The Tav team was sitting in a regular meeting to discuss the state of ethical kashrut in kosher restaurants, and we discussed excitedly how close we were to the certification of 100 eating establishments with the Tav HaYosher, or “Ethical Seal”. We sat still for a moment, humbled by how far the program had come. 100 food-service workplaces would be visited once every eight weeks to ensure that workers were being treated according to the minimum standard of law. 100 kosher restaurant owners made a concrete commitment to providing a fair and safe working environment. 100 kosher restaurants were feeding individuals and families who would hopefully see and discuss the Tav HaYosher sign displayed proudly in the window or behind the counter.
We knew that we had celebrate this milestone in a meaningful way. Therefore, Uri L’Tzedek will be hosting a one-of-a kind event on March 18th called FesTAVal. The event will bring together the whole community of people who make the Tav HaYosher possible, including volunteers, kosher consumers, owners, allies, and community members.
The event will incorporate a great deal of art, emphasizing the importance of creativity, innovation and expression in activism and community-building work. Live music will include the Raya Brass Band, a blend of Eastern European music and American dance grooves, and C. Lanzbom and Noah Solomon (of Soulfarm fame) who will blow the crowd away with their amazing folk-bluegrass-rock hybrid. Attendees are invited to participate in a communal art piece that reaffirms the community’s dedication to the pursuit of social justice. Finally, there will be an exhibition of carefully selected art pieces by Inbal Abergil, David Handschuh, and Jesse Rabinowitz.
On your way in, don’t forget to get your photo taken. Grab a glass of wine, and head over to the tables where Tav restaurants will be offering samples of their cuisine. Take your samples over to the lounge areas and snack decadently while meeting new friends.
When you need a break from all that schmoozing, visit the service centers. One table will be piled high will various food ingredients. Attendees will be encouraged to put together sandwiches to be distributed to the homeless that evening—but they must take into account affordability, sustainability, worker’s rights, and TASTE as they do so. Participants will write down their prized sandwich combo and enter it into a raffle for a gift certificate to a Tav-certified restaurant. Another center will ask you to be an advocate for the Tav—find out which restaurants have the Tav, and which don’t. Help us thank them if they do, and ask them to join if they don’t.
We promise you—it will be the perfect evening, and for only $20 at the early-bird online price ($15 for JCC members!), you can’t really go wrong. Come help us to celebrate this amazing milestone, build a community of social-justice oriented Jews, and reaffirm our commitment to workplace justice.
Written by Dasi Fruchter, Director of Tav HaYosher Engagement