In a recent Reddit post, a user found themselves caught in a family dilemma when their cousin couldn't attend their wedding due to the location being on the other side of the country. While the redditor didn't seem too bothered by it, their cousin took it personally and accused them of discrimination. The situation escalated further when the groom-to-be revealed a cruel prank the cousin had played on their Jewish girlfriend in the past.
To understand the significance of food in Jewish tradition, Bored Panda reached out to Kirsten Fermaglich, a Professor of History and Jewish Studies at Michigan State University. Professor Fermaglich shed light on the subject and provided some insightful answers to our questions.
The cousin's dissatisfaction with the wedding location led them to publicly shame their relative. However, they soon faced the consequences of their actions, losing their job over a four-year-old incident involving a prank aimed at the redditor's Jewish partner. While the details of the prank remain unknown, one thing is clear: it involved an attempt to trick the girlfriend into eating pork, which is strictly prohibited in Jewish dietary laws.
In Judaism, the consumption of pork is prohibited as it is considered unclean and not kosher. Kosher, meaning 'fit' in Hebrew, refers to food that adheres to specific guidelines outlined in Jewish dietary laws. Only meat from ruminant animals, such as cows and sheep, is considered permissible for consumption.
According to Professor Fermaglich, keeping kosher is of utmost importance to observant (Orthodox) Jews even in contemporary times. She emphasized that for some, it might even be more stringent than before. However, she also pointed out that while non-observant Jews may not adhere strictly to kosher laws, food can still hold significant cultural, ethnic, and familial ties.
For many Jews, food plays a central role during religious holidays, connecting them to their traditions. For example, latkes are typically enjoyed during Hanukkah, while matzo ball soup is often served during Passover. In addition to religious significance, certain foods, such as bagels and lox or burekas, hold cultural and family associations.
The choice of Florida as the wedding location was motivated by the desire to have the bride's grandparents and great-grandmother present. Florida has a substantial Jewish population, with over 672,000 individuals identifying as Jewish, according to data from 2022. Across the United States, it was estimated that there were approximately 5.8 million Jewish adults during that year.
While rates of strictly adhering to kosher laws declined in the 1920s and 1930s, Professor Fermaglich highlighted that there has been an increase in Jews returning to Orthodoxy in the past three decades. Nonetheless, she pointed out that many less observant Jews follow a 'kosher-style' approach, which may involve avoiding pork or shellfish, adopting a vegetarian diet, or keeping kosher at home but not outside.
The ease or difficulty of following kosher laws can vary depending on one's location and the surrounding community. Living in a supportive community can make it easier for individuals to adhere to these dietary restrictions. Unfortunately, for the redditor's girlfriend, spending time with the cousin who played the cruel prank was likely challenging and uncomfortable.
Understanding the cultural and religious significance of food in Jewish tradition helps shed light on the cousin's thoughtlessness and insensitivity towards the girlfriend's dietary restrictions. It serves as a reminder that familial relationships can be complicated, and issues related to discrimination and lack of understanding can further strain these ties.
In the end, this wedding altercation serves as a lesson in empathy and respect for others' beliefs and traditions. It highlights the importance of fostering understanding and acceptance within families, as well as the significance of culture and heritage in shaping individual identities.
