Being a traveling Jew can be difficult at times. Picture yourself strolling down a busy marketplace in Thailand or Vietnam. Imagine yourself in a place in the world where the street food is as much of a tourist attraction as their historical sites are. Isn’t it tempting to grab a bite or two? Unfortunately, you can’t have a taste of it because the food is not kosher. Instances like that are one of the many hardships that Jews face when traveling to countries that aren’t known for having a sizeable Jewish community. Unless they’re traveling with a Jewish trip company, they’re probably going to encounter these little problems along the way. Is the Restaurant Really Kosher? On many occasions, you might have encountered restaurants that like to promote that they serve kosher food at their establishment. Unfortunately, they couldn’t be any further from the truth. Sure, they don’t have pork or seafood dishes. But the rules of kashrut aren’t only about the types of food being served. The preparation is just as important. Ensure first that the restaurant is really under kosher supervision before ordering anything. Are they willing to share how the animal has been slaughtered? Are the utensils they use for preparing meat dishes separated from the ones they use for dairy? Does the Supermarket sell Kosher products? If a market claims that they sell kosher products, then their packaged goods should have the symbols that indicate they are. For places that have a kosher section, all their products in that area should be kosher. Kosher and non-kosher products can only be displayed with each other if they are both in their original casings and are unopened. If they don’t actually sell any kosher goods, then the foodstuffs you can buy will be very, very limited. Solutions You Can Take Fortunately for us, there are a few options that we can take to lessen the trouble of keeping kosher. One is to search for Chabad houses in the area you’ll be headed for. Most of the time, they offer accommodations and serve kosher meals. And if they don’t, they’ll be happy to point you in the right direction. Another is to sign up with Jewish tour companies, like those that have kosher riverboat cruises. Not only will you get to eat kosher food to your heart’s content, but you can also join their other activities if you want. And the last option is to cook your own meals, but that’s just not as fun, isn’t it?
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