FAQ – Kosher trips to Poland

Kashrut (Heb. כַּשְׁרוּת) is the system of Jewish dietary laws rooted in the Torah and its rabbinic interpretation. It specifies which products are permitted (kosher), which are forbidden (treyf/non-kosher), how they must be prepared, and how different food categories must be kept separate.

For a group organizer kashrut is an operational requirement, not an option - and it is not uniform. Different groups observe different levels of stringency depending on family tradition, denomination or the requirements of the institution sponsoring the trip. The required level is always set by the rabbi or group leader before the organizer signs any supplier contracts.

One of the fundamental distinctions in kashrut is the division into fleishig (meat - red meat and poultry) and milchig (dairy). Mixing them in a single meal is forbidden, as is using the same utensils for preparing or serving both categories.

After a meat meal one must wait before consuming dairy - from 1 hour (certain Dutch and Sephardi traditions) to 6 hours (Ashkenazi custom). A restaurant or hotel that wishes to serve meat and dairy simultaneously to different guests cannot, by definition, comply with kashrut requirements in a single kitchen.

A mashgiach (Heb. מַשְׁגִּיחַ) is a certified kashrut supervisor - a person appointed by a rabbinic institution and authorized to oversee the preparation of kosher meals and the koshering of kitchens. The mashgiach is present throughout all kitchen work, approves every stage of preparation and holds the keys to the locked kitchen during breaks.

A mashgiach is mandatory at mehadrin and badatz standards, and also whenever a hotel kitchen is being koshered for the duration of a group's stay. At lower standards (e.g. only products with certified hechshers, no on-site cooking) one may not always be required - the decision rests with the group's rabbi.

OU (Orthodox Union) - one of the most widely recognized certifications in the world. Accepted by the vast majority of Orthodox groups. The "Ⓤ" symbol on a product indicates OU supervision.

Mehadrin - not a single institution but a designation indicating enhanced observance beyond the halachic minimum. Used by groups with higher observance levels, particularly regarding meat and dairy.

Badatz (acronym for Beit Din Tzedek) - the certification of a specific rabbinic court. The most rigorous and widely recognized is the Badatz Eidah Hachareidis from Jerusalem. Other Badatz courts operate in Bnei Brak, Antwerp and elsewhere.

Yes. Imported kosher products are available in Poland: dairy from Belgium and Israel, canned goods and dry products (flour, oils, beverages, jams) from Israel, Hungary and other EU countries, as well as ready-made baked goods and sweets with certification. Several kosher shops operate in Kraków and Warsaw.

Kosher meat comes exclusively from imports - mainly from France, Belgium, Brazil and Argentina, with certifications appropriate for the specific group. Organizing deliveries requires adequate lead time, particularly for large groups.

Fresh fruit and vegetables generally require no certification, but may need to be checked for insects according to the group's standard.

Shabbat begins on Friday at sunset and ends on Saturday after nightfall (approximately 50 minutes after sunset). The exact time depends on the season and geographical location.

Approximate times for Kraków: in summer (July) onset around 20:30–21:00, end around 22:00–22:30. In winter (December) onset around 15:45–16:00, end around 17:00–17:30. Exact times are available in Jewish calendars and rabbinic apps.

The Friday programme must complete transfers and arrive at the accommodation before the onset of Shabbat. The Saturday programme until the end of Shabbat takes place exclusively on foot near the accommodation.

Shabbat prohibits 39 categories of work (melachot) and their derivatives. In practical terms for a group this means:

No transfers. No buses, cars, taxis or metro from the start to the end of Shabbat. The group moves exclusively on foot.

No payments. Shopping, paying cash or by card, issuing bills - not permitted. The hotel cannot process payments from participants on Shabbat.

No electrical devices. Light switches, lifts, phones - Orthodox participants do not use them. The hotel must provide a Shabbat elevator or floors accessible by stairs without an electric switch.

No cooking. Shabbat meals are prepared before Shabbat begins and kept warm on a hot plate (blech) - not on the stove.

An eruv (Heb. עֵרוּב) is a halachic enclosure - a symbolic boundary marked by wires or other physical elements, within which it is permitted on Shabbat to carry objects in public space. Without an eruv, carrying anything (keys, a bag, a pushchair, a book, medication) outside private space is forbidden on Shabbat.

Kraków has an eruv maintained by the local Jewish community. However, eruvs require weekly technical inspection - damage to the wire at even a single point renders the eruv invalid for the entire Shabbat. Before a group's arrival, always confirm its current status directly with the Jewish Community of Kraków.

Havdalah (Heb. הַבְדָּלָה, "separation") is the religious ceremony marking the end of Shabbat, performed after nightfall on Saturday. It includes blessings over wine, spices (besamim) and the flame of a candle, and a formal text separating Shabbat from the ordinary weekdays. It takes a few minutes.

After Havdalah, Orthodox Jews resume normal activity - they may use phones, transport and make payments. This means that Saturday evening after the end of Shabbat can be used for a restaurant dinner, an evening cultural programme or a transfer.

