Charleston, SC Update

While the kosher Bed & Breakfast in Charleston closed some time ago, visitors to Chucktown have a new option for kosher food.

A variety of (double wrapped) prepacked Glatt Kosher dinners are now available at Hyman's, 215 Meeting St., Charleston, South Carolina 29401, (843) 723-6000. The meals are prepared under the supervision of Rabbi Yossi Refson of the Chabad Of Charleston.

Changes in St. Louis

The relatively small universe of kosher establishments in St. Louis has undergone significant changes over the past few months. First came the closing of Pratzel's the 98 year old mainstay followed by the news that a local Breadsmith's would turn kosher to fill the void. Then came the news that VegaDeli would be giving up it's kosher certification. That loss was countered by the news that the Delmar Blvd. location of Gokul, the popular Indian Vegetarian restaurant would be acquiring the certification of the Vaad Ho'ir. Finally comes the news that tomorrow will mark the last day of business for Diamant's Kosher Meat Market which was a source of prepared and packaged foods in University City. The closure leaves Kohn's in Creve Coeur as the only meat establishment in St. Louis. Last year, the cafe at the JCC reopened as Herky's J Cafe in the new Staenberg Family Complex.

Vancouver Gets Kosher Dining

The Jewish Tribune reports that a the city's first kosher restaurant has opened:

ANCOUVER – Maple Grill, the West Coast Kosher Kitchen, has been open for business since Feb. 10 serving BC Kosher( meat and veggie) lunch and dinners every day of the week.

The menu includes yam wedges, Ima’s Hummus, Moroccan and ocean burgers, Street Wings, Mezurashii Ahi tuna, lamb chops, West Coast Quesadilla, and rib eye steak. There is also a varied selection of soups and salads, and of course a nice selection of parve deserts (like chocolate mousse, ice cream, crisps and strudels).

The price range for a kosher sit-down meal at Maple Grill is anywhere between $9.75 for a soup and salad, and $32 for a steak platter.

“We chose the name Maple Grill because it sounds neutral, so you can’t draw a conclusion by the name alone,” said Godeghesi.

Maple Grill is at 1967 West Broadway (the Kollel Building, at the corner of Maple, hence the eatery’s name).

It is open from Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to sundown, and Saturday from sundown to midnight.

Kosher Restaurant Coming to Des Moines

The Des Moines Register reports that a kosher deli will be opening soon:

A sign in the window next door to Maccabee’s Deli at 1150 Polk Blvd. in Des Moines indicates a restaurant and catering service are coming soon. Rabbi Yossi Jacobson, director of the Judaic Resource Center that owns Maccabee’s, said the restaurant should be ready for business in about four to six months. The restaurant and catering will offer kosher, traditional Jewish foods. Those who prefer non-dairy and vegetarian foods will find many menu items amenable to their diets.

Maccabee’s Deli is a kosher deli near the corner of University Avenue. It has been in operation almost 17 years and is open for lunch Sundays and Tuesdays through Fridays. The addition of the restaurant means hours will be expanded, as the restaurant will serve a full dinner and Sunday morning breakfast which will include lox and bagels, among other options. Free Internet service will be available, plus the selection of foods and wines in the grocery section will be expanded.

New Bakery in Chattanooga, Tennessee

The Chattanooga Time Free Press reports on the opening of the city's first kosher bakery:

The corner of Hamilton Town Center on Gunbarrel Road in East Brainerd just got a little sweeter with the opening of Abraham’s Kosher and Parve Bakery.

The new business gives the area a place to find pastries that are all kosher and dairy free.

Edith Martinez and husband, Eloy, opened the bakery in early February. They had once owned a kosher bakery in Florida.

The Martinezes pride themselves in the quality and prices of their baked goods, with big muffins selling at 55 cents, large cupcakes 75 cents and large cakes with a choice of icings and fillings going for $14.99. All are made from scratch.

Rabbi Meir Goldstein of B’nai Zion Congregation certified the bakery as kosher and said that though there are other bakeries in town preparing kosher foods with a couple of parve (dairy free) offerings, “What’s unique about Abraham’s is that everything that’s baked there is considered parve. And this is the only bakery doing it.”

