CITYSCAPE FOCUS: Making a pickle kosher

Students of Chabad Jewish Center’s Hebrew School got a tasty lesson in kosher Tuesday when they were visited by Rabbi Mendy Margolin, or “Rabbi Pickle,” as the kids called him.

Clad in green “” all the way to an emerald yarmulke “” Margolin taught the children how to make kosher pickles like you would find in an authentic Jewish deli.

Margolin told stories and jokes while guiding the students through how much spice to add and how to make brine.

Perel Goorevitch, program director of Chabad Jewish Center Beach, said the program is a way to get children interested in kosher eating.

While it would take a lot of study to learn everything about kosher, Goorevitch said this will hopefully make them more mindful and curious about it.

“We have to come up with creative ways to teach the kids all about Judaism,” Goorevitch said.

As Margolin told the students, kosher eating is important to the Jewish people because of the old adage “we are what we eat.”

Jewish law prohibits eating milk and meat products together, animals that aren’t properly slaughtered, and blood, Margolin said. Only fish with scales and fins are kosher.

“When God tells us to be kosher, it’s not only what’s good for our bodies, it has a great spiritual effect,” Margolin said. “Your spirit becomes very fit, very ‘kosher.’?”

Ben Jones, 11, said he came away with a new understanding of Jewish culture.

“It taught me a bit about how to be kosher,” Ben said.

He and the other students were able to take home their own jars of brine and cucumbers.

“If the conditions are right, the pickles will end up tasting pretty good,” Margolin said.