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Question
Dear Rabbi,
I work in the banquet department at a Hotel and we are having our first Bnai Mitzvah in our ballroom why can't forks be used and are the guest going to eat with hands or use a knife & spoon in place of the fork ? thank you for taking the time reading this and look forward to your response ED
Dear Ed,
Thanks for writing.
I don't completely understand the question, and I do professional kosher supervision for caterers in all venues, including hotels.
Please give me a broader picture with some details.
In what city is your hotel? Is it a kosher caterer? Who is the kosher supervision - OU, OK, StarK, etc. Dairy or meat meal? Are they using any of your dinnerware and/or silverware, and is it being kashered=made kosher? How?
If you wish to speak with me, I can be reached privately at bdlerner1@gmail.com
Now as to your question as it stands, I can't understand any prohibition of a fork per se unless all your silverware is not permissible. Or it is possible under Orthodox rules, a fish fork is removed before a meat entree is served.
As you can gather I can't provide a definitive answer without additional information.
Thanking you in advance and wishing you good luck
Rabbi Dov
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Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner
Expertise
Write to me with questions about Jewish customs and law, history, philosophy and tradition for answers from a Conservative perspective or conversion. I am a graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary and a member of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly. Having served in congregational pulpits since 1970, I now am President of the Foundation For Family Education, Inc. a non-profit educational endeavor. I established it to create new formats of hands-on programs and provide free educational downloads at www.jewishfreeware.org. In addition to general informational questions I welcome your questions about programs for social action, outreach to dual-faith families, inter-faith clergy projects, healing services, education for conversion, adult education for the congregation and the community. If you have questions about Informal and Formal Education I am ready to share my extensive experience with Youth Activities, Camping and Religious School/Hebrew High School on a congregational, community and national/international level.
Experience
I have served on the National Youth Commission for more than 25 years and serve on the Boards of the Conservative Zionist movement MERCAZ and the World Council of Synagogues. I have always dual-families and taught candidates for conversion with a great sense of fulfillment. I am very proud of 25 years on the Jewish camping staff of Camps Ramah. My greatest source of pride is my family! Ask me about them, please!:-)
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