New Norfolk Market Features Kosher Section

The Virginian Pilot reports that folks in Norfolk will have a new source of kosher eats:

Potato kugel mix. Borscht. Pasta sauces. Beef, lamb and bison. Hummus. Feta. Gouda. A shopping cart full of candy and six brands of gefilte fish.

Those in search of kosher everything need search no more. Farm Fresh's The Market at Ghent, a newly-remodeled store at 730 W. 21st Street in Norfolk, has a 7-Eleven sized section devoted entirely to kosher foods.

Hot dogs. Egg challah. Mandel bread and apple-crumb babka. It’s all there.

The Market is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Flying the Kosher Skies: OU Survey

Recently the OU surveyed domestic airlines on their kosher offerings. Here are the highlights:

Kosher Snacks -- such as potato chips, pretzels, cookies -- and in many cases, meals, are available on eight major United States airlines.

American Airlines: On flights of two hours or longer, of the snacks offered, the Chocolate Chunk cookie (which is OU-Dairy) and 3 Musketeers candy bar are kosher certified. American provides kosher meals to first and business class passengers on transcontinental flights.

Continental Airlines: Sent a box of snacks to the OU, who informed him that “a great majority are indeed kosher approved." Regarding meals, Continental provides kosher meals in both domestic first class and the main cabin for transcontinental and Latin flights.

Delta Airlines: There are five OU certified snacks on EATS flights: Pringles, Animal Crackers, Clif Bar, Dove Bar, and Emerald Nuts Mix.

JetBlue Airways: Most of their complimentary snacks offered in-flight are kosher.

Northwest Airlines: Several of the items in their snack box offerings are kosher certified, but the overwhelming majority are not.

Southwest Airlines: The airline offers kosher peanuts and pretzels on its flights, and in mid-March will begin offering Ritz cheese crackers, which also are OU Kosher certified.

United Airlines: Some of their 'Buy on Board' snacks are kosher. They plan to ask their vendors to submit kosher certified products for inclusion in their refreshed snackboxes later this year.

US Airways: Within the In-Flight Café Snack Box they offer five items, four which are kosher (mint chip cookies, strawberry fruit bar, fruit and nut mix, and garlic and rosemary all natural wisecrackers ).

Read the complete article on ou.org.

Kosher Traveler Adds: Travelers should also note that depending on the airline there may be a charge for some or all of the snacks. In addition at both JFK and LaGuardia, the Cibo shops carry packaged parve sandwiches certified by the Star-K.

First Kosher Eatery in Arizona SE Valley

The Arizona Republic reports on the grand opening of Pita Delight in Chandler, Arizona - the first kosher eatery in Arizona's Southeast Valley. The new dairy establishment, under the supervision of the Greater Phoenix Va'ad Hakashruth, serves soups, sandwiches, salads, tilapia, pizza, french fries, desserts and appetizers including hummus, tabouli, baba ganoush, avocado salad and Israeli eggplant salad.

Pittsburgh Looses Second Bakery

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports on the closing of the Simple Treat Bakery, a Squirrel Hill institution. This follows the loss of Rolladin's bakery and cafe earlier in 2007. Notwithstanding the losses, Squirrel Hill still boasts a butcher/market, one dairy (Milky Way) and two meat (Pinati and Aaron & Ari's Grill) restaurants within two blocks on Murray Avenue.

Kosher Back in Downtown Chicago

UPDATE (7/27/2009) Spertus does not currently have an on-site dining option regularly open to the public.

The drought is over reports Chicago's abc7:

...it's no surprise that up until recently, the only good kosher options were in West Rogers Park or Skokie. But now, kosher diners have two new options downtown, one of which is partnering with a well-known celebrity chef.
It's lunch hour at the brand new Spertus Institute for Jewish Studies in the South Loop, but unlike other options in the area, everything here is completely kosher. The result of a unique partnership with Wolfgang Puck....

...."The twist in this building is its under rabbinical supervision with the Chicago Rabbinical Council, but the food is the same bright, natural flavors that the chef is known for," Frankel said.
Anything from a grilled steak sandwich, to mini potato latkes; even a moist, spiced pumpkin sponge cake with a cranberry-apricot jelly. She says it will come as a relief to kosher eaters who previously had to bring their own lunch everyday...

