New York City is a curious place to be Jewish. It’s an undisputed homeland that attracts Jews from all over the country and world. But it can also be disorienting and alienating to search for a fitting niche within the many sub-communities: Chassidic, modern-orthodox, conservadox, eco-Jew, reform, conservative, renwal, reconstructionst…. The sheer density of Jewish population in New York creates situations that other Jewish urban populations don’t have to deal with on the same scale. It turns out that pluralism manifested in real life is not always easy.

One prime example of the pluralism-challenge centers around food and eating. One friend might be vegetarian but not strictly kosher. Another friend is strictly kosher and refuses to eat in the friend’s home because they serve non-kosher cheese. Or perhaps the vegetarian friend dislikes going to the meat-heavy kosher restaurants their friend prefers. Perhaps this sounds trivial, but I would argue that where friends cannot share a meal, it is all the more challenging for them to share anything else.

I recently discovered a blog - Two Heads of Lettuce - that attempts to bring all Jews to one table. The blog itself is simply a dynamic guide to creating delicious and inclusive vegetarian potlucks (for Shabbat or otherwise) - but they add a Jewish twist to the mix: The Two Table System. Dishes brought by guests are separated onto two tables:

Table 1 includes vegetarian dishes that do not necessarily use all certified-kosher ingredients and are not necessarily cooked in a kosher kitchen

Table 2 includes vegetarian dishes that are both completely certified-kosher AND were prepared in a kosher kitchen.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own plates and cutlery, and paper plates are provided for those who forget. (This method could technically be expanded to include meat dishes, though it would complicate the kashrut status.) This method simultaneously creates meal options for strict kosher-keepers, while affirming the legitimacy and inclusion of less kosher-observant people. Happy eaters and shared meals in a pluralistic setting - it works for New York City and anywhere that a diverse group of people eat together.

Perhaps, it turns out, we’re all actually the same head of lettuce - and only the dressing is different.