Is This Kosher?

This content was originally published by the Jewish Initiative for Animals (JIFA), a project of Farm Forward from 2016 through 2024. JIFA is now the Center for Jewish Food Ethics.

For centuries, the question of what’s “fit” for Jewish communities has guided our daily actions and reflected our religious identities and moral values.

In a fraction of that time, industrial animal agriculture has transformed our food system and made intensive farming the norm for 99% of animals–even for animal products that certifiers label as kosher, or “fit to eat.” Jewish foods–as diverse as the community itself–are meant to help us celebrate holidays, mark important life events, nurture our bodies each day, and exemplify our values. Yet, many of the foods that embody Jewish comfort now come with uncomfortable truths.

A new norm is attainable; all that’s needed is our communal will to learn and take action. As a community, it’s time to reckon with the impacts of our food choices–on farmed animals, on people, and on the planet–and ask: is this way of farming and eating truly kosher?

Is This Kosher explores modern chicken, fish, and dairy farming practices