How Does Eating Kosher Enhance Your Jewish Identity?

I have no real memory of eating anything treif, my family became baalei teshuva when I was very young. I can sing the “$5 Footlong” - Subway commercial, I know the McDonald’s jingle, “Bada ba ba ba, I'm Lovin' It”. I can walk past Mineo's Pizzeria and see friends enjoying pepperoni pizza. What makes me different is that I am a mitzva observant Jew doing the best I can while in galus. Keeping kosher, one of those mitzvos that we're given without a specific reason does enhance my Jewish identity. I know that by keeping kosher I have a greater connection to G-D because I choose to trust without question that HE knows what is best for me.

Even though each mitzva stands on its own, it is a common belief that one mitzva leads to another so that by me keeping kosher it seems only natural to keep Shabbos, to wear tzistzis and kippa, a definite enhancement to my identity. I believe that my Jewish identity is tested daily with the sights, smells, sounds of treif, among other things, but will try to focus on kashrus. I also believe that I am an example to the many other Jewish (secular) students at my school who see that while I may appear and behave a little differently I am treated with respect among my peers. And just maybe, I am a positive influence on some.

I have had many conversations with non observant Jews and non Jews curious about many of our practices; some have even said that they felt sorry for me because I could not eat at the many places such as the ones I mentioned earlier. While I do agree that I am inconvenienced at times because I cannot simply go into any restaurant and eat whatever I see. Additionally, I cannot give into an ice cream urge right after eating a hamburger. I know that I'm making the right choices. Interestingly, I have learned that for the most part, it is usually the non observant Jew rather than the non Jew who is intolerant and ignorant enough to state that those laws are outdated and that we no longer needed to keep those particular laws. Many have said that their grandparents were 'religious' or knew that in generations back their family kept kosher but that was for “reasons of cleanliness.”

Last summer I had the opportunity to participate in a leadership training seminar hosted by the Public School District in my city, I was one of approximately 75 students. One of the teachers who was involved in this seminar informed me that since the District was providing lunches for the participants, she would make certain that my dietary needs would be met, and that she knew that she could go to the local kosher pizza store. Not having asked for this special treatment, I couldn't help but believe that she surmised by my kippa that I keep kosher; my identity is enhanced by this. In discussions with some fellow Jewish participants prior to the seminar, I mentioned that the District would be providing a kosher meal for me even though I hadn't asked for it. As the discussion progressed, a Jewish but not observant participant asked if he too could get a kosher meal. I feel that the whole conversation revolving around kashrus enhanced my Jewish identity as I was able to help a fellow Jew have a kosher meal even if it was only for the seminar.

Another example of how my Jewish identity is enhanced by eating kosher is that I know that even though I have not been given a reason other than the Torah says so, keeping kosher is one very definitive way to ensure the continuation of the Jewish people. I am doing my part with every sandwich or slice of pizza to keep our people alive and that message was instilled in my earliest recollections. I don't differentiate between my identity as a human being and my Jewish identity. I am a Jew whose identity is enhanced by eating kosher food in a kosher way.

I am not always consciously aware of how much my identity is enhanced by keeping kosher but I know that I am fully aware of what and where I eat. While I realize that 'kosher' usually refers to that which is acceptable to eat or specific certification of foods, I think it really goes deeper to where and how one eats. Eating kosher must also include using good manners and seichel. So eating kosher enhances my identity in ways I am not aware of but also in ways that clearly help make me a stronger and more faithful Jew.