...Over in Greektown, the Crowne Plaza Hotel has a sprawling restaurant -- Dine -- but within that restaurant, a gourmet kosher lunch-only option has been carved out. It's called the Metro Klub, and offers a fairly wide range of kosher options such as grilled chicken with vegetables, a buffalo chicken sandwich, even a vegan-friendly turtle cheesecake....

....Another bonus at Metro Klub is the free valet parking. Both restaurants are fleishig, which means they offer meat, but no dairy products.

Spertus Institute For Jewish Studies
610 S. Michigan Ave.
312-322-1700

MetroKlub (inside Dine restaurant)
Crowne Plaza Hotel - Chicago Metro
Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
733 W. Madison St.
312-602-2104
(free valet parking)

Milk Street Cafe in Post Office Square Closes

Downtown Boston's kosher dining options are sliced in half with the closing of the felishig location of the Milk Street Cafe which was located in Post Office Square. The milchig location on Milk Street remains open. The Boston Globe has the full details.

Boston in the Globe's Focus

The Boston Globe takes on a tour of the city's kosher establishments through the eyes of a Rabbi.

Kroger Expands Atlanta Success to Cincinnati

Anyone who has been to the Kroger in the Toco Hills area of Atlanta will appreciate what this means for visitors to Cincinnati as Kroger announces an expansion of kosher at the Hunt Road location.

Keeping Kosher at a Newport B&B

The Associated Press reports on a unique Bed & Breakfast in Newport, Rhode Island:

Apracticing Catholic who attends church each Sunday, Mary Ellen Newbury hardly seems a sure bet to know the ins and outs of keeping a kosher diet....

The bed-and-breakfast has separate ovens and microwaves for warming up meat and dairy dishes, so milk and meat don't mix, and food brought into the house from the outside requires the approval of the Orthodox rabbi at nearby Touro Synagogue. Hot food that guests plan to eat over the weekend must be placed in the oven before sundown on Friday since traditional Judaism prohibits the use of electricity on the Sabbath...

Click here for the The Admiral Weaver Inn's website.

St. Louis Looses Shmeers

Shmeers, the only kosher dinner establishment in St. Louis is going treif. According to its owner, the community was not able to support the restaurant . St. Louis is now left with only Kohn's Kosher Meat and Deli, Diamants Kosher Meat Market and Delicatessen and the J Café, all of which only serve lunch.

Kosher in Iowa!

The Des Moines Register reports on the opening of Kosher Express Restaurant and Grocery in Urbandale, Iowa. The new establishment features the typical pizza shop menu coupled with a full grocery. So if you find yourself in Iowa, B'teavon!

New Restaurant in Hawaii

The list of destinations without kosher dining options gets smaller and smaller with the opening of Yudi's Deli in Honolulu. Yudi's features deli sandwiches, steaks, burgers & fries, falafel and salads with glatt kosher meat and poultry also available by the pound. Aloha!

The Results are in for Philly & DC

The results of both the Philadelphia and Washington DC Area Kosher Community Surveys have been released. Read all about it at Kosher Community Surveys.

Major Hotels Making Efforts to Accommodate Kosher Travelers

Kosher Today's Sarah Cohen reports that some major hotels are making significant efforts to accommodate kosher travelers:

In a survey of some of the largest hotels in the country, KosherToday found that virtually all of the hotels had some program in place to supply the glatt kosher meals. Most appeared anxious to court the kosher traveler. The Palmer House Hilton said that with advanced notice, they can prepare a kosher meal from one of the frozen meals they stock. The airline type meals can be heated while sealed and delivered to the room. New York's Waldorf Astoria and Ritz Carlton Central Park order in any food that guests want. If guests specify the restaurant and the food they want, both hotels said that they would gladly make the arrangements. The Four Seasons orders its meals from Levana's
Restaurant on Manhattan's West Side. Boston's Seaport Hotel orders its kosher meals from Catering by Andrew. The Hyatt Harborside at Boston's Logan International Airport orders food from local kosher restaurants. In Los Angeles, the Beverly Hilton gets its meals from Kosher on Wheels from California Kosher Catering. Most of the hotels were anxious to accommodate kosher travelers, but strongly urge that arrangements be made well in advance.

