Dietary Laws and Rites of Passage
Dietary Laws: Kosher and Terefah
Jewish dietary laws are called kashrut. Food that meets these laws is Kosher (permitted), while food that does not meet them is Terefah (forbidden). The main laws are set out in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. These laws define which animals may be eaten, how they must be slaughtered and prepared, and how different food types must be kept apart.
Permitted land animals must have split hooves and chew the cud — so cattle, sheep and deer are kosher, while pigs are not (they have split hooves but do not chew the cud). Permitted fish must have fins and scales — so salmon and trout are kosher, while shellfish and eels are not. Birds of prey are forbidden; domestic birds such as chicken and turkey are permitted. All insects are prohibited.
The biblical prohibition “do not boil a kid in its mother’s milk” (Deuteronomy 14:21) led to a complete separation of meat and milk. Kosher households maintain two sets of crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils. A waiting period (between one and six hours depending on tradition) must pass before eating dairy after meat. Pareve foods — neither meat nor dairy, such as fish, eggs, fruit and vegetables — may be eaten with either.
To be kosher, animals must be slaughtered by a trained shochet (ritual slaughterer) using a single, swift cut to the throat with a perfectly smooth blade. This minimises suffering and ensures rapid blood loss. The blood must then be drained through salting or broiling, because Leviticus 7:26–27 forbids consuming blood. The impact of dietary laws on Jewish life is significant: observant Jews can only eat in restaurants with kosher certification, must check food labels carefully and may face challenges when travelling or in non-Jewish social settings.
Orthodox Jews follow the laws of kashrut strictly as a binding commandment, maintaining two sets of kitchen equipment and buying only kosher-certified produce. They see dietary law as a discipline that sanctifies daily life and connects them to the covenant at Sinai.
Many Reform Jews do not observe the dietary laws in the same way. Some keep the broad biblical categories (avoiding pork and shellfish) but do not separate meat and milk. Others do not observe kashrut at all, arguing that the spiritual and ethical dimensions of Judaism matter more than ancient food regulations. Progressive Judaism emphasises the underlying values — such as reducing animal suffering — rather than legal detail.
Rites of Passage: Birth
Jewish rites of passage connect the individual to the covenant, the community and the tradition. When a baby girl is born, she is formally welcomed in a synagogue naming ceremony, often called Simchat Bat or Zeved HaBat in Sephardic tradition. The father is called to the Torah and a prayer is recited for the health of mother and child.
For a baby boy, Brit Milah (the covenant of circumcision) takes place on the eighth day. This links directly to the covenant with Abraham in Genesis 17:9–12, where G‑d commanded that all male descendants be circumcised as a sign of the covenant. The ceremony is performed by a trained Mohel. The baby is placed on a ceremonial chair called the Chair of Elijah (the prophet Elijah is said to be present at every circumcision). The Sandek — typically a respected elder or grandfather — holds the infant during the procedure. The baby’s Hebrew name is then announced for the first time.
Bar and Bat Mitzvah
At 13 for boys and 12 for girls, Jewish young people reach religious adulthood. A boy becomes a Bar Mitzvah (son of the commandment) and a girl becomes a Bat Mitzvah (daughter of the commandment). From this point they are personally responsible for fulfilling the Mitzvot — the father’s prayer at the ceremony traditionally thanks G‑d for releasing him from responsibility for his child’s transgressions.
Preparation involves months of study, learning to read Hebrew and to chant the Torah portion assigned for that Shabbat. At the Bar Mitzvah service, the young man reads from the Sefer Torah on the Bimah in front of the congregation, often giving a short speech about his portion. A celebration meal (kiddush) follows. Bat Mitzvah ceremonies vary: in Reform and Liberal communities, girls read from the Torah just as boys do; in Orthodox communities the ceremony may take the form of a separate Bat Chayil ceremony, where the girl gives a talk but does not read from the Torah during the main service.
The key difference between Orthodox and Reform practice at a girl’s coming of age: Reform Judaism celebrates Bat Mitzvah with full Torah reading in the main service, treating boys and girls equally. Orthodox communities may hold a Bat Chayil (“daughter of valour”) ceremony instead — a significant event but separate from the male Torah-reading service.
Jewish Marriage: Kiddushin
Jewish marriage is called Kiddushin, from the Hebrew root meaning “holiness.” The marriage takes place under the Huppah (wedding canopy), which symbolises the new home the couple will build together. Before the ceremony, a Ketubah (marriage contract) is signed, specifying the husband’s obligations to his wife. Seven blessings (Sheva Brachot) are recited, connecting the wedding to the creation of humanity in Genesis.
The groom places a plain gold ring on the bride’s right index finger, declaring “You are consecrated to me with this ring according to the law of Moses and Israel.” The ceremony concludes with the groom breaking a glass underfoot — traditionally interpreted as recalling the destruction of the Temple, so that joy is never complete without remembering communal loss. Genesis 2:24 provides the scriptural foundation for marriage: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”
Judaism insists on burial rather than cremation, out of respect for the body created in G‑d’s image (Genesis 1:27) and in anticipation of bodily resurrection. The body is washed and purified (tahara) by volunteers (chevra kadisha) and dressed in simple white linen shrouds (tachrichim) to emphasise equality in death. Burial takes place as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours.
As a sign of grief, mourners perform Kriah — the tearing of a garment. A seven-day mourning period called shiva follows, during which the bereaved remain at home, mirrors are covered and the community comes to offer comfort. The Kaddish prayer is recited by mourners at the graveside and during services for eleven months after death. Significantly, the Kaddish contains no mention of death or grief — it is purely praise of G‑d, affirming faith even in loss.