Kashrut and the Beth Din: How to Choose Your Caterer

Kashrut at a Jewish wedding divides families more often than you'd think. Your most traditional guests won't eat anything without strict certification. Your more liberal guests think it's overkill. You, stuck in the middle, have to pick a caterer that works for everyone. Here's how.

The 3 levels of kashrut

• **Glatt**: the strictest level. Meat from animals with no adhesions at all on the lungs. Requested by the very Orthodox. More expensive (+20-30%).
• **Standard Beth Din**: classic kosher meat, certified by a recognized Beth Din (Paris, Strasbourg, etc.). Acceptable for most observant guests.
• **'House' kashrut**: no rabbinic certification, just 'no pork, no mixing.' Strictly religious guests won't eat it.

Certifications accepted in France

• **Paris Beth Din** — the reference for the Parisian Ashkenazi community
• **Strasbourg Beth Din** — widely accepted, strict level
• **Toulouse Beth Din** — the reference for Sephardic Southwest France
• **Lubavitch** — accepted by Chabad communities but also very widely beyond
• **KLBD (London)** — accepted in France for English guests

The 7 questions to ask your caterer

1. Which kashrut certification? (Ask for the name of the Beth Din)
2. Will a mashgiach (supervisor) be present during service?
3. Is the wine mevushal (boiled, so it can be served by non-Jews)?
4. Will the meat be delivered sealed or prepared on site?
5. Is the bread (challah) made on site or brought in?
6. Will there be a pareve option (neither meat nor dairy) for strict guests?
7. How do you handle allergies and kashrut together?

The dessert trap

A classic trap: the main meal is meat-kosher, but you want a dairy dessert (cheesecake, chocolate cake). Halachically, you need to wait 1 to 6 hours between meat and dairy, depending on tradition. Solution: a PAREVE dessert (neither meat nor dairy) — sorbets, oil-based cakes, fruit. Discuss this with your caterer at the FIRST meeting.

Budget

A kosher Beth Din caterer typically costs $85-$160 per person, all-in (starter + main + dessert + wine + service). Add +20-30% for Glatt. The extra cost versus a non-kosher caterer runs 30-50% higher, driven by the cost of certified meat and the mashgiach’s presence.

To announce your wedding with the kashrut level clearly stated right on the invitation, that's Tov.events. Free, Hebrew included.