Kosher meals on airlines

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Thanks, I figured that. I presume there's still a lounge for those pax, just not as fancy.

 

Yessir. The always-reliable Maple Leaf lounge.

 

Their beer selection is legendary

[+ Gar1eth]

Geesh. That's so preposterous. Acetylene torches? Anyways, I'm with my friend (we met here in North Dakota, although he now lives in another city and therefore took different flights. Apparently, the person sitting next to him was quite frazzled about all of the wrapping, afraid he was going to spill something. I guess that for the flight from Fargo to DFW, there's no lactose-free choice. So he has to pick either Asian Vegetarian (no dairy) or Kosher. But from Fargo to DFW, we'll be on an Embraer so he'll have no neighbor to complain. And I told him I'd help him unwrap stuff if he needed help. Religion can be quite ridiculous.

 

Why is it preposterous? If you accept the mandates of what makes things kosher, then you don't want it contaminated by non-kosher things.

 

Gman

[mike carey]

Why is it preposterous? If you accept the mandates of what makes things kosher, then you don't want it contaminated by non-kosher things.

Yes, you are entitled to avoid non-kosher contamination in your food. But whether an airline needs to facilitate that is a separate question. I doubt they have any obligation to provide dietary choices to passengers (they are not obliged to provide food at all, so how could they be obliged to meet specific requirements), but they do so as a business decision. In doing so they do their best to meet those requirements. While they may have a legal obligation to ensure there are no nuts in a meal provided do someone with an allergy, I doubt they could be required to meet all the tests for religious observance. By all means ensure no prohibited foods (pork, shellfish) but expecting that they meet all the minutiae of kosher or halal is not reasonable. (Although halal slaughter is an easy standard to pass.)

 

I seem to recall that in Islam, the obligation to accept hospitality is higher than the obligation to adhere to dietary rules. That could provide a useful way to consider airline food. Choose the option that most closely meets key observance criteria, don't insist on detailed adherence to some set of rules.

[MikeBiDude]

Why is it preposterous? If you accept the mandates of what makes things kosher, then you don't want it contaminated by non-kosher things.

 

Gman

Aren’t this types of Rabbi paid to make an entire hotel kitchen kosher?

[+ g56whiz]

Yes, you are entitled to avoid non-kosher contamination in your food. But whether an airline needs to facilitate that is a separate question. I doubt they have any obligation to provide dietary choices to passengers (they are not obliged to provide food at all, so how could they be obliged to meet specific requirements), but they do so as a business decision. In doing so they do their best to meet those requirements. While they may have a legal obligation to ensure there are no nuts in a meal provided do someone with an allergy, I doubt they could be required to meet all the tests for religious observance. By all means ensure no prohibited foods (pork, shellfish) but expecting that they meet all the minutiae of kosher or halal is not reasonable. (Although halal slaughter is an easy standard to pass.)

 

I seem to recall that in Islam, the obligation to accept hospitality is higher than the obligation to adhere to dietary rules. That could provide a useful way to consider airline food. Choose the option that most closely meets key observance criteria, don't insist on detailed adherence to some set of rules.

I’m reminded of the Hebrew National Hot Dog commercial: “We report to a higher authority.”

[+ Gar1eth]

Why is it preposterous? If you accept the mandates of what makes things kosher, then you don't want it contaminated by non-kosher things.

 

Gman

Yes, you are entitled to avoid non-kosher contamination in your food. But whether an airline needs to facilitate that is a separate question. I doubt they have any obligation to provide dietary choices to passengers (they are not obliged to provide food at all, so how could they be obliged to meet specific requirements), but they do so as a business decision. In doing so they do their best to meet those requirements. While they may have a legal obligation to ensure there are no nuts in a meal provided do someone with an allergy, I doubt they could be required to meet all the tests for religious observance. By all means ensure no prohibited foods (pork, shellfish) but expecting that they meet all the minutiae of kosher or halal is not reasonable. (Although halal slaughter is an easy standard to pass.)

 

I seem to recall that in Islam, the obligation to accept hospitality is higher than the obligation to adhere to dietary rules. That could provide a useful way to consider airline food. Choose the option that most closely meets key observance criteria, don't insist on detailed adherence to some set of rules.

 

I never said an airline had to offer kosher meals. Possibly it's preposterous for an airline to offer them. But that's a decision I'll leave to the airlines. But once having made the decision, then ( as long as it's legal) there's nothing preposterous about the way the people they hire act to fulfill the Kosher mandates. Certain methods have to be used to 'kasher' a kitchen when it's been used for non-kosher items.

Aren’t this types of Rabbi paid to make an entire hotel kitchen kosher?

There are various organizations that supervise 'making things kosher.' I'm assuming they have teams of rabbis who go out to places. But it's not only to goyische owned businesses. They also inspect places like kosher food handling plants.

 

Gman

[Guest]

Why is it preposterous? If you accept the mandates of what makes things kosher, then you don't want it contaminated by non-kosher things.

 

Gman

Why is it preposterous? Multiple rabbis? Acetylene torches? Where in the Torah or Talmud or whatever it's called does it say that it takes multiple rabbis to certify something kosher and that acetylene torches must be used? I think it's just some people getting kind of nutty in their interpretations of their holy books. Or lots of rabbis need work.

[MikeBiDude]

There are various organizations that supervise 'making things kosher.' I'm assuming they have teams of rabbis who go out to places. But it's not only to goyische owned businesses. They also inspect places like kosher food handling plants.

Or lots of rabbis need work.

Yup!

[+ Gar1eth]

Geesh. That's so preposterous. Acetylene torches? Anyways, I'm with my friend (we met here in North Dakota, although he now lives in another city and therefore took different flights. Apparently, the person sitting next to him was quite frazzled about all of the wrapping, afraid he was going to spill something. I guess that for the flight from Fargo to DFW, there's no lactose-free choice. So he has to pick either Asian Vegetarian (no dairy) or Kosher. But from Fargo to DFW, we'll be on an Embraer so he'll have no neighbor to complain. And I told him I'd help him unwrap stuff if he needed help. Religion can be quite ridiculous.

Why is it preposterous? If you accept the mandates of what makes things kosher, then you don't want it contaminated by non-kosher things.

 

Gman

Why is it preposterous? Multiple rabbis? Acetylene torches? Where in the Torah or Talmud or whatever it's called does it say that it takes multiple rabbis to certify something kosher and that acetylene torches must be used? I think it's just some people getting kind of nutty in their interpretations of their holy books. Or lots of rabbis need work.

 

One rabbi could do it. But considering the size of most professional kitchens it would take forever. As for the acetylene torches, it takes a certain amount of heat/flame to get rid of the bad stuff. Probably acetylene torches are the most convenient portable solution.

 

Gman

[JayJonathan]

@Benjamin_Nicholas : Does this mean that you visit Toronto from time to time? I don't think I've ever seen your ad here...