UW-Madison will uphold its reputation as a progressive campus this November when it opens a new kosher meat kitchen. The kitchen, located in Chadbourne Residence Hall, will accommodate Jewish students as well as those who follow halal, Islamic dietary laws.
According to Hillel, the largest college-oriented Jewish association worldwide, UW-Madison boasts one of the largest populations of Jewish students in the nation. The kitchen could benefit nearly 4,000 students who previously found dining hall options limited.
Opponents of the kosher kitchen argue that the new menu violates the state Constitution because it uses state funds to accommodate individuals with religion-based diets. This argument is entirely disingenuous: Simply because the university embraces the rights of religious groups does not mean that it endorses the affiliated faiths.
At $129,000, the cost of the new equipment for the kitchen is reasonable.
And by delegating oversight to Rabbi Sholem Fishbane of the Chicago Rabbinical Council, the university proves that it aims to not only attract Muslim and Jewish students, but also to keep them around with a fully adequate service and proper food preparation.
The kosher meat kitchen represents a positive move toward making Jewish and Muslim students feel comfortable on campus.
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