Kosher Food in a Jewish Classroom: The Intersection of Tradition and Education with Dean Goldfein

On this episode of FoodED, Svetlana Elgart, the host of the show, sits down with Dean Goldfein, the head of the Contra Costa Jewish Day School in the San Francisco Bay area, to discuss the role of food in the classroom. The school has been around for several decades and has 150+ students in grades K-8. It's a community Jewish day school that does not have any particular denominational affiliation, but roughly half the families are affiliated with a particular denomination of Judaism.

The school keeps kosher to an Orthodox modern standard because some families in the community are traditionally religious. The podcast explores the latest research and best practices in food education and aims to create a school environment that promotes thriving food education for all students.

Timestamps

00:02:14 A community Jewish day school with no denominational affiliation, Hebrew Judaics make up approximately 30% of the day, with a focus on humanities and critical thinking skills. Speaking modern Hebrew is emphasized due to its importance among half of the global Jewish population.

00:04:18 The school was founded with a diverse community and a strong math program. Israeli food development was also discussed.

00:07:59 The Torah has sections on what Jews can and cannot eat, including pork and shellfish. Goldfein now keeps to kosher provision protocols and does not mix milk and meat. He sees it as a way to be respectful of tradition and aware of what he's eating. There may not be any real nutritional or health benefits.

00:12:11 Working in a community school, Goldfein understands the challenges of catering to different Jewish dietary practices without excluding anyone. Living traditionally observant in San Francisco is difficult due to the limited availability of kosher options.

00:14:22 Hot lunch program with healthy options and limited meat. The school community struggles with sugary snacks and cultural traditions.

00:19:34 School offers a hot lunch program Tue-Thu, with rotating options & vegetarian alternatives. Kitchen open Mon/Fri for hands-on nutrition lessons.

00:23:09 Schools prioritize physical and mental wellness, with a focus on movement and outdoor activities. Encouragement to avoid prepackaged foods, setting limits on ordering out, and promoting healthy home-cooked meals.

00:27:08 Health, wellness, and movement in school are important.

00:29:09 Closing remarks: promote student success.

Connect with Dean Goldfein

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-goldfein-979ab14

Website: https://www.ccjds.org/about/administration-and-staff/