Jews and Muslims Demand Kosher and Halal Food in New York Public Schools

By Josefin Dolsten September 7, 2016

NEW YORK — Muslim and Jewish students rallied with lawmakers in support of a bill that would provide kosher and halal food options at New York City public schools.

“The cost is limited compared to having a healthy meal, allowing students to eat and to be able to perform,” said State Assemblyman David Weprin, a Democrat, at the Tuesday rally in front of City Hall, according to CBS New York.

One Muslim student spoke of the difficulty of finding food he could eat during lunch.

“It’s definitely very hard to find something you can eat,” he said. “It’s either you pick up peanut butter and jelly or you don’t eat that day.”

Supporters of the bill said that students are not always able to bring homemade lunches that fit their dietary restrictions due to cost and time limitations, CBS reported.

The bill, which is sponsored by State Senator Tony Avella, a Democrat, would provide kosher and halal food options in public schools where at least a quarter of students belong to a religious community with dietary restrictions, according to The Jewish Press.

Currently, there are vegetarian school lunch options, but not kosher or halal ones, according to The NYC Department of Education.

Josefin Dolsten is a New York-based writer who has reported for the Forward, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The Times of Israel and other Jewish publications. She currently works as an account director at Fenton Communications, supporting organizations that work to advance racial justice, LGBTQ+ equality, reproductive rights and more. Dolsten earned her B.A. in government from Cornell University and her M.A. in comparative religion and Jewish studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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