Two New Kosher Surveys Now Open

Kosher Community Surveys has opened two new surveys covering Philadelphia and Washington, DC (click the city name for the survey). Each survey asks consumers their opinion of area restaurants, stores and bakeries. So if you are familier with either of the areas, here is your chance to have your voice heard!

Kosher at Niagara Falls

In past years, visitors to Niagara Falls had to bring their own food or drive to Buffalo for kosher food. With the recent opening of King David Pizza, Bakery & Falafel fresh kosher meals can be had near the Falls. Located on the Canadian side of the falls, King David also offers a selection of grocery and bakery items.

The local Chabad House coordinates a daily minyan and even offers Shabbos meals at a reasonable price.

Baltimore Kosher Survey Report Released

The people have spoken and the results are in. The Baltimore Area Kosher Community Survey Final Report has been released. The survey and report are the work of Kosher Community Surveys who will soon be opening a survey of Philadelphia and a new survey of Washington, DC. Aside from providing motivation for local establishments to improve, the final reports are a great resource for locals and travelers alike.

RFK in DC Joins Growing Kosher at Ballparks List

Beginning July 23rd, Kosher Sports under Star-K supervision will operate a glatt kosher food concession at RFK stadium in Washington, DC, the home of the Washington Nationals. RFK joins the growing list of stadiums with kosher food concessions.

Baltimore Kosher Restaurants etc. - Which are the best?

Share your opinion about local kosher restaurants and grocery stores through the first ever Baltimore Kosher Community Survey! To take the survey, go to: http://baltimore.kosher-community-surveys.com.

A report of the results will be distributed to the community. Please e-mail Neil Rosenbaum at if you have any questions.

Kosher Community Surveys has completed surveys for Washington, DC and Boston which can be viewed by clicking on the city names.

Kosher at Ballpark In Manchester, New Hampshire

The Jewish Press reports:

Rabbi Levi Krinsky of Chabad of New Hampshire has announced that arrangements have been made for a glatt kosher menu to be available at select Fisher Cats home games. The NH Fisher Cats team is an AA affiliate of the Major League Baseball Toronto Blue Jays and is located in Manchester, New Hampshire.

In addition, groups of 50 or more � a camp, synagogue, youth group or just a large group of friends from anywhere in the New York/New England area who wish to take in a game with the kosher concession � can contact Chabad two weeks in advance, and depending on ticket availability, Rabbi Krinsky and his staff will do all they can to accommodate them. Please consult the Fisher Cats website, www.nhfishercats.com, for the home schedule.

Post Katrina New Orleans

While the New Orleans Jewish community continues to rebuild, two of the areas three pre-Katrina kosher establishments have re-opened and are operating normally. Having recently returned from a business trip to the Big Easy, I can provide a first hand report. The Brown family has returned and their kosher oasis Kosher Cajun, which is a full-service delicatessen with a large kosher grocery is fully stocked. Casablanca, an elegant middle eastern restaurant just a few blocks away has also reopened. While there had been a kosher restaurant, Creole Kosher Kitchen, in the French Quarter, the owner, Gideon Daneshrad and his family have relocated to Los Angeles.

Kosher Subway to Open in Cleveland

The Cleveland Jewish News reports that first kosher Subway fast food restaurant in North America will open in early May in the Cleveland JCC. Now Jared Fogel can finally eat a kosher meal!

Houston Gains Fleishig Eatery

The Houston Chronicle reported on the opening of Houston's' first glatt kosher meat restaurant, Suzie's Grill. According to the Chronicle, Suzie's Grill was born of a community dream. It opened in late November on South Braeswood Boulevard because so many families in Houston's Jewish community hungered enough for such a place to invest in. The menu features Persian, Israeli and American food. The Chronicle reports that in addition to Suzie's Grill, Houston Jews who keep strictly kosher may eat at the cafe at the Jewish Community Center; grab a pizza, boureka or falafel at Saba's Kosher Pizza on Fondren or dine at Madras Pavillion on Kirby (nonmeat). The delis at Randalls and Kroger at Meyer Park are kosher, too. All are under the supervision of the Houston Kashruth Association.

