Jewish (Without the Cholent)

By Gabriela Geselowitz
KOC Co-Editor
Hunter College

I am a Jewish vegetarian.  Well- I’m technically a pescatarian, meaning that I eat fish.  I (coincidentally) draw the line of what is meat where Judaism does (and I would never be able to give up gefilte fish!)  This is not for moral reasons so much as those of personal comfort- so go ahead, have that brisket!  Enjoy!  But sometimes my own choices can make my Jewish social life a bit more difficult.

Sometimes Jewish friends challenge me on my vegetarianism and my observance.  I have been told that Judaism requires eating meat sometimes (particularly Shabbat).  Rabbinic Judaism is actually mixed on the issue, with precedents both ways.  Some sources (expecially Rav Kook, the first Chief Rabbi of Israel) even indicate that after the Messiah comes we shall all be vegetarians (and then you will come to me for tips!).  But in the meantime, many Jews simply cannot fathom the idea of giving up meat, even for short periods at a time.

When I go on trips or to secular formal functions, I am often asked if I have any special dietary needs.  This list usually includes both vegetarianism, and kashrut.  However, I know that if I order a kosher meal it will almost certainly contain meat, and I will be unable to eat it.  I always feel slightly guilty opting for the vegetarian option instead.  These kosher meals are not even usually traditional Jewish food, just kosher alternatives to the main entree.  Meat is consumed constantly in both contemporary American culture and Israeli culture with Middle Eastern roots, and when Jewish cuisine entered the modern world, it entered with a distinctly meaty smell.

To non-Jewish vegetarians, refraining from meat does not likely impact them as strongly at social meals as it does for Jews.  Yes, of course, there are other cultures where meat is an important staple and family dinners may get awkward.  I am also lucky that my mother and one of my two siblings are both vegetarians.  My father makes great veggie-cholent, and our Shabbat knaidelach (matzah-ball) soup is delightfully chicken-free.  But I cannot always eat with my family, and Jewish meat-eating is more than just serving up a plate of cold cuts.

In Judaism, the choice to eat meat means temporarily abstaining from dairy.  After I became a vegetarian (over five years ago now, wow!), I almost forgot the feeling of waiting for three hours after dinner to have that dairy dessert (some non-Jewish friends have even assumed that was the reason I gave up meat in the first place).  I now indulge in the likes of yogurt and cheese whenever I like, and going to Jewish meals therefore feels stunted.  They are almost always fleishig, and not only can I not eat much of what is offered, there is even less food that I enjoy (and generally rely on for protein).  Also, once a function has made the choice to serve meat and make its guests fleishig, it often goes all out and offers little else than bread rolls and one vegetable platter for non-meat eaters.

As I said before, I am not asking anyone to give up chopped liver or shwarma. But in my home neighborhood of vast numbers of kosher restaurants, I have surprisingly few options.  If I want to eat anywhere other than a pizza place, it usually means finding the one sub-par veggie burger on the menu while my friends munch happily.  There is a whole world of delicious vegetarian food (including great meat-substitutes), and I wish that kosher and Jewish culture would realize that the choice to eat meat is just that- a choice, and you do not have to say "yes" every time.  You don’t have to wait until next Shavuot to enjoy some dairy and pareve treats.  Have a bit of practice for when Moshiach gets here!

[Posted 1/25/12]