Staff Writer
On Jan. 31, the Kosher Cooking Club met in the Chabad Jewish Enrichment Center and prepared food for the Super Bowl Shabbat that was held on Feb. 1.
The Kosher Cooking Club is run by Chabad, which was founded in 2007.
According to Rabbi Elazar Green, the host of the center, Chabad originally was a couple blocks away from campus, which caused lower student turnout than if the club had been held closer to campus.
“We got a few students,” Green said of the initial turnout at Chabad in 2007. “Finally one of the parents called and said, ‘Would you mind moving a little bit closer to the campus?’ So we moved a lot closer and had more students. Right now we are right across the street.”
Green has been hosting Shabbat dinners since 2005, and now they are held in the Chabad Jewish Enrichment Center. While there, members of the Kosher Cooking Club explained some of the important rules, or kashrut, that are necessary to follow to keep Kosher.
“Meat and milk shouldn’t go together,” said Shira Kipnees, ’15, a student involved in Chabad. “In terms of animals, they have to have a split hoof. Usually the material we get have to be certified by Rabbi, and animals killed have to have blessings by the Rabbi.”
At a recent Shabbat dinner, Jacob Slater ’16, explained “Kosher salt.”
“The salt itself is not Kosher, but it’s used to make meat Kosher,” Slater said.
According to him, and Eli Schneck ’14, vice president of Chabad, blood needs to be removed from the meat for the meat to be used in Kosher cooking.
Another popular activity the club sponsors is delivering free chicken soup to sick students’ dorm rooms, and recently, the club had been particularly busy hosting Shabbats with different themes. Last week’s Shabbat was called “Green Shabbat”, and featured organic food from sustainable venues. Feb. 1 the club hosted the Super Bowl Shabbat, and Feb. 8 the club is planning to hold Israeli Shabbat. Shabbat is also hosted every Friday night at 620 Race Ave. and is open to the entire F&M community.
Questions? Email Shunqi at sgao@fandm.edu.