I asked last week: why do you keep kosher? I’ve gotten lots of responses, from here and from the post on Jewschool, and I’m really enjoying reading them - because there’s such a range, and because it seems that the experience of actually articulating one’s reasons for keeping kosher can be an interesting and enjoyable process. One person wrote me and said, “It got a little long - maybe I’ve been waiting for someone to ask me this question!”

Anyways, here are some highlights. I’ll continue to share pieces as they come in. Please, keep sending your answers in! To tell me why you keep kosher, how you define kosher, what kosher means in your life - email me at anna@hazon.org or comment to this post! Responses are being compiled as part of our curriculum on Jews, Food and Contemporary Life - much like on this blog, there’s lots to talk about.

“I do the no-pork-or-shellfish, no-cheeseburgers type of kosher, for now. Wasn’t brought up kosher, kept it strictly in the 1970’s (when I was in my 20’s), then stopped altogether. Re-upped last year. Why? It’s a spiritual discipline. Focuses my attention on what I’m eating, and when. More consciousness begets more consciousness.” - Bette

“I now find kashrut meaningful. As someone who doesn’t find “because God said so” to be a compelling rationale, I freely acknowledge that the specifics of kashrut are fairly random - but perhaps that is what makes them such a good reminder. Every time I scan a menu for vegetarian options, or wait three hours after dinner to try a piece of chocolate, I have the opportunity to think: I am doing this to tie myself to generations of people who did this. And I do it out of respect for them, and for their writings and teachings and thoughts and actions. If my lunch reminds me, daily, of the vastness of Judaism, and of the many, many things that I hope to learn and practice and explore within it, that is a good enough reason for me.” - Darya

“Although I still eat unhechshered cheese, it is starting to feel less “authentically kosher” OR “authentically vegetarian,” to me because of the animal rennet. Not authentically vegetarian for obvious reasons, but not authentically kosher because Kashrut is, to some degree, about the act of intentionally limiting or setting boundaries around what one eats or does not eat, regardless of cravings. And at this point the only reason I still eat unhechshered cheese is because I love it too damn much not to. Right now my belly wins out over my values on that one…I’m not sure where I’ll shift to in the future.” - Leah

“I keep kosher because the Lord On High will smite me down if I don’t.” - David (Ed. note: Thank you, David.)

“While I don’t keep kosher in the traditional sense, I do make a conscious effort to eat clean food that I consider kosher. For me, kosher is food free from chemicals and genetically modified organisms. Ideally, it is food that is grown close to where I live, on a farm that promotes biodiversity and seed saving. Eating “kosher” is my form of daily activism. I believe strongly in the power of the individual to vote with their dollar and food is a way to do this every day.” - Sabrina

“When I became a Jew, Rabbi asked about Kosher. I explained that not only is everything cooked with or in milk in Finnish cuisine, so are many things in my favorite cooking with French dishes. It is very hard to turn your back to ones native background. I believe that for a modern person the wisdom is in the interpretation of texts more than how we dress or eat.” - Tapani

Why do you keep kosher?