New Kosher B&B in Charleston, SC

The Broad Street Guest House, the first kosher bed and breakfast in South Carolina, has opened. According to an article in the Charleston Post & Courier, guests can expect to be "pampered and treated to meals that are anything but ordinary". According to the proprieter, Hadassah Rothenberg, the inn's new kosher kitchen was custom-built to her culinary specifications and under strict kosher rabbinic guide-lines.

Rabbi Ari Sytner certified the inn as Glatt kosher, under the "Palmetto K" symbol, which he created. Rabbi Sytner is the head rabbi of Charleston's Orthodox synagogue, Congregation Brith Sholom Beth Israel (BSBI to the locals), the oldest Orthodox Jewish synagogue in the Southern United States. Rabbi Sytner says he constantly is working with the Charleston community to obtain kosher certification. The Broad Street Guest House has guest suites with sunlit sitting rooms in the main house, each with luxurious, comfortable furnishings. Additionally, The Guest House Suite is located behind the main house and has easy access to the spacious outdoor piazza. All suites have private baths and kosher kitchenettes, and the upper-level suites are accessible by stairs or an elevator. The Broad Street Guest House is within walking distance of two Charleston synagogues, enabling guests to attend religious services, which is attractive for visiting Orthodox Jews who do not drive cars during the Sabbath."

New Restaurant in Phoenix

Kosher Today reports:

New Kosher Restaurant Opens in Phoenix(Phoenix, AZ) Anyone who has ever visited Phoenix certainly knows of Segal�s Kosher with its great food and assortment of kosher food products. Now comes word of a new eatery, Haifa Restaurant (not to be confused with the Haifa restaurant in Las Vegas), located in north central Phoenix. The restaurant, which opened a few months ago, is owned by Rafael Davydov and is one of several owned by immigrants from Uzbekistan. The menu cuts a wide swath through the Middle East, Russia and Central Asia. It includes foods like blini with red caviar, babaghanouj, assorted meats with borscht, and chicken Kiev. Along with lunch and dinner traffic, Haifa also aims to host weddings, bar mitzvahs and parties. The
restaurant is certified by the Vaad Hakashruth of Phoenix, under Rabbi Rebibo.

Kosher in Vancouver

The information in this post is provided courtesy of the Kosher Vancouver Blog - check it out!

Nestled on the shore in British Columbia, Canada�s �Gateway to the Pacific,' the city of Vancouver is blessed with one of the most beautiful backdrops in the world. Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and snow-capped mountains, Vancouver was recently voted the "Best City in the Americas" at Cond� Nast Traveler Magazine's annual Readers' Choice Awards, beating out Victoria and Quebec City. Vancouver enjoys a temperate climate with mild, wet winters and warm summers ensuring that the city is green throughout the year. Famous for its laid-back attitude, Vancouver also offers a wide range of outdoor activities from sea kayaking, whale watching, in-line skating, and mountain biking to snowboarding, skiing, and winter camping. Thanks to a growing Jewish community, the Kosher traveler shouldn't hesitate to visit this beautiful city. A variety of kosher foods are available including Chinese, pizza, deli and Bistro-style.

The big news in town is Sabra's new Chinese menu, making them the only kosher Chinese meat restaurant in the Pacific Northwest. Having recently hired a Chinese chef, Sabra's now offers such authentic dishes as kung pao chicken, honey beef, and egg rolls. Sabras also features Middle Eastern and Canadian-style cuisine.
3844 Oak Street. Tel: 604.733.4912; hours: Sun-Tue til 7pm, Wed-Thu til 8pm, Fri til 4pm

Omnitsky's is the place for good old-fashioned kosher deli. Featuring a wide range of deli sandwiches, hot dogs, soups and salads. The back section of the store is devoted to kosher groceries and fresh meats. Omnitsky's also carries kosher breads from Garden City Bakery.
5866 Cambie Street. Tel: 604.321.1818; closing is between 6pm and 8pm, Sun-Thu, depending on the season

