Interesting trip to wal mart - Orthodox Jews

[slh12280]

I was in wal mart today and to my surprise, turned around an Orthodox Jewish family. The father had his head covered, as well as the wife. She was wearing a long black dress that covered her arms and legs. On top of that she was wearing black stockings. The little girl was dressed similarly. Then I saw another couple, dressed the same way. Then another and they weren't speaking English, which is extremely rare here. Mind you, this is the middle of Vermont and I had never seen an Orthodox Jew in my life and then three families in one day!

[Wolfie]

I was in wal mart today and to my surprise, turned around an Orthodox Jewish family. The father had his head covered, as well as the wife. She was wearing a long black dress that covered her arms and legs. On top of that she was wearing black stockings. The little girl was dressed similarly. Then I saw another couple, dressed the same way. Then another and they weren't speaking English, which is extremely rare here. Mind you, this is the middle of Vermont and I had never seen an Orthodox Jew in my life and then three families in one day!

Are you sure they were Jewish? With all the turmoil in the middle east, maybe an organization in the area is supporting refugees. A Jewish man would likely be wearing a yarmaluke, not a full headcovering.

[Buzzard]

Like a hat? Beyond a hat and a yarmulke I've never seen a jewish man with something else. They could have been speaking yiddish if they are frum but...

Also, what were they buying? Its unlikely there is anything "fresh" thats kosher there. Fruit and very few boxed foods will meet their standards.

[slh12280]

Wolfie, that was what I meant to say, he was wearing a yarmaluke. One of the women looked liked her head was uncovered, but she was with a man and a child? Maybe she was wearing a wig? I didn't notice what they were buying.

[GeoBQn]

Maybe they are from New York and trying to get out of town while they can before the hurricane hits.

[slh12280]

That was one of my theories, I don't blame them.

[bananacat]

Like a hat? Beyond a hat and a yarmulke I've never seen a jewish man with something else. They could have been speaking yiddish if they are frum but...

Also, what were they buying? Its unlikely there is anything "fresh" thats kosher there. Fruit and very few boxed foods will meet their standards.

I will fully admit that I an not Jewish nor an expert on Kosher, but wouldn't anything without meat or dairy automatically be Kosher?

But there are a million other things at Wal-mart besides food. They could be getting anything from toothpaste to lawn furniture.

[slh12280]

*Looks around for the Jews on this forum*

[Guest Anonymous]

Produce yes.

Everything else, not necessarily.

And it all depends on your observance level, some of my fellow more observant members of the tribe wil eat vegan out.

Oreos are kosher dairy as are a good deal of breakfast cereals. :)

[Buzzard]

*Looks around for the Jews on this forum*

Raises hand!

I will fully admit that I an not Jewish nor an expert on Kosher, but wouldn't anything without meat or dairy automatically be Kosher?

Things that arent meat based arent automatically kosher. Very religious jews wont eat ANYTHING that doesnt have the "mark" (a U or a K in a circle depending on what they're looking for). For example, blue box mac and cheese isnt kosher. Most bread isnt kosher. Some of it is the plant that its made in, some of it is the fee to have it declared kosher.

[blisterine]

i had some friends who were from very devout families who kept kosher. but when the kids moved out, the got sloppy on the kosher things, basically:

1) anything vegetarian by stouffer's is dairy

2) no cheeseburgers

3) no shrimp, no sushi

4) no pork

they didn't get into the details of things, they just went by the least amount of time you look at something and decide if it was semi-fake kosher.

[Hane]

I was in wal mart today and to my surprise, turned around an Orthodox Jewish family. The father had his head covered, as well as the wife. She was wearing a long black dress that covered her arms and legs. On top of that she was wearing black stockings. The little girl was dressed similarly. Then I saw another couple, dressed the same way. Then another and they weren't speaking English, which is extremely rare here. Mind you, this is the middle of Vermont and I had never seen an Orthodox Jew in my life and then three families in one day!

I remember having read in Yankee magazine about a lakeside resort popular with Orthodox Jews. It was either in Vermont or New Hampshire--don't remember which. The owner mentioned that his Orthodox clients used to cover the countertops in the cottage kitchens with aluminum foil because they couldn't guarantee the kitchens were kosher.

