Everything Kosher in Vienna?
Der Standard (online), October 3, 2022
German original: https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000139637448/alles-koscher-in-wien
For many Jews, observing religious dietary laws is part of everyday life. An Introduction to the Jewish Holiday Yom Kippur
Whenever Veganista [a vegan Austrian ice cream chain] produces a new batch of Ice Cream Sandwiches - two ice cream-filled cookies - the rabbi comes by early at 5 a.m. Why? He turns on the oven - making sure the cookies are kosher.
"As a vegan, I was always an outsider," says Cecilia Havmöller, who founded Veganista with her sister. "We wanted to make ice cream for everyone. Ice cream that doesn't discriminate against anyone." Not even against the 8,000 or so Jews living in Vienna. Which is why all their ice cream parlors are kosher certified.
The dietary laws, called Kashrut, are a cornerstone of the Jewish faith. They describe which foods are "permitted, fit" – that’s what kosher is. The rules derive from the Torah and, roughly speaking, cover three aspects: Only meat from ruminant cloven-hoofed animals and marine animals with scales are kosher. A second point concerns the origin and production of the food: animals must be kept in a manner appropriate to the species and ritually slaughtered. Finally, in preparation, the main issue is the strict separation of dairy and meat. Mixing is prohibited.
Years to Kosher Certification
Plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables are considered neutral. Those who eat a vegan diet have an inherently easier time living kosher - also because there must be a three- to six-hour break between the consumption of meat and milk, depending on tradition. This makes Veganista's vegan ice cream attractive: it is also suitable as a quick dessert after a meaty midday meal.
Although Veganista only processes neutral, plant-based foods, the kosher certification process is complex and sometimes long. It took them just under two years. Every ingredient had to be checked, producers contacted: Is the oat milk, the agave syrup kosher? Another requirement: No non-kosher product is allowed in the production rooms, and even the snacks the employees bring with them must comply with the dietary laws.
"That sounds strict," Havmöller says. "But for us it has become normal." The customers' delight, she says, is worth it. Just in time for the opening of the location in the Karmeliterviertel - center of the Jewish community - the longed-for certificate arrived. "We opened at noon, and at twelve sharp the rabbi came." Her eyes sparkle. "The kids were so happy!" Havmöller, who has been vegan since early adolescence, knows the feeling of being ostracized because of eating habits.
They are in close exchange with the rabbi. Sometimes the latter gets tips from the Jewish community, Havmöller says. "We often post new varieties on Instagram." So, it sometimes happens that the rabbi sends a text message at midnight asking whether the new creation is really kosher.
A Question of Milk and Egg
The inspection is the responsibility of the certifying rabbis, says Schlomo Hofmeister. He is the community rabbi of Vienna - and the man who cycles to Veganista early in the morning to turn on the oven. Besides him, there are four others in Vienna who perform certifications. Each is liable with his name, which is written - for all to see - on the certificate next to the entrance door.
"Kosher doesn't just mean looking: What's inside? But also, where was there possible cross-contamination in the processing?" If non-kosher substances are processed on a machine or surface, the surfaces must be extensively cleaned, according to Jewish law. "Certain plastics and porcelain cannot be made kosher at all," Hofmeister explains.
Jewish dietary rules are about hygiene, but also about ethics, about respect for creation. "You shall not cook the kid in its mother's milk," says Exodus 23:19. Not everything has an explanation. And some things are controversial even among Jewish scholars. Is it even permissible to consume milk and eggs today - the keyword being factory farming? "Since you can't examine everything, the rule is: more than 50 percent nullifies the rest." Meaning: I assume that the majority of animals are "healthy," that is, "kosher." It's debatable, Hofmeister says, whether these time-honored assumptions are still valid in light of today's commercial factory farming.
He estimates that at least half of the Jews living in Vienna eat kosher. The spontaneous snack during the lunch break, the sweet break at the bakery – it’s not so easy in this case. There are not too many Jewish restaurants. How many are there? Hofmeister reaches for a blue booklet: "Eight restaurants. Nine bakeries, pastry shops and coffee houses. Twelve ice cream parlors, eleven of them Veganistas. Three butchers, half a dozen caterers, and a few kosher kitchens in social institutions and schools."
Trust is Good, Verification is Better
To guarantee compliance with the guidelines, the certificates must be renewed regularly. And: the responsible rabbis drop by for unannounced visits. "Trust is good, inspection is good," Izhak Faiziev says and laughs. He runs the kosher restaurant Mea Shearim in the second district. The specialty on the menu: sushi and Asian food. "For the Jewish community, this didn't exist before." Their cuisine looks like any other, except that all the products used are guaranteed kosher. Some are marked with a “K.” For many processed products, however, kosher status is not obvious at first glance, which is why the rabbis in charge compile lists.
Dairy products are also forbidden in the kitchen of Mea Shearim, where steak and salmon are prepared. Since the two must be strictly separated, most restaurants specialize in either dairy or meat. Few establishments can afford two kitchens, two sets of cutlery and dishes, separate trays and napkins.
Unlike production facilities, which include Veganista, restaurants need a permanent supervisor to monitor compliance with dining laws. This Mashgiach oversees the cleaning of lettuce, vegetables and herbs, which must be washed several times to ensure that no animal ends up on the plate, inspects eggs for traces of blood and ensures that no fish ends up in the meat fryer.
The Mashgiach must be a religious Jew. Also, independent - meaning it must not be the owner - and, most importantly, trustworthy. "Why do the guests come? Because they know me personally as the owner, or the Mashgiach they trust," Faiziev says. The overseer not only inspects the procedures, he must also take over an "absolutely necessary step" in the cooking and baking process. The reason: after heating, it's hard to tell which source ingredients were used. So, the Mashgiach at Mea Shearim drops the schnitzel into the deep fryer, turns on the stove, puts the pot on the hot plate.
At Veganista, the permanent presence is not necessary. Only when cookies are baked does Schlomo Hofmeister have to come by. "The rabbi could also put the cookies in the oven," he says, grinning. "But turning the oven on is easier, which is why it's now standard worldwide."