Community Centre
Tel: + 852 2801 5440
enquiries@jcc.org.hk
www.jcc.org.hk
IRELAND
Dublin
Kashruth Commission of Ireland
Rav HaMachshir: Rabbi Yoni Wieder
rabbi@dublinhebrew.ie
Tel: +353 83 207 6415
dublinhebrew@gmail.com
www.dublinhebrew.org
Chabad Ireland
Rabbi Zalman Lent
Tel: + 353 (1) 430 6984
chabadireland@gmail.com
www.chabad.ie
ITALY
Milan
Comunità Ebraica di Milano
Chief Rabbi Alfonso Arbib
Tel: +39 02 5412 4043
desk@rabbinato-milano.it
www.rabbinato-milano.it
Euro Kosher
Rav Avrohom Hazan
Tel: +3902 2941 4170
ravhazan@eu-k.org
www.eurokosher.it
Rome
Chief Rabbinate of Rome
Tel: + 39 06 6840 0651/2
ufficio.rabbinico@romaebraica.it
www.romaebraica.it
RUSSIA & CIS
Chief Rabbi of Russia
Rabbi Berel Lazar
Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS
Tel: +7495 737 8275
office@fjc-cis.com
www.fjc-fsu.org
Kashrut
Tel: +7495 631 2500
kosher@kosher.ru
www.kosher.ru
SINGAPORE
Jewish Welfare Board
Rabbi Mordechai Abergel
Tel: + 65 6737 9112
mordehai@singnet.com.sg
www.singaporejews.com
SOUTH AFRICA
Johannesburg
Beth Din of Johannesburg & Cape Town
Tel: + 2710 214 2600
Whatsapp hotline: +2763 693 9417
kashrut@uos.co.za
www.uos.co.za
SPAIN
Barcelona
Comunidad Israelita de Barcelona
Tel: + 3493 200 8513
www.cib.cat
Jabad Lubavitch Barcelona
Rabbi Libersohn
Tel: + 3493 410 0685
info@chabadbarcelona.org
www.chabadbarcelona.org
Madrid
Rabbi Yitzchok Goldstein
Tel: + 3491 029 1269
jabad770@gmail.com
SWITZERLAND
Basel
Israelitische Gemeinde Basel
Tel: + 4161 279 9850
moshe.baumel@igb.ch
www.igb.ch
Zurich
Israelitische Religionsgesellschaft
Adas Jeshurun
Tel: +4144 241 8057
sekretariat@irgz.ch
www.irgz.ch
THAILAND
Rabbi Moshe Hadad
Office:+66 2 106 4932 Ext.102
Mobile: +6681 870 2249
Mh@ThaiKashrut.com
www.ThiKashrut.com
www.jewishthailand.com
USA
Kashrus Magazine
www.kashrusmagazine.com
www.kashrut.com
Kof-K Kosher Supervision
info@kof-k.org
www.kof-k.org
Kosher Quest
Rabbi Eidlitz
www.kosherquest.org
OK Kosher Certification
info@ok.org
www.ok.org
Star-K Kosher Certification
star-k@star-k.org
www.star-k.org
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations (OU)
kosherq@ou.org
www.oukosher.org
KOSHER FISH AROUND THE WORLD
Fresh and frozen kosher species of fish, either whole or filleted, are permitted provided that some skin (bearing easily detachable scales) is attached. All minced fish and products containing fish require Rabbinical supervision.
Click here to download a list of commonly available kosher fish in 21 countries.
For lists of kosher fish in other countries, email info@kosher.org.uk.