Pini's Pizza Cafe features delicious cholov Yisroel pizzas and other dairy dishes. They're also a great spot for breakfast with omelettes, bagels and kosher coffees, cappuccinos and latt�s. Their latest addition is cholov Yisroel soft-serve ice cream, a big hit with the community. In the grocery section, Pini's features a wide variety of kosher snacks and candies from all over the world, and his freezer is stocked with Chai kosher meats and poultry, pizzas, vegetarian meals, fish and a wide selection of kosher cheeses.
729 West 16th Avenue. Tel: 604.879.7100; hours: Mon-Thu 8am-9pm, Fri 8am-2pm, Sat 1 hour after Shabbat ends, Sun 11am-9pm

Nava's Creative Cuisine, located inside the Jewish Community Centre, offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bistro dishes include quesadillas, burritos, pizza, wraps, soups and the best sandwiches in town with ingredients like roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, spinach and goat cheese.
950 West 41st Avenue. 604.263.7507; hours: Mon-Thu 8am to 8pm, Fri 8am til 2 hours before the JCC closes for Shabbat, Sun 9:30am-6pm

Garden City Bakery makes breads (including several types of challah), pastries, cookies, pies, knishes and the best poppy seed ring in Canada. All products are pareve. Take out only.
#360-9100 Blundell Road, Richmond. 604.244.7888

Mt. Royal Bagel Factory arguably makes the best bagels in the region. They're available at the bakery and around town. They also make a fantastic granola cereal. (dairy, non Cholov Yisroel)
701 Queensbury Avenue, North Vancouver. 604.904.1116

Kosher Food Warehouse is worth a stop if you're staying for awhile and need groceries. KFW features a wide selection of grain fed poultry, beef, lamb and veal and an extensive line of cheese, salads and groceries and Israeli products.
612 Kingsway. 604.709.9889.

Dan-D Markets has two locations in Vancouver. Although not Jewish-owned, the stores feature a good range of hechshered products, which are indicated with "kosher" tags below each item. The Oak Street location also carries Omnitsky sausages, hot dogs, and kosher cheddar and Mozzarella cheese.
8307 Oak Street, 604.261.4050. 2696 West Broadway, 604.738.0326

BC Liquor Store's 39th and Cambie location carries a very limited number of kosher wines. If you're near another location, call first.
5555 Cambie Street. 604.660.9463

Kosher Food and Restaurant Mapper

Ari Engel the creator of PilotYid software for PDA's, has created a fantastic new website combining the data from the Shamash Restaurant Database with Google Maps. The Kosher Food and Restaurant Mapper allows you to search for kosher establishments and then plots them onto a Google map. Using Google Map's features you can customize and print maps of displaying all of the kosher establishments at your destination.

Kosher at Ballparks

While it is not surprising that sports venues such as Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium in New York offer glatt kosher food stands (operated by Strikly Kosher), these concessions are not limited to New York or the major leagues. The minor league New Haven County Cutters in Connecticut have added a kosher food stand with a fairly extensive menu. Of course, New York's, Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees offer glatt kosher food concessions as well. In the big leagues, Cleveland's Jacobs Field, Baltimore's Camden Yards and the Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix all have glatt kosher stands. Football fans will be able to find kosher food at Giants Stadium in New Jersey, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, the Georgia Dome in Atlanta and M & T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Tennis aficionados will not have to sacrifice as Kosher Sports (operator of some of the above concessions) will once again be offering kosher food at home of the U.S. Open, the National Tennis Center in Queens.

Update:Zaler's Kosher Foods will man a kosher kiosk at Invesco Field, the home of the Denver Broncos. Zaler�s is owned by Arnie Zaler of Denver and the food will be supplied by Auerbach's Kosher Foods, owned by Jeff Auerbach. The kiosk is located opposite the Broncos retail store and will offer kosher hot dogs and kosher Chinese fare. If you have any questions please contact Jeff Auerbach at 303-289-4521. (Kosher Today)

Shabbos in Atlantic City

In addition to the well received Shari's Steakhouse, Atlantic City now has an option for Shabbos meals. The Chabad of Atlantic City now hosts the Atlantic City Shabbos Dining Hall which offers both Friday night and Shabbos day meals in a local Shul, the Chelsea Hebrew Congregation. The Shul is said to be a five minute walk from the hotels. Minyanim precede both meals.

