Whether you grew up observing the Jewish dietary laws or are just beginning to explore the whys and hows of keeping kosher, Brandeis is an easy place to keep Kosher and has lots of options. Although it may seem confusing and overwhelming at first, you will be surprised how easy it is to navigate the Kosher food options at Brandeis. Sherman dining hall houses an all you can eat Kosher beuffet for three meals a day.  In addition, packaged and prepared kosher food items are also available in the eateries and C-Store in Usdan and Einstein’s bagles in Shapiro Campus Center. There is also a kosher vending machine in the Shapiro lounge in Massell Quad!

Sherman Dining Hall

Sherman Dining Hall is located between the Shapiro Campus Center and Massell Quad.  It is an all-you-can-eat cafeteria.  It serves both Kosher and non-Kosher food. The Kosher side is supervised closely by Rabbis Chayim Zirkind and Rabbi David Twersky, along with the Dining Services team who ensure that meat and dairy items are never prepared, cooked or eaten together at the same meal. Meat and dairy products are prepared in separate, dedicated kitchens, utilizing two completely separate sets of utensils, dishes, stoves, dishwashers, and all other cookware. “Pareve”, or neutral items such as eggs, fruits, vegetables and fish may be served with both meat and dairy meals.

To ensure that meat and dairy are never mixed, the Sherman staff have designated that for lunches and dinners, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays are meat days and Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays  are dairy days.  (Breakfast is always a dairy meal)

Yes, the kosher side of Sherman has rules to make sure that all the food is kept kosher; however, you can sit wherever you want!  Grab a tray, and  whenever you eat from the kosher side and make sure that all everything stays on it. Also, do not put anything from the non-kosher side on a kosher tray or on kosher dishes.  On Shabbat, trays will not be available, and all of the plateware and silverware will be disposable.

Getting on a Kosher Plan for Sherman is quite easy.  If you are already on a meal plan, there is no additional cost!.  Just go to http://www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSNE/Brandeis/LocationsMenus/ShermanDiningHall.htm and click “kosher contract.”  Fill out this form and email it to permanentlist@yahoo.com . Your name will be put on a list and you will be given a sticker the next time you eat at Sherman (you might have to ask for this at the cashier the first time you enter)

Need More Info? Check out the Brandeis Dining Services website.