With an expected surge in domestic travel this summer due to COVID-19, Orthodox Union (OU) Kosher, the world’s largest kosher certification agency, has launched a free online kosher food and travel guide to help Jews follow dietary and ritual observance while away from home.
The guide offers a listing of kosher food products that one can find during their travels across the country. Additional resources include a restaurant guide, a list of fountain and frozen beverages available at convenience stores, and Coca-Cola Freestyle machines which are certified by OU Kosher.
There is a section dedicated to kosher grilling, which also addresses questions such as whether it can be used for both meat and fish, and whether a grill can be koshered for those who are renting homes during their travels. The “Traveling” section includes information about in-room hotel kitchen appliances and how they can be used.
For those looking for a minyan during their travels, the site links you to the OU synagogue finder so that with one click you can look for a local minyan.
The guide will be updated regularly. To access the guide, visit: https://oukosher.org/summer/.
“COVID-19 has changed many people’s travel plans this summer. As they now embark on domestic trips, OU Kosher has received many questions about kosher products people can find on the road and which hotel room appliances can be koshered,” said OU Kosher CEO Rabbi Menachem Genack. “Our goal in creating the summer guide was to provide a resource to help the community make summer travel less stressful.”
“With summer camps and international travel disrupted because of the pandemic, travel this summer will be different from those in the past. But OU Kosher will be there to help make your trip more enjoyable. The guide offers users direct access to the latest information and resources available for preparing for your upcoming trip,” said OU Kosher COO Rabbi Moshe Elefant.