To me, the game of hunting for the Kosher Symbol has become a real life sport. One thing I’ve learned is how to read labels on foods. The art of label reading is an education in itself. I laugh (laugh) at the serving portions listed in that tiny print in the Nutrition Facts section (…really? 9 chips per serving, HAH! ). I am not amused at the tiny, tinier, and tiniest print one must be able to read on those labels.
But, I digress. We are discussing the art of finding Kosher Symbols. This takes practice, good vision, helpful friends, and the phone number of your local Rabbi. We who look, have been fooled by many creative symbols which aren’t Kosher Symbols. On the food package there are many different symbols that need interpretation. For example, you might find symbols for…vegan, vegetarian, Halal, allergen (i.e., gluten), irradiation, organic, heart check, corporation logos, to name a few. I have discovered that some manufacturers don’t want their packages to have big bold, prominent displays of their kosher symbol (I mean really, does it have to be tinier than the registered trade mark symbol?) I also remind myself, that just because it was once kosher (or is that a hopeful memory) doesn’t mean it is still kosher. Yes, life does change, and so does manufacturing practices, locations and ingredients; alas, make no assumptions on this hunt. Is the brand always consistent, really? Nothing is 100%. Remember, just because one product by that brand is kosher doesn’t mean all the products by that brand are kosher. Now, if you wish to review what are the Kosher Symbols and what do the various symbols mean there are many websites that are good resources, or you could read the back page of the Food and Potluck Guideline (available on the CBA website or you could ask at the office). Remember, life is uncertain, so you really might want to eat dessert first. And for those of us who partake in the hunt for Kosher Symbols, it might as well become a game, it makes it more enjoyable and amusing.
Jeffrey & Janet Stein-Larson
