UN serves kosher food for first time in history

Following a month of deliberations between the Israeli Mission and the UN Secretariat, the UN’s facilities in New York began serving kosher food for the first time in history this week.

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Danny Danon has been successful in persuading the body to offer kosher food in its cafeterias.

Danon wrote UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon a month ago and requested that kosher food be served at UN cafeterias and restaurants.

This initiative by Danon joins other such decisions and events over the past year aimed at promoting full equality for Jews in the UN, the Israeli Mission stated Monday. Examples of such activities include the designation of Yom Kippur as an official UN day of rest and the first Passover Seder ever held at the organization’s headquarters.

It should be noted that the UN’s cafeterias honor other dietary restrictions such as Islam’s halal and vegetarianism, however, suitable culinary options were not available for diplomats and visitors at the UN who observed kosher dietary laws – until now.

“We continue to walk with our heads held high in the UN. Judaism should be respected at the UN, just like all faiths are,” Danon stated. “For many Jews, keeping kosher is a basic tenet of their faith. All the citizens of the world should feel welcome at the UN, and its doors should be fully open to the keepers of the Jewish faith as well.”

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News

Danny DanonJudaismKosher foodUnited Nations