Monday, November 09, 2009

Back to Gastronomical Judaism (For This They Need A Rabbi?)

Well, the reform kitchen is back, in it's own way:

Reform Jews should eat less red meat and consider more carefully what food they serve in their synagogues, the movement's leader said.

"We need to think about how the food we eat advances the values we hold as Reform Jews," Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, said...he urged Reform Jews to consider the ethical, environmental and health aspects of what they eat, and come up with food policies for their synagogues.

Yoffie steered clear of promoting kashrut, saying "ours is an ethically based tradition."...Yoffie said that cutting down on red meat "is an area where we can make a difference" in offsetting our carbon footprint.

...Synagogues might also consider serving more communal meals, Yoffie suggested, as a way of building spiritual community. He also encouraged the planting of synagogue gardens.


Wait there's more:

Yoffie also urged Reform congregations to harness the community-building power of the Internet and set up their own blogs. Calling such congregational blogs an "online Oral Torah," he said congregations need to think more creatively about social media.


For this they need a Rabbi?

And that throw-away line about kashrut. There's a lot of ethics in keeping the dietary laws of kashrut.

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