Understandingkashrut
Jewish dietary laws
Paper plates and cutlery are available andthe microwaves are also not kosher.
Personal food items may also be eaten inone’s personal office, a designated outdooreating area; or an approved area within adepartment. Outside food eaten in thesespaces must be out of view from clients,families and visitors.
Food brought in must never come intocontact with any Baycrest dishes, trays orcutlery. Please use only disposabletableware and do not heat food in anymicrowave or stove or store it in arefrigerator used by clients.
Medical instructions and kashrut
The highest value in Judaism is on thepreservation of life. As such, in cases wheremedical instructions come into conflict withkashrut laws or other forms of observance,the medical instructions prevail.
An example of this might be a client whowants to fast on Yom Kippur but is not in thephysical condition to do so.
Definitions
• Hecksher – a symbol on processed food that marks the food as kosher
• Kashrut – Jewish dietary laws
• Kashering – the process of making dishes and appliances kosher
• Kosher – food that follows the laws of kashrut
• Mashgiah – the supervisor of a kosherkitchen who ensures that all food prepared on site is
Contacts us
Please feel free to contact the Rabbi orMashgiah to help support clients infollowing medical instructions:
Rabbi: 416 785 2500 x 3743Email: [email protected] : 416 785 2500 x2783
3560 Bathurst St. T. 416 785 2500Toronto, Ontario W. www.baycrest.orgCanada M6A
Baycrest Health Sciencesis fully affiliated with
the University of Toronto
Cafeterias and dining roomsThe hospital cafeteria has meat days anddairy days. The Terraces Dining Room onlyserves meat and pareve (neutral) meals.The WA Café only serves dairy meals. TheApotex dining rooms as well as the diningareas in the Day Centre for Seniors serveonly residents and Day Care members, andhave meat and dairy days.
Can I bring in food from outsideBaycrest?
Any food that departments or unitsindependently bring in for client use (i.e.not through Baycrest Food and NutritionServices or Purchasing) as well as foodwhich clients, families or visitors bring infor use in any type of program, meeting, orparty function must be approved by theMashgiah.
Terraces residents and their familymembers may bring outside food into theresident's apartment for personal use.
Staff and volunteers may bring in food forpersonal use without the approval of theMashgiah, provided it’s eaten in theemployee lunch room. Food from outsidecan be stored, prepared and eaten there.
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What does kashrut mean?
The Torah (Pentateuch) outlinesrestrictions regarding food (Leviticus 11:1-2): “These are the living things that youmay eat ….” These dietary laws, expandedupon over the centuries, detail whatobservant Jews are and are not allowed toeat. Combined, all of these laws are calledkashrut.
The Hebrew word “kosher”means “fit” or“proper” and most often describes foodthat follows the laws of kashrut.
Judaism’s goal is to transform basichuman drives, such as hunger, fromnarrowly personal purposes to the serviceof God(Leviticus 20:26): “You shall beholy, for I, Adonai, am holy ….” Keepingthe kosher rituals is one way Jews seek toconnect spiritually with God. Indeed, ritualis at the heart of spirituality.
In addition to the actual food, the laws ofkashrut also apply to the dishes, cutlery,cookware and appliances where food isprepared.
What are the dietaryrestrictions?
The Torah categorizes kosher animals asfollows:
Mammals: The animal must chew its cudand have split hooves.
Water animals: Fish with fins and scales
Fowl: The Torah lists fowl that are notkosher.
In addition, kosher mammals and fowl mustbe slaughtered and the meat treated in aspecific way.
What do the designations ofmeat, dairy and pareve mean?
Torah prohibits tasting the death of meatand the life of milk together so every pieceof food has a designation of dairy, meat orpareve (neutral; neither meat nor dairy) andthere is a waiting period between eatingmeat and dairy foods.
Meat: The meat of mammals and fowl.
Dairy: Milk and milk products.
Pareve: The meat of fish is pareve; eggsare pareve. Fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds,tea, coffee, water, juices, and legumes are allpareve.
For processed foods, the hecksher (koshersymbol) will usually indicate whether theproduct is dairy, meat or pareve.
What is the kashrut practice atBaycrest
Baycrest strives to be as inclusive andwelcoming as possible to all forms ofJewish practice. Jewish kashrut practicesvary widely. Jews observe and interpretJewish law in many ways, and havevarying relationships to Jewish practice.
With kashrut, however, it is almostimpossible to allow for a diversity ofpractice because one person’s practicecan inhibit and even prevent another’s.Thus, kashrut is an area where Baycreststrictly follows Orthodox practices.Baycrest requests compromise andcooperation from all clients, residents,staff and visitors.
How does Baycrest keepkashrut?
Baycrest keeps all client areas kosher,including the cafeteria and dining areas,fridges in Individual units and commonareas, except at the Terraces.
Please do not bring outside food into thecafeteria or use any cafeteria trays, dishesor utensils for eating outside food, even ifthe outside food seems to be kosher.
Baycrest is so large that this rule helpsensure the strict level of kashrut.To prevent inadvertent mixing of meatand dairy products, as well as to preventaccidental mixing of kosher and non-kosher items, Baycrest designates certainareas for kosher-only use and other areasfor non-kosher usage.
Kosher Eating Areas• Cafeteria• WA Café• Hospital Dining Rooms (except 6W)• Apotex Dining Rooms and Rec Rooms• Wortsman Hall• Loftus Hall• Exton Board Room• Centre of Excellence• Lederman Board Room• Nursing Conference Room• Spiro Garden• Terraces Gift Shop• ABC Classroom
Non-Kosher Eating Areas• All outdoor areas except for WA
courtyard and Spiro Garden• Staff Lunchroom• Student Centre lunchroom• Foundation Staff lunchroom• 6W Dining Room• Family Apotex Dining Area• Staff lunchrooms in Apotex• Private offices• Terraces Residents Meeting Room
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