No Pork On My Fork!

There are so many ways I could respond to my dear pig-eating friend’s last post… I will start by reassuring her and our dear readers, that this resident Heeb was not offended by her love of swine. And while I simply abhor speaking for others (riiight), on behalf of the Tribe, I promise we're cool.

Now, I could discuss the religious reasons I don’t consume pork (and mention the other religions that follow this same practice). I could go into detail about the inhumane way pigs are treated before they are slaughtered (but then, of course, you could say the same thing about chickens and cows… and I love eatin' me some chickens and cows, so I won’t go there). I could talk about the “nutritional” facts for bacon and sausage, or even mention how an animal’s ear is NOT food, even if it is fried like a potato chip .


I could talk about Hollywood’s stance on the issue (see: Babe, Charlotte’s Web, the Muppets’ diva Miss Piggy, etc.)

I might even discuss how, if we are what we eat, and nearly every phrase about pigs has a negative connotation or insinuation, I’d rather not wreck my reputation with a ham sandwich…

(Live like a pig… Eat like a pig… Pork-barrel spending… Pig-headed… Crooked as a pig’s tail… A pig in a poke… etc. And yes, I know you can “bring home the bacon,” but I’d rather bring home the CASH!)

But I won’t discuss any of these things, because our friendship is unconditional. And she doesn’t (often) make fun of me for my love of mushrooms (the vegetable that she affectionately refers to as “that fungus.” This is not a drug reference - get your mind out of the gutter, you’re better than that). We simply adore each other - no matter what the other eats!

I’ll leave you with an amusing memory from my childhood. In practically every rabbi’s office I’ve ever visited there is a cartoon, I think it’s from an old issue of The New Yorker. In it, two pigs are having a conversation. The caption reads: “Personally, I wish the whole world were Jewish.”



Can I get an "Amen!" from my piggy pals?

~Sarah

P.S. Schmargaret, the Tribe loves steak, too! (Hint, hint)