Kashrut & Healthy Celebrations
At the San Diego Hebrew Day, we are proud to be an Orthodox based school that welcomes a diverse group of Jewish families to our table. As part of the Hebrew Day community, all students should be able to participate fully in school life, birthday parties and play dates, and should not be singled out or excluded because of their level of religious observance.
An area that is essential to our essence as a Torah institution is kashrut, or keeping kosher. The laws of kashrut are extremely complex. Because we welcome families who do not follow identical standards of religious practice, what may be kosher in the eyes of one family may not meet the kashrut needs of another. We understand that this is a sensitive issue and that good communication is essential to avoid misunderstandings.
Out of respect for our school as a place of Torah learning that meets the needs of diverse families, Hebrew Day has crafted the following kashrut policies and guidelines to which we ask all of our families to follow
Lunches
It is school policy that all lunches brought from home must be parve or dairy—no meat is permitted. All food brought into the school (whether or not in the original packaging) must be Kosher certified. While snacks often come in larger packs and are placed into plastic baggies for individual use, we ask that an acceptable kosher symbol appear on the original packaging, even when its not visible at school. If you are unsure if the product if kosher, please consult with our GOT KOSHER flyer. There are some products that do not need a kosher symbol. Please see www.kosherquest.org for more information or ask the front desk for a copy of this list. The school will be happy to assist you with any Kashrut related questions.
Kosher OOPS Forms
We understand you may make a mistake and we are here to help you learn! If you accidently send an item to school that does not meet the school’s Kashrut standards the teacher will send home a Kosher OOPS note in your child’s lunch box explaining what item was not permitted. Please let us know if you need suggestions on what to replace it with for the future.
Parties at School
We encourage all parties at school to be fun yet healthy celebrations. We have created a guide to help with healthy alternatives to the usual cake, ice cream and donuts. Healthy Celebrations Guide [pdf]
All refreshments brought into the school or served at school parties, must be kosher and approved either in writing, by phone or in person by Rabbi Ertel, Yisroel Weiser, Rabbi Geiger or a Judaic studies teacher. All items must arrive to school in packages that have not yet been open. No home baked or cooked items are permitted. Please contact your child’s teacher in advance to arrange these parties.
Parties Outside of School
Birthday parties are an important part of your child’s life and we want all of his or her school friends to be able to comfortably attend and celebrate with your family.
In consideration of your child's fellow classmates who may keep strict Kosher laws, we respectfully expect that all class-related functions not be held on Shabbat (sunset Friday to 1 hour past sunset Saturday) or at a non-Kosher restaurant. Please serve only Kosher food that is either from a Kosher caterer or food that has an approved kosher symbol. In addition, please use all new disposable products for serving (plates and utensils) and do not re-heat any food. This will ensure that all classmates can attend your party and fully participate with other children. Want birthday party help? We will gladly assist you in planning your party.
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3630 Afton Rd, San Diego, CA 92123
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