Will it be a smoothie, a green salad or a nutrition bar?
The healthy food industry has exploded in recent years with global sales expected to hit $1 trillion by 2017. With all the research and studies into the benefits and risks caused merely by our chosen diet, it's no wonder that we have all become more conscientious with food we buy and consume.
In this week's Torah portion, we have one of the very first prescribed diets (not sure if this is pre-paleo 😉 ) - Kosher. Much as a nutritionist might instruct us as to how best to maintain a proper calorie intake and cholesterol level, balancing carbs and protein, The Torah has set of dietary guidelines that allows us to enhance our spiritual nutrition levels.
Kosher emphasizes that Judaism is much more than a "religion" in the conventional sense of the word. To the Jew, holiness is not confined to holy places and times outside the everyday; rather, life in its totality is a sacred endeavor. Even the seemingly mundane activity of eating is a G‑dly act and a uniquely Jewish experience.
While it may not be as easy in Petaluma as in a grocery store in New York or a marketplace in Israel, close to 50% of Supermarket products are Kosher! It's not limited to the Kosher section with the year-round Manischewitz. For more info on Kosher, take a look atwww.JewishPetaluma.com/Kosher or send us your questions.
While on the topic, take a look at the Petaluma Community Passover Shopping Guide, and let us know what you think! View the Passover Shopping Guide here.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Dovid Bush