Shabbos in Lancaster, PA

For a number of years, visitors to Pennsylvania Dutch Country have been able to find kosher food at both Hershey Park and Dutch Wonderland. Now the operators of Central PA's Kosher Mart, which has a stand in each park, are offering Shabbos lodging and dining in their home. Three accommodation options are provided with two of the options accommodating up to six people. Located about one-half mile from Congregation Degel Israel, the Shabbos package even includes Sunday breakfast.

New Allentown Kosher Restaurant a No Go

The anticipated new Allentown, PA eatery, Maccabee's will sadly not come to pass. Plans for the restaurant which would have been a welcome addition for both Lehigh Valley locals as well as visitors to nearby Dorney Park have been scrapped due to changes in the Pennsylvania building code.

Eli's Opening Adds Option in DC

A new fleishig restaurant has opened in DC. Eli's is a New York style deli located in the Dupont Circle area. Eli's joins the cafe in the JCC as the only kosher establishments in DC. For a review of Eli's check out the Kosher Critic a blog dedicated to "Professional, unbiased reviews of all kosher restaurants located in the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia."

The Berkshires

Michael Rogovin provided the following information on the Berkshires:

The Berkshires offers beautiful country for hiking, walking, biking, fishing, boating, and golf (plus skating and skiing in the winter). It is also one of the most art & culture saturated areas of the country, with numerous theatre, music, dance, opera and museums, along with more ceramic, glass, craft and antique shops in all price categories than one could visit in a lifetime. There are many activities for children, both cultural and recreational. In addition to many specialty shops featuring locally produced items, there are more conventional shopping centers and malls, including several outlet malls with major bargains.

There are many options for the kosher traveler. Accommodations range from motels to resorts, plus many fine inns and B&Bs. However, we chose to stay at the Ponds at Foxhollow. The Ponds offers 1 bedroom condos that sleep up to 4 and 2 bedrooms sleeping up to 8, with deck and fireplace and a full electric kitchen in each unit. It is located right on Route 7 near Lenox. When we arrived, the oven was still warm from the self clean cycle--ready to use as kosher! There is no eruv, but the rooms and clubhouse were spacious and we were able to enjoy a peaceful and active Shabbat. Ponds units rent by the weekend, or week (Fri-Fri) or day during off season.

The nearby Super Stop and Shop on Dan Fox Drive stocks fresh chicken and glatt beef, along with a large selection of cheese, frozen prepared foods and everything you could possibly need to cook or reheat meals--no need to shlep food with you. Price Chopper also has a good selection of foods. The Berkshires do not have an orthodox community, although a Chabad House just opened in Pittsfield.

Kosher at Theme Parks II

Josh Hosseinof reports that Six Flags Great Adventures in Jackson, NJ offers a kosher concession as well. Rueben's Glatt Spot Deli located in the Old Country area of the park provides glatt kosher foods under the supervision of Rabbi Teitz who also supervises their main location in Elizabeth, NJ.

Kosher at Disney World

For years visitors to Walt Disney World have been able to pre-order packaged kosher meals to be served in any Disney restaurant (for information call 1-407-WDW-DINE). Now, Disney offers another option. Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, located in the Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland, features a choice of three pre-packaged kosher (Star-K) meat meals (hot dog, burger or chicken nuggets all served with potato puffs). You do not need to pre-order these meals. Head toward the soup and salad line and you will find the meals right on the menu. Many packaged foods sold in Disney are also under various hashgachos. Of course, Orlando also has two kosher restaurants for your Disney (or Universal) dining pleasure (see links at left side of page).

New & Updated Links

The links section on the left has been updated with new destinations (Columbus, Cleveland, Florida - Miami & more, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Francisco/San Jose & Toronto). Revisions and corrections have also been made to some of the existing cities. If you have any destination suggestions or links please e-mail them.

Mmm Mmm Good News for the Kosher Traveler

Campbell's has announced that it has recieved OU certification for its Vegetarian Vegetable soup making it the first soup in the Campbell's line to be kosher certified. What this means for the kosher traveler, is that a kosher heat and eat soup will likely be available wherever in North America their travels may take them.

(un)Kosher at Theme Parks

Jonny Gewirtz reports that kosher observant visitors to Sesame Place should pack all the food they need because the park offers practically nothing in the way of pre-packaged kosher food. Another option is to stop off in nearby Philadelphia instead.

