New Kosher Dining Options Uplift Jewish Student Life

For Yakir Brawer, keeping kosher is important to his Judaism, so he was thrilled to find out Tufts was investigating the addition of more kosher dining options this year. Brawer was part of an undergraduate pilot program that allowed students to sample kosher catering from a variety of vendors in the spring.

"It felt good to know Tufts was taking steps to diversify the variety of foods we can eat and also help us meet our nutritional needs," Brawer, a junior majoring in biology, said.

Based on student feedback to the spring pilot, Tufts Dining in collaboration with Tufts Hillel launched a new hot kosher meal plan this September as part of expanding that initiative. The meals are prepared under KVH Kosher-certified supervisionby Catering by Andrew, then delivered to Tufts where they are served in the Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center.

"Since the school year began, I've been picking up my kosher meals and having them with my friends," Brawer said. "There are all kinds of meals, and the menu hasn't repeated one yet. I had a burger today and earlier this week there was some brisket that was smoked, which was very good. They've had meatballs and pasta, chicken, and kebabs. It's been great; I've really enjoyed it."

"We have long wanted to provide supervised kosher meat meals in a dining center for students on meal plans," said Patti Klos, senior director of dining services at Tufts Dining. "Building a suitable facility is costly and will take a long time to construct. By partnering with an external supplier for these meals, we're able to offer this option without delay."

A Major Milestone at Tufts

Rabbi Naftali Brawer, executive director of Tufts Hillel, Jewish chaplain at Tufts University, and Yakir's father, said seeing years of conversations and work come to fruition in the form of this meal plan has been incredibly exciting.

"Food is the conduit for social discourse. To be able to break bread with people who have different dietary constraints or commitments than you do is very important," Rabbi Brawer said. "We believe in an integrated community. Being able to share meals in the main dining hall with friends outside your immediate circle is critical."

Throughout the process, Rabbi Brawer worked closely with several partners, including Klos, Barbara Stein, vice president for operations; Mike Howard, executive vice president of the university; and Marty Ray, vice president for strategic initiatives and chief of staff in the Office of the President.

Meals from the new kosher meal plan are prepared under KVH Kosher-certified supervision by Catering by Andrew, then delivered to Tufts where they are served in the Dewick-MacPhie Dining Center. Photo: Jandro Cisneros

Rabbi Brawer also expressed deep appreciation to Marilyn Goldman, director of operations and finance at Tufts Hillel, who worked closely with Tufts Dining to launch the meal plan, which has approximately two dozen students enrolled this semester.

"We hope the students who are currently enrolled will be consistent users and let us know right away of any changes or issues they may have so that we can avoid waste and have hot meals ready for them when they come to Dewick," Klos added.

This new dining plan adds to existing kosher options on campusincluding the Pax et Lox Glatt Kosher Deli, the plant-based kosher station at Dewick-MacPhie, and kosher catered meals at Tufts Hillel.

"Tufts Dining has for a very long time provided kosher meals at the Granoff Family Hillel Center on Shabbat, Jewish festivals, and at our ever-expanding Tuesday evening community dinners," Rabbi Brawer said. "This new program is an important commitment from the university, which has filled the gaps so kosher observant students can enjoy continuous, reliable dining throughout the week.

Rabbi Brawer, who works closely with the undergraduate admissions office and speaks with many prospective students and their families, says this new meal plan "changes the whole dynamic."

"Students who would previously not have considered coming to Tufts will now consider applying," Rabbi Brawer said. "Now, when I have those conversations, I can highlight what we have to offer. It's wonderful."

Rabbi Naftali Brawer, executive director of Tufts Hillel and Jewish chaplain at Tufts

Student Excitement

Junior Elijah Fraiman said the new meat-forward meals remove "a very large barrier for entry for a large observant population that the university hasn't seen before."

Fraiman, who is studying clinical psychology and Judaic studies, keeps kosher when he is home but, in the past, has opted for vegetarian meals when kosher-certified meat wasn't available. He lauded the prospect that students can eat a variety of full, certified kosher meals throughout the week. "I can speak on behalf of myself and my community when I say that we're very excited about the program," said Fraiman.

Sophomore Eitan Cohen shared that kosher food options were a serious consideration when he looked at colleges. For the international relations major, who is minoring in Hebrew studies, the commitment is about more than just adhering to religious principles of Kashrut, or Jewish dietary laws.

"Participating in the kosher meal plan brings me tremendous gratification," Cohen said. "I think other students really appreciate it, too."

Generations of Jumbos Celebrate

Elana Einhorn, A27, was part of the pilot program, and although she now lives off-campus, noted the dining development means a lot to her as a Jumbo.

"As a student who eats only kosher food, this new meal plan will provide so much more variety in the dining hall and make day-to-day campus life easier," said Einhorn, a biopsychology major. "I also think it has the potential to make Tufts more welcoming for other students with similar practices, which is really exciting."

Einhorn's parents, Marshall and Deborah Skolnick-Einhorn, E98 and J98 respectively, graduated from Tufts during a period when options for kosher-observant students were limited. For Marshall, who is the CEO of Maccabi USA, an organization that builds Jewish pride through sports, and the former executive director of Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design Hillel, the developments are momentous.

"Wearing my parent and alumni hats, and as a former Hillel professional, I know how meaningful it is to have not only a kosher meal plan, but one that provides freshly prepared, healthy food," Marshall said. "It's also significant that Tufts is centering the kosher dining experience in the places where other students are eating, letting Jewish students integrate mealtimes with the rest of their identity and experience on campus. The investment that Tufts has made in kosher dining is worthy of celebration."

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