Kosher Gift Giving 101

What makes something kosher? Why would you need to give a kosher gift? If you are looking on the internet for the answers to these questions, you will find a lot of sites that sell kosher gifts, but not much else. 

However, with a bit of digging, you can find some things out about Kashrut – which are the dietary laws followed by people of the Jewish faith. This goes beyond telling you what you can and cannot eat if you are Jewish. It also tells you how the foods have to be prepared and even how to eat them. This includes rules on how the animals that are allowed to be eaten must be killed. It also tells you which parts of animals are allowed to be eaten. 

Some of these rules say that if you eat fish, that fish must have both scales and fins. Fruit cannot be eaten from trees before the trees are a minimum of 4 years old. Any meat that is eaten has to have the blood drained completely out of it. You can’t mix things like meat and dairy either in cooking utensils or on plates. Things like milk that comes from non–kosher animals (animals that do not have both a cloven hoof and that ruminate), birds of prey, insects and anything that crawls on the sea floor or on land, and shellfish are all forbidden… as is anything made from grapes that are not grown by people of the Jewish faith. 

This means that finding kosher gifts might seem to be something that can be difficult. It isn’t though. You can always give kosher gift baskets at those times when gift giving is appropriate. This can include the day of Purim, when each adult of the Jewish persuasion must send a minimum of 2 food items that are ready to eat to a minimum of one friend. You might also send a gift at Passover. Food gifts are always appreciated.

Why People Keep Kosher

Many people who grew up in a Jewish household keep kosher because it is how they were brought up. It feels like home to them. Maybe it is even a habit or just a personal proof of their religious conviction. Other people will keep kosher so that their kosher friends and family will be able to eat in their homes. Others might do it because of dietary allergies to things like dairy. Some people might be of the opinion that food that is kosher is safer or healthier. Then again, there are people who keep kosher because they are concerned about the welfare of animals because the shechita, or slaughter, is meant to be humane and fast.   

Preserving Tradition

It is no doubt that being kosher is a lifestyle choice. It also happens to be one of those choices of lifestyle that defines a person and gives clues about the community to which that person belongs. There are many traditions in the Jewish faith beyond being kosher, and one of those traditions is to take a “birthright trip” to Israel. There are even tours of the Holy Land that will take you on the Jesus Trail, which is a tour that goes from Nazareth, where Jesus grew to adulthood, to Capernaum, which is located on the Sea of Galilee. 

A trip to the Holy Land might be preserving tradition, but so is recognizing and observing the Jewish holidays. Some of those holidays, such as Chanukah, and Passover, are well known. Others, such as Sukkot, Pesach, and Shavuot are not as familiar to people who are not Jewish. 

All of these traditions are a part of what makes being Jewish so special. They teach about the history and culture of what is arguably the oldest religion on earth. They teach children to that traditions are important. They teach a way of life that, without these traditions, might have already vanished from the face of the earth. That is what makes being Jewish, and keeping kosher, means. That is why understanding kosher and kosher gift giving is such an important thing. If you are not Jewish, it is a fascinating thing to learn about if you have friends that are Jewish and it can tell you a lot about them.

What A Covenant Ring Is And The Commitment It Symbolizes

A covenant ring is a ring that is more like a contract. As a ring that is used as a symbol of your religious beliefs, it is meant to symbolize that you have made a commitment in front of God that you will save yourself for the person that you marry. A covenant ring is a symbolic gesture between a father and his daughter that the daughter promises to stay pure until she is legally married. It looks much like a wedding ring and is a symbol that a person believes in the sanctity and purity of a man and women becoming husband and wife.

Typically given when the daughter is 13 or 14, the ritual is usually performed between a father and his daughter. He asks her to make a promise that she will save herself sexually until the day that she marries a partner before the eyes of God.

Born not only out of Christ’s doctrine, there are many pastors who believe that covenant rings and the sanctity of sex only through the bond of marriage could save countless people from divorce. Abstinence until marriage, many pastors believe, is the way to ensure that marriage vows are more sacred and that you give someone yourself wholly.

Although a covenant ring can come in any shape and size, there is a specific symbol that many fathers and daughters choose. The symbol of a cluster of three linked hearts with a cross in the middle to bind them is typically the preferred design. It is a symbol of the father’s and daughter’s commitment, along with the commitment made between man and woman, that is bonded by the attachment of a Cross which symbolizes Christ.

The girl who wears a covenant ring does so to remind her every day of the commitment she has made. She is to wear it up until the day of her marriage. Once the ceremony begins, she gives her covenant ring to her husband as a symbol that she has kept her pledge of purity. Although the exchange of rings is different for everyone, some girls want to have their rings altered only to have two hearts remaining with the cross. They then put the other ring on its own around a chain to return to the father to keep as a reminder of a sacred promise kept.

