Customer Reviews

How to Keep Kosher: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Jewish Dietary Laws

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"How to Keep Kosher" isn't just about the food, thank goodness. For many culturally assimilated Jews, kashruth (Jewish dietary laws) is an endlessly nitpicky religious construct. For the observant, it's a richly satisfying, comprehensive philosophy that gives structure and meaning to everyday life and special occasions. And for almost everybody else, kosher or not, it's an ongoing source of, shall we say, spirited discussion.

You want "faith-based"? Here it is, fresh from Leviticus. Stern combines Biblical knowledge, extensive interviews with religious authorities,and wide-ranging research in chapters that are well-organized for easy ad hoc reference. Her writing style is conversational: clear, precise, even humorous. I find myself dipping into the book at random and getting caught up in intriguing details. That resinous glaze used for candy coatings is made from a Southeast Asian insect: not kosher.

What makes the book such an engaging read is Stern's tone:
warm and authoritative, inclusive of Conservative and Orthodox perspectives, and respectful of personal choices. Oh, and there are recipes, and lists of resources for further investigation. Yes, it's an ideal Chanukah present, but "Keeping Kosher" will
also fit comfortably on the bookshelves of any cook, whether committed to keeping kosher or merely curious.

I am finding How to Keep Kosher a valuable tool to explain and de-mystify the how tos and whys of keeping kosher. This book is a must read for a Jew by choice, or a Jew wanting to live a more kosher life.
Lise Stern explains the process of kashering a kitchen, something which may seem very over whelming. I appreciate that she acknowledges how work intensive the kashering process can be, but as she explains the reasons for keeping kosher, it becomes more achieveable and worthwhile.

How to Keep Kosher : A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Jewish Dietary Laws is very helpful for all audiences to kosher law. Many issues are discussed relating to holiday customs, not mixing milk and meat, the role of paerve foods, and kashering a kitchen. The differences between Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Reform views are discussed although it seems as if the Orthodox and Conservative views seem to get the most emphasis. Also some discussion on the customs of Succos, Passover, Chanukah, Shabbat, and High Holy Days exist.

Also very helpful are a list of recipies and Jewish information resources make a comprehensive glossary. Overall How to Keep Kosher : A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Jewish Dietary Laws is a helpful resource particularly to those trying to learn about Kosher law.

This book is a clear, informative, comprehensive, and flexible guide for creating a kosher life. With this in hand, you can make decisions that fit your own inclinations toward keeping kosher, to whatever extent you might wish to. The book explains all the basic elements and offers a comparison among several branches of Judaism. It is not a rabbinic text, but a practical and useful one which also recommends consultation with one's rabbi of choice. It also provides some information on the food rituals of Succot, Passover, Chanukah, Shabbat, and High Holy Days.

In the back of the book is a helpful glossary, a selection of recipes, some tied to holidays, and a number of very useful web resources. Depending on your interest and commitment, this may not be the only book on the subject you will ever want, but it's a great introduction or refresher course, and will come in very handy.

A useful introduction to keeping kosher, and to the differences not only between Orthodox Jews and more liberal denominations, but even between stricter and more lenient Orthodox views- although as the author repeatedly points out, there is no substitute for consulting the rabbi of your choice on details.

Full disclosure: I am the mother of the author. Lise has written a book about Kashrut that has something for everyone--those just starting to consider "how to keep Kosher," and those who want to adopt the practice fully. She explains the historical reasons for each aspect of Kashrut, and then adds recipes of friends and family at the end--including my own matzah ball soup recipe. This is a very user-friendly compendium that I know everyone will enjoy. The book came out several years ago, but has not been surpassed in its field. I still buy copies as hostess gifts and engagemnt presents as it serves those purposes wonderfully.

Joyce Stern

Converting my kitchen to a kosher kitchen, conservative laws. This explained exactly how to do that in simple to follow guidelines. I asked my Rabbi about it before purchasing it, and he ordered a copy and thought it was great. It is also nice because it gives you some history as well as recipes.

Great book. Till now I never got a proper explanation about what is kosher and what is not. Easy to understand and helped me a lot to understand its principles.

This is an excellent work on the Kashrut or the rules of how to eat. The basic rules require that no forbidden meat, fowl or fish be consumed. Milk and meat may not be consumed together and no
non-Kosher meat may be consumed. Major Kosher organizations are
Star K, Kashrus Labs, The Orthodox Union and K of K Supervision.
Orthodox Jews eat only in Kosher restaurants or homes. The Talmud guards against forbidden fat (cheleu) or blood of mammals or birds.
Sample Kosher foods are pasta, salsa, jam, cakes, cereal,
cheese of France/Israel, Kiddush wines and fair Merlot. The
Integrated Marketing Communications tracks Kosher foods.
Orthodox Jews have debated the acceptability of microwave ovens
for use in food preparation. A plethora of meal plans is provided for ease of reference. The work is well worth the money for
food enthusiasts-all over the world. Every fine restaurant should be cognizant of the details of the Stern work.