Rabbi Morris Allen is one of the most recognizable names in the eco-kosher movement for his work developing Magen Tzedek, a seal that will soon identify kosher meat and other foods that are produced under ethical working conditions.
And yet the Conservative rabbi from St. Paul, Minn., has been a vegetarian since 1974.
Still, kashrut has always been a focus of his life and rabbinate.
“Judaism believes that is possible to celebrate the sanctity of life through the most mundane act of eating,” Allen said. “Kashrut is about creating a sense of holiness and a sense of wonder. Knowing which drawer to open at which time makes eating very intentional in a world where often eating is about fast food and anything but intentionality.”
Allen will address those ideas and more Feb. 20 and 21 at the Peninsula Jewish Community Center’s “Jewish Ethics, Food and the Environment.”
The two-day symposium is dedicated to the impact of food choices and the subsequent effect on our environment, the economy, our health and workers’ rights.
“It’s unconscionable for us to imagine that the only concern is whether or not the animal was slaughtered correctly with the right kind of motion,” Allen said.
Today, an increasing number of Jewish and non-Jewish consumers are concerned about where their food comes from, the distance it travels, the chemicals used in production and how workers are treated in the production process.
“All of these may not be classic Jewish concerns, but they are certainly concerns that consumers are addressing in their own lives and buying decisions,” Allen said. “We believe Magen Tzedek addresses many of those concerns.”
At the PJCC event, Allen will speak about the history of Magen Tzedek and the Hekhsher Tzedek Commission, which will administer the seal. The commission began as a response to the news that Iowa-based Agriprocessors, the world’s largest glatt kosher slaughterhouse, had violated a number of labor laws and had also mistreated its cattle.
“For me, the ethical aspect of food is part and parcel of the meaning that we ascribe to keeping kosher in first place,” Allen said.
Morris said that the Magen Tzedek seal should begin appearing on food by the end of the calendar year. At this point, the Hekhsher Tzedek Commission will only certify products that are already certified as ritually kosher.
“Choosing between free range chicken and kosher-certified should not be a conflict we entertain,” Allen said.
During the symposium, the Minnesota rabbi will also talk about the intersection of social justice and food, and Jewish teachings on ethical business practices.
In addition to the learning sessions, there will be a food fair in the PJCC lobby Feb. 21 with vendors known for exploring social justice and food. Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Hazon and Piazza’s are some of the scheduled food fair participants.
The symposium is part of “In the Mood for Food,” the PJCC’s series of food-based programs that include programs such as “Jews on the Chocolate Trail” and “Spirituality in the Kitchen.” In the Mood for Food continues Feb. 22 with a screening of the food industry exposé documentary “Food, Inc.”
“My goal is to help restore a culture of kashrut in this country,” Allen said. “It is all our responsibility to ensure that when Jews observe kashrut they can do so in a way that reinforces ethical and ritual considerations.”
Allen first became interested in kashrut when he was a child growing up in Denver.
“When I was a little kid, I was taught that there were three basic standards for judging one’s Jewishness: keeping kosher, engagement with Israel and voting Democratic,” Allen recalled.
But for Allen, keeping kosher must be, as he calls it, “livable,” which means kashrut that people feel is achievable, in line with their ethics and values and does not make them feel isolated from neighbors, friends and relatives who might not keep kosher.
“Livable kashrut speaks to who we are and at same time an ability to live fully in the world in which we live,” Allen said. “I grew up in an Orthodox community, but there were clear lines of demarcation between the modern and non-modern Orthodox, and that determined which kids would eat in my house and which wouldn’t. I could never understand that if we kept kosher, why couldn’t they eat my food? My notion of livable kashrut emerges from my own experience.”
“Jewish Ethics, Food and the Environment” will take place Feb. 20 and 21 at the Peninsula JCC, 800 Foster City Blvd., Foster City. Tickets are $40 for PJCC members and $45 for the public. To buy tickets, contact Rachel Goldman at (650) 378-2764 or [email protected].