There are many different types of covenant rings that can be chosen. Somewhat like a wedding ring, it is specific to the girl who wears it and the father who asks for her to make the commitment. Wedding rings and covenant rings are very similar in the respect that it isn’t about the cost of the ring itself but the promise that is made surrounding it. Made from silver or gold or gemstones, it isn’t about how much it costs; it is about the symbolic nature of it.


Many who wear covenant rings insist that it gives them strength to overcome many challenges in life. Like having God always there to remind them, it helps girls remember their commitment to their father and God and to overcome any outside or external pressures. The promise made is made between three people — the father, the daughter, and Christ — and although Christ is with you at all times, sometimes a symbolic reminder is an excellent way to overcome temptation.

A covenant ring is also a good way to let those around you know what commitment you have made. As the rings look like a wedding ring, many young women who wear them say that they are asked all the time about their meaning. Most girls wearing them are obviously too young to be married, which is why people ask. The inquiry, they insist, usually strengthens their desire and resolve to remain pure for the man they love and will eventually give themselves to.

In a new age that is predominantly about instant and sexual gratification outside of marriage, a covenant ring might be a rarity. But for those who follow the teachings of Christ, it is a promise of purity and the commitments made between three parties that are stronger than any outside force.

Millennials Are Changing Attitudes Toward The Traditional Engagement Ring

There is little doubt that Millennials are different from any prior generation. From real estate to savings, the way that they conduct their finances and lives is something that older generations find unusual and perhaps a little lackadaisical. It isn’t just their spending or saving habits or their social media behaviors that are different from anyone else. It is the way that they buck tradition and don’t care what people think.

Millennial fashion is quite arguably one of the biggest ways that they differ from other generations. Throughout time, purchases have been guided by the principle that low supply equals high demand. What Millennials do, however, has nothing to do with supply or demand. They base their decisions not on what everyone else finds desirable, but on what they personally prefer. Their idea of fashion is individuality. In fact, if something is “in,” it is definitely “out.”

Gone are the days of carrying a Gucci bag just because it has the name on it. The typical Millennial is carrying a handbag they made themselves or bought at a thrift store or flea market. Being outside of the trend is now trendy. It isn’t just about the things that they wear; it is also about what they use to show those they love how much they are loved.

The traditional diamond engagement ring consisted of a man or woman calculating their love in cut, clarity, carat and color. The Millennial generation isn’t buying into the hype. To them, the money spent on an expensive ring doesn’t say anything to the world about their love for someone. It says that they wasted a whole lot of money trying to impress the world that they aren’t interested in impressing.

Buying an engagement ring is no longer about making payments. Goodness knows with student loans, Millennials already have enough debt. They are opting to show their commitment with an engagement ring that is unique, not one that results in a credit card bill.

An engagement ring can be made from fabric, other types of gems, or anything else that attracts the asker’s eye. They want to make it one-of-a-kind and something that shows off the character and qualities of the person they love; it is more about finding the perfect symbol than about hitting the high-end diamond outlet to find the best ring you can afford.

Another trend that Millennials are fostering is the custom nature of their engagement ring. It used to be that when you were ready to propose, you would walk into a jewelry store, see what the jeweler had to offer, and make a choice from that. Jewelers are now describing a whole different class of engagement ring buyers. They don’t go into retail shops and look around; they come in with pictures, drawings, and ideas about what their one-of-a-kind engagement ring should look like, instead of the other way around.

Just like the fashions they wear, Millennials aren’t looking for something that ten other people have. They aren’t looking for brand names or trying to show up to a party wearing the same dress as ten other people. What they want in an engagement ring is what they want all the way around: uniqueness and trendsetting. It isn’t about the size, cut, or how it shines. It is about being uniquely thoughtful and finding the perfect engagement ring that says “I love you.”

Other things that are now acceptable are gemstones. Putting more color and uniqueness into a ring is totally “in” and trendy. Also, gold and platinum used to be the traditional band material; now anything from silver to copper is not only acceptable but also preferred and can be custom-designed.

It’s not just about changing styles and materials; the Millennial generation doesn’t have any problem buying “vintage” rings to adorn their fiance’s finger. Showing a little class involves mixing a little of the old with some of the new, and there is no shame in repurposing old jewelry. To this environmentally-conscious generation, reusing, repurposing, or even using simulated gems and diamonds, are all ways that they help to save the planet and put a new twist on an old tradition.