Dusk on Saturday April 19th marked the beginning of Passover. Aramark put out Passover food such as matzah ball soup, matzah and macaroons in the dining hall for Jewish students to eat. During Passover, observant Jews do not eat food with yeast for eight days; therefore, leavened bread is off limits.
The fact that the Passover food served is not 100% kosher is not of concern for most Jewish students. Mr. Backon, the faculty adviser for Hillel, said, “There is no special requirement that food be kosher on Passover if it is not kosher the rest of the year.” For most students who do not keep strict kosher the rest of the year, it is fine that the Passover food is not kosher. Andrew Silberstein ’08, a Jewish student, said, “I think the food was good quality and they did a good job at emulating classic Jewish foods like matzah ball soup and macaroons.”
The packaged food bought for the Passover table is kosher (the matzah boxes have a “Kosher for Passover lable), but the kitchen in which the food is prepared is not kosher.
The main requirement of Passover is that all chametz, yeast or fermented products, be removed. This observance is based on the belief that, as the Jewish slaves escaped an oppressive Pharaoh to make the exodus from Egypt and to wander in the desert for 40 years, they did not have time to allow their bread to rise and were forced to carry dough on their backs to be baked in the sun. This no-leavening requirement has been met at the Passover Table.
Aramark does not meet the requirement of keeping complete kosher is the use of separate bowls and utensils for meat and dairy products. Aramark attempted to maintain the feel of this tradition by providing paper plates and plastic forks for the Choate Jewish community to eat off of. The logic behind what may seem an absurd precaution is that food particles can be absorbed into ceramic dishes, meaning that not only can milk and meat mix, but that leavened bread product particles could rub off on a Passover meal.
Mr. Backon explained, “Even when Hillel has shabat dinner on Friday nights the food is not kosher and we know that; we are not trying to fool anybody; we tell people upfront.” For a few serious practicing Jews at Choate who keep kosher kitchens at home, the fact that the food is not kosher can be a problem.
Marla Spivack ’08, a senior who keeps strict kashrut when it comes to Passover and who will not eat anything without a stamp indicating “Kosher for Passover,” even if the product contains no grains, has not paid much attention to the Aramarks Passover table. She commented that it was a good way for students to find a connection to tradition while at school but that each Jewish student must decide for himself how strictly he wants to observe.
“I think Aramark does a good job of offering students who feel comfortable with Aramark’s degree of kashrut many options,” Spivack commented. “Passover is not about eating well or having tons of delicious choices, it is about observing laws and traditions that connect us with or past.”
Spivack said that because she is a day-student, the fact that the Aramark table did not meet her family’s level of Passover observance was not an issue. Like many Jewish students across the country, she packs her own lunch. For boarding students, observing Passover to this degree means buying food to prepare in the dorm and enlisting the help of an adviser.
Many non-Jewish students and faculty have enjoyed the food at the Passover table. Mr. Backon remarked, “The food is good, and I have noticed that plenty of non-Jewish students try food they would not usually eat.”
Many non-Jewish students, such as Malik Ben-Sallahuddin ’08 thoroughly relish the food. Malik said, “I like the giant crackers [matzah], plus I’m addicted to the little coconut cakes [macaroons]. It’s a good twist on the regular run-of-the-mill food at the dining hall.” Although he may have remained ignorant of the named traditions and the reasons behind them, Malik was given the opportunity to sample a bit of Jewish culture.
Mr. Cobb, English teacher who has loved the macaroons, added, “I think it is great that people who are not familiar with the Passover food can get a glimpse and get a taste.”
The Passover table may have been more used by non-Jewish students looking for variety on their menu than by disciplined Jewish students trying to avoid it; in any case, Aramark has accomplished its goal of bringing the flavor of the Passover tradition to the Choate community.
Students tuck in at the Aramark Passover Table. Elizabeth Needham ’09