Kosher at Theme Parks

There was a time when being able to get a kosher airline meal at DisneyWorld was a treat, now however, kosher food stands are beginning to sprout within theme parks. In Pennsylvania, both Hershey Park and Dutch Wonderland host branches of Central PA's Kosher Mart. The stands feature both meat and parve selections and are a great break from smuggling sandwiches into parks. You may visit either stand without a park admission by requesting a pass from either park's guest services office.

In Canada, Canada's Wonderland near Toronto, has a kosher stand "Mess Haul Kosher Hot Dogs" near the Top Gun ride. If you have any information about any other theme parks with kosher food available please send me an e-mail and I will post it.

Visit Israel!

Although this blog is focused on travel in the US and Canada, it is important to remind everyone that they should strongly consider a vacation this summer in Israel. Begin your planning at the Israel Ministry of Tourism site.

Kosher Meals at US Holocaust Museum in DC? Caveat Emptor!

Traveler's to Washington, DC should be aware that pre-packaged kosher meals under the Capitol-K are available at the cafe in the US Holocaust Museum. The food in the Cafe is not kosher except for three varieties of pre-packaged meals from the DC JCC Cafe and under Capitol-K supervision. They offer tuna or egg salad sandwiches or an oriental noodle salad. IMPORTANT - make sure that you check the meal they give you for the seal from the caterer with the Capitol-K. When I was last there, they first gave us non-kosher meals. The person behind the counter had no idea what I was talking about when I asked where the seal was. Fortunately, the other worker did know where the sealed kosher meals were. Be very careful as they stock non-kosher pre-packaged versions of the same three meals! The Museum is located near the Washington Monument and Smithsonian, and a short walk from the Smithsonian Metro station.

New Option for Shabbos in Boston

Kosher Today is reporting that a new Courtyard by Marriot hotel has opened in Brookline a heavily Jewish suburb of Boston. The new hotel features key locks on some rooms and assistance in procuring kosher food from local establishments. The Courtyard joins the Holiday Inn Brookline as full service hotels with key lock rooms in the area. Both hotels are a short walk from the Young Israel of Brookline and a reasonable walk from the Bostoner Rebbe's Shul.

Borsht Belt Redux?

If you thought the heyday of the kosher Catskill Hotels ended 25 years ago, guess again. Vacationers looking for a little kosher rest and relaxation in the country this summer will have the pick of three resorts. The erstwhile Homowack in Spring Glenn remains open year-round, while the Glatt Boys return to Kutsher's again this summer. They are joined by the Hudson Valley Resort, which will have a kosher program all summer run by Jerry Berkowitz (formerly of the Homowack) as well as the Swan Lake Resort. Time will tell if the saturation point has been reached or the market is larger than many thought.

Where to Stay for Shabbos in LA

Travelers to the Los Angeles area who need hotel accommodations over Shabbos have the Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills. The AAA 3 diamond hotel, located in the heart of the Pico-Robertson neighborhood, has key locks on many rooms and has refrigerators available. The hotel is also located around the corner from the Young Israel of Century City as well as within easy walking distance of many kosher restaurants. In fact the Young Israel was once located in the hotel! Across the street from the Crowne Plaza is a Residence Inn this hotel has electronic locks, so it may not be your best choice for stays over Shabbos.

Convenient Travel Meals

Two products now on the market make travel to out of the way destinations a little easier for the kosher traveler. My Own Meals are prepackaged meals that do not require refrigeration and can even be eaten as. La Briute meals are similar except they come with a self-heating mechanism that produces piping hot meals in minutes. Everything you need comes in the box. The self-heating mechanism is similar to that used by the US troops in Iraq to heat their MRE's.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Kosher Traveler. The purpose of this blog is to provide information for the kosher traveler. The type of information I would like to make available is advice for specific destinations, primarily within the US and Canada. I also intend to provide the most comprehensive collection of links to information for the kosher traveler available anywhere. If you have any comments, suggestions or links, please send me an e-mail. I try to limit content on this blog to things that meet my kashrus standards - they may or may not meet yours - so please consult your Rav if you have any questions about a product or hechsher. Also keep in mind that some sites are updated more often than others, so it pays to call ahead. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you will find this blog a worthwhile place to visit often - please tell a friend about our existence!