Israeli Produce and Foods

Israeli Produce Only? Like What?

Israeli produce refers to anything from Israel - fresh or processed -
which contains fruit, vegetables or grain.
Israel exports wine, olives, dried fruits and baked goods.
That's only a partial list. It's not just Jaffa oranges anymore

Rules That Apply to Israeli Produce

How does priestly gift sound? What about tithes or agricultural laws. I suppose that sounds old-fashioned and maybe irrelevant.

It is not.

Remember our definition of kosher? Food permitted to Jewish people by Biblical - Torah - law.

Torah law permits the use of Israeli produce only under certain conditions.

What Conditions and Why?

There is a common theme to these particular rules.
They were given to the Israelites in the desert
when they crossed the Jordan and first entered the
land of Israel. (It was called the land of Canaan then.)

The laws were given to remind them - and us today -
that the land and its bounty belong to the Giver of the land.
It doesn't belong to the people.
We can enjoy our food knowing that parts of it have been set aside
as prescribed for us in the Torah.

Here's How The Reminder Works

1) Teruma - Gifts to the kohanim (priests)
A small amount - 2% - must be removed from all
Israeli produce. Otherwise it is not fit for consumption.

2) Ma'aser - The 10% tithe for the Levites and the poor.
This must also be removed before the crop is permitted.

Caveat: When there was a temple in Jerusalem these
gifts and amounts were given to the intended recipients.
Today the removals are done but the specifics may have changed.

3) Shemitta - also called Shevi'is. A gargantuan demand.
Every seventh year, working the land is prohibited. Possession
of the produce is given up. The next seventh year is the
Jewish year 5768 which begins Rosh Hashana, 2007.

4)Orla and Nota R'vai. The first four crops of a fruit tree.
Depending on the type of tree there may be restrictions
on eating the fruit of those years.

Caveat: The latter applies everywhere in the world, but...
few trees outside of Israel meet the specific requirements.

SIDEBAR
Let me apologize. This article is purposely short on detail.
I wanted to be practical. Overloading you with complex
information is not helpful. Instead I refer below to several
well-written articles available when you need them.
I am also available. As always, contact us with questions.
SIDEBAR

Can I Possibly Do All That?

Of course you can.
(You knew I would say that, didn't you?)
Right now you buy products that are packaged or fresh.

You already buy packaged goods with proper certification.
A trustworthy certifier can be trusted with this set of laws as well.
So you have no worries buying packaged products.

Buying fresh fruits and vegetables is almost as easy.
Do you think you could get used to finding out if it is
Israeli produce? Fruit sellers love giving out that
sort of information. It makes them look good!

After awhile you will recognize the type of fresh food -
oranges, tomatoes, peppers, olives - that typically
come from Israel.

The good news is that you can buy the foods.
You will have to do the removals yourself. You can consult
a rabbi, contact us or see the links below.

The Seven Year Shemitta Cycle

A little extra care is needed every seven years.
Relying on certifiers only works for packaged goods.

However, some Israeli farmers ignore the
seventh year restrictions. If their crop is exported
fresh and you buy it, calling a rabbi won't help.
The produce grown in disregard of the laws
is not permitted - not any part of it.

There are only two options regarding fresh
Israeli produce grown during a shemitta year.
1) Don't buy it.
2) Find out for certain that the producer follows
the rules of shemitta.

Either way it is helpful to know when the new
(non-shemitta year) Israeli crop arrives at
your favorite store. (Early 2009? Maybe?)

SIDEBAR
Are you living in Israel or visiting?. Wow!
You really get to observe this commandment.
(So ask before you water your plants!)
SIDEBAR

Summary - Not So Hard

The origin of what you consume - that's what you need to know.
You won't have to change your habits much either.
Just add the words "Israeli food" to your awareness.

For more detailed information about the agricultural laws here are some helpful links:

A star-k article about teruma and ma'aser.
A star-k article about shemitta.
A star-k article about orla and nota r'vai.

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