Indicative minimum lead times:

Groups up to 30 people, standard dates: 3–4 weeks.
Groups of 30–100 people, mehadrin standard: 6–8 weeks.
Groups over 100 people or badatz: at least 2–3 months.

For holiday dates (Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Chanukah) bookings should be made at least 3–6 months in advance, especially for meals requiring special products (e.g. matzah for Passover, etrog/lulav for Sukkot).

Koshering (kashering) is the process of preparing a non-kosher kitchen for the production of kosher meals. It is carried out by the mashgiach and our team, usually the day before the group arrives or very early on the morning of arrival.

The process includes: thorough cleaning of all surfaces, heating metal worktops, grates and burners to the required temperature (libun - heating to white-red heat, or hagalah - scalding with boiling water), isolating the hotel's non-kosher equipment, and locking the kitchen.

After koshering the kitchen remains locked under the mashgiach's key whenever it is not being actively used by kosher staff. The hotel regains access to the kitchen only after the group has departed.

JOFY (Jewish Observant Friendly) is an informal designation used in the hotel industry for properties that have implemented solutions enabling a comfortable stay for Orthodox Jews.

Features of a JOFY-friendly hotel: a Shabbat elevator (automatically stops on every floor on Shabbat without the need to press a button), stairs accessible without an electric lock, the possibility of koshering the kitchen or providing a separate kosher unit, no furniture upholstered in pig leather, a policy of not serving non-kosher products in common areas during the group's stay.

The number of properties in Poland ready to implement these standards is growing. A conversation with the hotel before booking is essential - not everything a hotel describes as "JOFY" meets the requirements of a specific group.

Glatt (Yiddish: "smooth") originally referred to beef free of adhesions on the lungs - an original halachic categorization. In modern practice Glatt Kosher has become synonymous with a higher standard of meat kosher certification in general - for both beef and poultry.

Non-Glatt meat is halachically kosher according to many opinions, but many Orthodox groups consume only Glatt. For an organizer this means verifying whether the ordered meat meets the standard accepted by the specific group - not just "a kosher certificate" in general.

A minyan (Heb. מִנְיָן) is the quorum of 10 adults required for public prayers (Shacharit in the morning, Mincha in the afternoon, Maariv in the evening) and many ceremonies, including Torah reading and recitation of Kaddish. In the Orthodox tradition only men post bar mitzvah (over 13 years old) count towards the minyan; in the Conservative and Reform traditions, women and men both count.

When planning a group trip, check: whether the group itself comprises at least 10 men (if Orthodox), or whether the hotel/synagogue can supplement the minyan with local Jews. In Kraków an active Jewish community exists that can help organize joint prayers.

A bar mitzvah (boy after his 13th birthday) or bat mitzvah (girl after her 12th birthday) is a religious ceremony marking halachic maturity. In Poland it can be organized in an active synagogue or a dedicated space with appropriate facilities.

Requirements: a rabbi or chazzan (cantor) to lead the ceremony, a minyan (in the Orthodox tradition - 10 men), a Torah scroll (sefer Torah) for reading, a space separating the men's section from the women's (mechitza) if required.

Organizing a ceremony in Poland requires prior coordination with the local Jewish community or with a rabbi brought by the group. Planning typically begins 2–4 months before the date - because of synagogue booking, the kosher celebratory dinner and the possible question of a sefer Torah.

Yes, a seder in Poland is possible and has been organized by various groups. A seder (Heb. "order") is the ceremonial Passover dinner during which the Haggadah is read, and matzah, maror (bitter herbs), charoset and other prescribed foods are eaten. It typically lasts 3–5 hours.

Organizing a seder in Poland requires: kosher-for-Passover products (chametz-free - without leavened grain), separate utensils used exclusively for Passover, a leader (family member or rabbi), and an appropriate hall. Key point: Passover products must be ordered well in advance, as access to them in Poland is limited.

Poland has several hundred preserved synagogues, many of them open for visits. Regularly active for prayer are primarily the Remuh Synagogue in Kraków (Kazimierz, ul. Szeroka 40) and synagogues in Warsaw - including the Nożyków Synagogue. Both require advance contact for group visits and minyan.

Many other buildings are accessible as museums or cultural centres: in Kraków - the Old Synagogue, High Synagogue, Kupa, Izaak, Popper; in Łańcut an active synagogue; in Tykocin a reconstructed 18th-century synagogue. Each site has a different legal status, opening hours and group visit conditions - advance booking is always required.

A mikveh (Heb. מִקְוֶה) is a ritual bath used, among other things, by women following menstruation (taharat hamishpacha), by men before Shabbat and festivals (in some Hasidic traditions, daily), and for conversion. The technical requirements of a mikveh are very precise - not every pool meets halachic requirements.

A mikveh operates in Kraków at the Jewish Community. In Warsaw as well. Group visits require advance booking - the mikveh operates on a schedule, with separate hours for women and men.