Glossary of terms – kashrut, Shabbat and group organization

The system of Jewish dietary laws based on the Torah and its halachic interpretation. It specifies: which products are permitted (kosher), which are forbidden (treyf), how to separate meat from dairy, how to perform ritual slaughter and how to kosher utensils. For the organizer: the starting point of all food planning.

The two basic distinctions in kashrut. Fleishig (meat): meat and poultry, and the utensils used to prepare them. Milchig (dairy): dairy products and dairy utensils. They must not be combined in a single meal or in the same kitchen without full separation. After a meat meal a waiting period is required before dairy (1–6 hours depending on tradition).

A colloquial term for anything forbidden by kashrut - whether a product (pork, shellfish, meat without shechita) or a utensil that has been used with a forbidden product or without proper meat-dairy separation. In everyday use - a synonym for "non-kosher".

Originally: beef whose lungs are free of adhesions. Today: a colloquial term for a higher standard of meat kosher certification in general. Many Orthodox groups consume only Glatt. For the organizer: always ask "Glatt or non-Glatt?" - the difference determines whether the supplier is acceptable to a specific group.

Milk and dairy products in whose procurement and production a supervising Jew was present throughout. Required by many groups at higher kashrut standards. Different from regular certified dairy (which may be produced without supervision, provided it carries a certificate). Importing Chalav Yisrael products to Poland is possible but requires planning.

Bread and baked goods in whose baking a Jew participated (lit the fire or turned on the oven). Required by groups observing higher standards - particularly for bread served at the Shabbat table. Kosher bread baked at night in Poland is subject to this requirement.

The weekly Day of Rest - from Friday sunset to Saturday nightfall. It prohibits 39 categories of work (melachot) and their derivatives. For the organizer: determines the entire Friday schedule, the Saturday programme (on foot only, near the hotel) and Saturday evening (active after Shabbat ends).

A symbolic halachic boundary marked by wires or other elements, within which it is permitted on Shabbat to carry objects in public space. The eruv must be checked weekly - damage renders it invalid. Kraków has an eruv maintained by the Jewish community; its current status must be verified before every trip. Not all groups accept it.

A short ceremony ending Shabbat after nightfall on Saturday - blessings over wine, spices and a candle flame. After Havdalah one may use electricity, phones and transport. For the organizer: plan Saturday evening with a 15–20-minute buffer after the official end of Shabbat for Havdalah and gathering the group.

39 categories of activity forbidden on Shabbat and their derivatives - including writing, cooking, lighting fire, carrying in public space (without an eruv), and using electricity. Halachic interpretations and applications are extensive and vary between traditions. For the organizer: the most practically relevant are transport, payments, use of lifts and phones.

The spring festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt - lasting 7 days (diaspora: 8). Requires the elimination of all chametz (leavened grain) and the consumption exclusively of kosher-for-Passover products. The seder is the ritual dinner on the first night (diaspora: two nights). For the organizer: one of the most logistically demanding periods - Passover products and utensils must be ordered months in advance.

A seal or symbol of kosher certification placed on product packaging or in a venue - attesting that the product meets kashrut requirements under the supervision of a specific rabbinic institution. The most important hechshers include: OU, OK, Star-K, Badatz Eidah Hachareidis, Badatz Belz. Not all groups recognize all hechshers - the group's rabbi decides which are acceptable.

One of the most recognized and widely accepted kosher certifications in the world, issued by the Orthodox Union of New York. Symbol: the letter "U" in a circle. Accepted by the vast majority of Orthodox Jewish groups. Many products available in Poland carry the OU certification.

A designation for a higher level of halachic stringency - enhanced requirements beyond the minimum. Not a single institution but a category indicating stricter supervision, e.g. regarding Glatt, Chalav Yisrael, mashgiach oversight at every production stage. For the organizer: requires explicit agreement with the supplier as to what "mehadrin" means for a given certification.

The certification of a rabbinic court. The most rigorous and most widely recognized by Hasidim and Haredi is the Badatz Eidah Hachareidis from Jerusalem. Other important ones: Badatz Belz, Badatz Bnei Brak. Groups requiring Badatz often do not accept other certifications for meat and dairy. This is one of the most logistically demanding standards when organizing trips.

A certified kashrut supervisor appointed by a rabbinic institution. Present throughout all kitchen work, approves every stage of meal preparation and koshering, holds the keys to the kitchen. Without a mashgiach neither a mehadrin nor a badatz certification is possible, nor is koshering a hotel kitchen. Availability in Poland is limited - advance booking is essential.

An informal designation for hotels or properties that have implemented infrastructure enabling Orthodox Jews to stay: Shabbat elevator, accessible stairs without electric locks, the possibility of koshering the kitchen, a policy of no pork in common areas during the group's stay. Not an official certification - every property requires individual assessment against the requirements of a specific group.

A process carried out by the mashgiach and kosher staff that converts a non-kosher hotel kitchen into a kosher one for the duration of the group's stay. Includes: cleaning, heating surfaces (libun), scalding with boiling water (hagalah), isolating non-kosher equipment and locking the kitchen under supervision. After the group departs, the kitchen returns to normal operation.

The quorum of 10 adults required for public prayers and many ceremonies. In the Orthodox tradition - 10 men over 13 years of age; in the Conservative and Reform traditions - women and men. For the organizer: verify before the trip whether the group itself comprises at least 10 men, or arrange to supplement with local Jews in Poland.

A house of prayer, study and community gathering. Hundreds of synagogues are preserved in Poland - some active for prayer (Remuh in Kraków, Nożyków in Warsaw), most serving as museums or cultural centres. Group visits require advance booking. Active synagogues require adherence to dress code and behaviour norms.

A ritual bath used for ritual purification - by women following menstruation (taharat hamishpacha), by men before Shabbat and festivals (Hasidim), for conversion and for koshering utensils. Technical requirements are precise (specified water volume, natural connection to rainwater). In Poland, mikvehs operate at Jewish communities in Kraków and Warsaw.

A space dedicated to the study of Torah and Talmud, often attached to or within a synagogue. In Ashkenazi tradition, the beit midrash was the central place of Jewish intellectual life. Today - a study room in a synagogue or Jewish centre. In Poland, several active batei midrash (pl.) operate at Jewish communities.