Criticism of kashrut facts for kids

Some people have different opinions or criticisms about the Jewish laws of kashrut. Kashrut is a set of rules about what foods Jewish people can eat and how those foods should be prepared. These criticisms can come from people who are not Jewish, or from Jewish people who do not follow kosher laws. Sometimes, these criticisms are linked to antisemitism, which is prejudice or discrimination against Jewish people.

In some European countries, the traditional way of slaughtering animals for kosher food is banned or restricted. This is often because groups like nationalists (people who strongly support their own country) or animal rights activists disagree with the practice. Some people also claim that kashrut promotes sectarianism (separation between groups) or racism. However, Jewish people who keep kosher disagree with these claims.

Extremist groups sometimes criticize kashrut because they believe in false and harmful ideas about Jewish people, known as antisemitic canards or conspiracy theories. In the past, some branches of Reform Judaism did not encourage keeping kosher. They saw it as an old tradition that was no longer helpful. Also, in the Soviet Union, the government discouraged keeping kosher. This was part of their policies against religion and their antisemitic views.

Why Do People Criticize Kosher Laws?

Criticism from Non-Jewish Groups

Many countries in Europe and Oceania have laws that ban or limit kosher and halal slaughter. Halal is a similar set of food rules for Muslims. Countries with these bans include Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Belgium, and Switzerland. These bans are often supported by right-wing nationalists, people who want a non-religious society, or animal rights groups.

The United States Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism has strongly criticized these bans. They called them "disgraceful" and "intolerant." They also said these bans could force Jewish communities to leave the countries that adopt such laws.

The Kosher Tax Idea

A strange idea called the "kosher tax conspiracy theory" is spread by some extreme groups. This idea falsely claims that when food products are certified kosher, it costs consumers extra money. They say this money then goes to rabbis (Jewish religious leaders). The Anti-Defamation League, an organization that fights antisemitism, has called this idea "bizarre." They say it's a way for antisemites to trick people into believing false stories and stereotypes about Jewish people.

Anti-Kosher Views from the Alt-Right

In the 2010s, a movement called the Alt-Right spread anti-kosher ideas. Some members of the Alt-Right who are antisemitic do not want to buy kosher foods. Websites linked to the Alt-Right promoted an app called "KosChertified?". This app was available on Apple's App Store and Google Android. It helped users find food that was not kosher certified.

One Alt-Right website claimed that shoppers were "kept in the dark" about kosher certification. They suggested that the money from kosher certification goes to programs that are "worth examining." The Twitter account for the "KosChertified?" app was followed by neo-Nazis and white supremacists. It often posted antisemitic and anti-Israel content.

French Officials' Comments

In 2020, the French interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, caused a stir. He said that kosher and halal food aisles in supermarkets promote "separatism." He suggested these aisles should be removed. Many people on social media criticized and made fun of his statement.

A French writer, Christophe Barbier, agreed with Darmanin. He said that separate kosher or halal food aisles are "the beginning of communautarisme" (meaning groups living separately). He believed these foods should be in regular aisles. He thought this was because "everyone who goes there is Muslim or Jewish." However, a French legal expert, Rim-Sarah Alouane, called Darmanin's statement "absurd" and uninformed. She accused him of using the idea of laïcité (French secularism) to promote separation, not oppose it.

Criticism from Jewish People

Reform Judaism's View

The Pittsburgh Platform was an important document from 1885 for the American Reform Jewish movement. It suggested that keeping kosher was an old tradition that was no longer needed. The platform stated that "all such Mosaic and rabbinical laws as regulate diet...originated in ages and under the influence of ideas entirely foreign to our present mental and spiritual state." It said these laws did not inspire modern Jewish people. It also suggested that following them today might "obstruct" spiritual growth.

However, in recent times, some Reform Jews have started keeping kosher again. Rabbi Eric Yoffie, a leader in Reform Judaism, has even promoted kashrut. He sees it as a good example for how Reform Jews can think about their diet. Still, some traditional Reform Jews continue to oppose keeping kosher.

Rules About Wine

The laws of kashrut say that wine cannot be kosher if it might have been used for idol worship. This includes rules about Yayin Nesekh (wine poured to an idol) and Stam Yeynam (wine touched by someone who believes in idolatry or made by non-Jews). If kosher wine is yayin mevushal (cooked or boiled), it cannot be used for idol worship. This means it stays kosher even if someone who worships idols touches it later.

According to Orthodox rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo, some Jewish people feel uncomfortable with these rules. This is because non-mevushal wine cannot be touched by a non-Jew. They feel this rule "is discriminatory and perhaps racist."

Jewish Communists in the Soviet Union

In the Soviet Union, some Jewish people who were not religious and were Communists often ate pork and other non-kosher foods. These Jewish Communists often thought kashrut was old-fashioned and against progress. They were happy to leave behind the religious beliefs of their parents and grandparents.