[fundifugee]

Produce yes.

Everything else, not necessarily.

And it all depends on your observance level, some of my fellow more observant members of the tribe wil eat vegan out.

Oreos are kosher dairy as are a good deal of breakfast cereals. :)

Except that oreos have no dairy or dairy products whatsoever in them. It was the only cookie I could eat when my daughter was milk-allergic.

Yup, we won't discuss what IS in them; boy did it taste good the first time I figured out I could eat them.

[lexiloumarie]

Except that oreos have no dairy or dairy products whatsoever in them. It was the only cookie I could eat when my daughter was milk-allergic.

Yup, we won't discuss what IS in them; boy did it taste good the first time I figured out I could eat them.

If it was made on equipment that handles kosher dairy products, its considered dairy by the more frum circles. The more lenient folks go by ingredients.

Kashrut slacking Jew right here.

[Guest Anonymous]

If it was made on equipment that handles kosher dairy products, its considered dairy by the more frum circles. The more lenient folks go by ingredients.

Kashrut slacking Jew right here.

Derp, phone ate some of my response.

The oreos have no dairy but are u dairy it makes me think of fish which in my mind is MEAT but nooooo! Its parve!

I'm a convert to all the kashrut laws are so new to me :) that and I'm reform, we're slackers. :lol:

[bananacat]

Except that oreos have no dairy or dairy products whatsoever in them. It was the only cookie I could eat when my daughter was milk-allergic.

Yup, we won't discuss what IS in them; boy did it taste good the first time I figured out I could eat them.

I used to have a vegan boyfriend who ate oreos all the time (and he was still extremely skinny). It's weird to wonder what it's in the "cream" filling though.

Thanks to everyone else for the Kosher explanations. I didn't mean to derail the thread with a single question.

[Avalondaughter]

Are you sure they were Jewish? With all the turmoil in the middle east, maybe an organization in the area is supporting refugees. A Jewish man would likely be wearing a yarmaluke, not a full headcovering.

Well, Hasidic men do wear hats when they go out. I'm not sure which men wear which type, but I always seem them in either oversized fedoras or else those huge round furry things.

[contrary]

i've been in wal marts (and other Super Grocers) that had pretty robust kosher sections.

i'm betting the woman who didn't appear to be head-covered was wearing a wig.

[Sweetpea1]

I've played a bit at vegetarian type eating. If there is a vegetarian lite, then I'm it. For the Oreo's - I'm thinking the filling might have gelatin in it. That could possibly make them not vegetarian. Not sure how the gelatin would affect a food being kosher.

Rambling due to it being Friday and a Looooooooooong week. Sigh.

[bananacat]

I've played a bit at vegetarian type eating. If there is a vegetarian lite, then I'm it. For the Oreo's - I'm thinking the filling might have gelatin in it. That could possibly make them not vegetarian. Not sure how the gelatin would affect a food being kosher.

Rambling due to it being Friday and a Looooooooooong week. Sigh.

Vegetarian-lite is actually very common and growing. 100 people cutting meat consumption in half will have the same effect as 50 people giving up meat completely. It's very difficult to just give something up forever, even if it's not an addiction. It's much easier to actually stick to it if you know you can have meat occasionally.

Some people eat meat only weekends, and some people only eat it when they splurge on restaurants. For me, I try to have meat only once a day or less, but I'm not legalistic about it. It's more of a general attitude. I don't think it's wrong to kill animals for food, but I do think they should be treated humanely while they are alive. I think it's really hard to achieve humane conditions when meat is a cultural staple and eaten in such large amounts. So I try to pick vegetarian things more often than meat things. If I've craving junk food in general, I'll go for the nachos instead of the hot dog. If I really want a hot dog, I'll have one and not feel bad about it. If I have meat dishes in the fridge that will go bad soon, I'll eat more meat for a few days rather than throw it away. If I'm traveling or it's a special occasion, then I'll have meat if I want it.

I have actually discovered some really great non-meat foods too. I absolutely love lentils and can't get enough of them.