Ohio University Culinary Services, in conjunction with Hillel at OU, will serve kosher-style food for the first time at all dining halls across campus.
Passover-friendly food will be served through April 2 to fulfill the needs of students throughout the Jewish holiday, with Nelson Court serving as the main point of operation.
Because there is no strict kosher facility on campus, the meals are only considered kosher-style, said Rabbi Danielle LeShaw, director of Hillel.
Nelson will serve specialty dishes such as sweet and sour chicken with carrots, lemon-peppered cod and wine-braised brisket with tart cherries. Meat and milk products will be separated, and no leavening products will be used during meal preparation.
“I think it is important to reach all different kinds of students, and it is part of our job to do that,” said Dan Pittman, assistant director of Auxiliary Sales.
LeShaw approached Culinary Services to request an extended Passover menu.
“I want to encourage one central area where students can form a community and share a Passover dinner,” LeShaw said.
This is the first time that Hillel has worked together with Culinary Services to put together these kosher-style meal options, and LeShaw said she hopes for future collaborations.
“Our request was very enthusiastically received, and they started working on putting together menu options right away,” she said.
Nelson, being the newest dining hall with the most options, will be the main area of focus for Hillel and Culinary Services.
Pittman said the dining halls have kosher options available throughout the year, but this is the first time that an extensive menu is being offered specifically for Passover.
In general, kosher foods are hard to come by in Athens, LeShaw said, making this an important step in providing more options for Jewish students at OU. The local Kroger provides kosher pantry items, but the nearest butcher is located at the Whitehall Kroger in Bexley, Ohio.
“Overall, I am disappointed,” said Kevin Feinberg, a freshman studying accounting. “I think it is a start, but there needs to be more options, like a strictly kosher deli for kosher meats.”
jr200009@ohiou.edu
