Oh my goodness, Hades! Ever so well-intentioned, but please stop!
My very dearest friend is an Israeli Jew. She would no more expect me to know the detailed in's and out's of her religion than I would expect her to know those of mine. She also would not DREAM of putting me out in a way such as you're describing, and I daresay your future guests, both, would be terribly embarrassed to think you're burning the midnight oil a full week ahead of time trying to get your entire meal in alignment with Kashrut laws, which as GB points out, are very complex.
Put yourself in their shoes: would you wish to know you were causing your hostess such anxiety? I wouldn't, nor would anyone even moderately well bred. If your colleague's wife so strictly observes Kashrut, she has no business accepting your invitation. Why, to make you feel bad for not being fully up to speed on the laws of her religion?!
So please, stop, take a deep breath, and start again, approaching this upcoming dinner as you would most any other, trying to get through it without having to call the little men in white coats for yourself, and making a reasonable attempt to please your guests with well-prepared and tasty food. Any number of Jews have to learn to adapt to situations where they cannot eat as they'd like and she's no exception. The onus is upon her, not upon you!
Besides, you haven't got a prayer of getting it right, so please hear me! (Should you feel I'm being too harsh saying that, try this link http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm which will point out that if you were to really go for getting it right, you'd have to change your saucepan, potholders, dishwasher ... why, even your spoon rest for heaven's sake!)
Alternatively, if you wish, please have a frank conversation with the hubby in this scenario and ask him to please advise you on a menu.
Again, however, since I'm almost yelling at you here to stop the madness, let me say again that I think your desire to do this says endlessly nice things about you!
My very dearest friend is an Israeli Jew. She would no more expect me to know the detailed in's and out's of her religion than I would expect her to know those of mine. She also would not DREAM of putting me out in a way such as you're describing, and I daresay your future guests, both, would be terribly embarrassed to think you're burning the midnight oil a full week ahead of time trying to get your entire meal in alignment with Kashrut laws, which as GB points out, are very complex.
Put yourself in their shoes: would you wish to know you were causing your hostess such anxiety? I wouldn't, nor would anyone even moderately well bred. If your colleague's wife so strictly observes Kashrut, she has no business accepting your invitation. Why, to make you feel bad for not being fully up to speed on the laws of her religion?!
So please, stop, take a deep breath, and start again, approaching this upcoming dinner as you would most any other, trying to get through it without having to call the little men in white coats for yourself, and making a reasonable attempt to please your guests with well-prepared and tasty food. Any number of Jews have to learn to adapt to situations where they cannot eat as they'd like and she's no exception. The onus is upon her, not upon you!
Besides, you haven't got a prayer of getting it right, so please hear me! (Should you feel I'm being too harsh saying that, try this link http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm which will point out that if you were to really go for getting it right, you'd have to change your saucepan, potholders, dishwasher ... why, even your spoon rest for heaven's sake!)
Alternatively, if you wish, please have a frank conversation with the hubby in this scenario and ask him to please advise you on a menu.
Again, however, since I'm almost yelling at you here to stop the madness, let me say again that I think your desire to do this says endlessly nice things about you!
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