Kraft Kosher

An Update to the End

2007-06-17T11:36:00.000-05:00

A number of newsworthy incidents have occurred over the last year, but unfortunately I haven't been able to commit the time neccesary to record them all.

However, I made a serious effort to escalate my desire to see more products become Kosher. I wrote a note up for the President of the North American Unit, asking if Kraft would be open to alternative arrangements for making their products available to the Kosher market, where costs might be too high to accomodate reformulating the product. I had in mind the possibility of producing special limited runs which could be distributed separately or licensing the recipes to those willing to third parties to produce and distribute. Seemingly growing practices at other food companies.

The answer I received? Kraft is constantly looking for new ways to penetrate new markets with an eye on costs and quality. Gee, I didn't think they were trying to grow their business. I should have realized they've thought of everything!

To the Top!

2006-07-05T18:44:00.000-05:00

I'm not alone any more! Well, maybe down here...

Last week, a new CEO was named, and, get this, she's not only Jewish, but she keeps Kosher (See last line of article)!

A new era? Will America's favorite brands soon become America's favorite Kosher brands?

The Rules of Diversity

2006-05-11T20:54:00.000-05:00

I went to a diversity training course today, a requirement for all new hires at the company. Needless to say I was disappointed. They talked a bit about discrimination from a legal standpoint and about how different backgrounds and personalities bring differences, good and bad, to the table. But what they didn't talk about is how to actually understand different backgrounds. They didn't tell us some unique needs of different backgrounds, or how to sense those needs. While they told us how to react to the illegal issues, they didn't guide us in what is appropriate about including others. We didn't cover whether private lives are best unexplored by coworkers, or discuss how to make people feel more included.

An example from the course that I feel sums it up: After the training was completed, they served lunch to the group. Nobody asked me if I needed a special meal. If you're diversity training isn't going to go out of its way to include everybody, then how do you expect every employee to reach out?

Eat This!

2006-04-11T08:36:00.000-05:00

I was talking about the rules of Kosher with a group of co-workers. They just wanted to know the basics, what is allowed, what isn't, and why. One of the things they kept asking about was other than certain forbidden foods, why were there restrictions on how it was cooked. I tried steering around the question a bit, but eventually I just said the truth - that some of the rules are meant to prevent Jews from mingling with non-Jews.

Was I oversensitive? Is that a big deal? Should I not worry about the "elitist" overtones of the Halacha? Or perhaps I don't even know the Halacha properly, and there are other reasons why we have these rules of Bishul Akum.

If I want to make a Kiddush Hashem, how do I convey the beauty of Halacha without sounding apologetic?

Bar Fly?

2006-03-31T08:27:00.000-06:00

Dilemma yesterday. There was a social function for our department in a bar after work. It was clearly optional, clearly not work related, so I didn't have to go. However, the representative council of our department was having elections at the event, and I was running. If I didn't go, I couldn't win.

Let me give some background. I don't think going into a bar is assur, forbidden for a Jew. It's not like going into a non-Kosher restaurant, where your presence might imply that the food is kosher when it is not, as most alcoholic beverages are indeed kosher. However, I do think that patronizing bars is antithetical to a frum Jewish lifestyle. We believe that our lives have a purpose, an ever rising path towards meeting our Creator. Bars are the perfect example of ignoring that higher call - Killing time finding joy in the drink, to forget the potential that you are not acheiving. Also, drunkenness and the removing inhibitions conflicts with my understanding that a person's character should always be consistent. You shouldn't require inebriation to act correctly, and you shouldn't use your tipsiness as your excuse to escape appropriateness.

That all being said, I went to the event. No word yet on the election. Needless to say I was uncomfortable. I didn't drink anything, and made a point of it. However, the greater question was, maybe I should have just stayed home. I didn't need to run for election to any positions. But this runs contrary to my philosophy that a frum Jew need not hide in Kollel in Jerusalem to fullfill his spiritual destiny. But where is that line? I've always maintained that you can go out into any situation, and as long as you are armed with your ideals, you can thrive no matter how dispersed you are in a world of other values. But a bar?

Office Romances

2006-03-15T18:47:00.000-06:00

Get this latest water cooler gossip. One of my co-workers comes over to me after a meeting, and asks me if it's true that I have a crush on another specific coworker.

How great is that? I'm now the subject of celebrity speculation. This could really promote me as a hearthrob.

But I wonder how this reflects on me as a religious guy. You know, being a sex object doesn't flow naturally with the uniform.

Finding My Place

2006-02-11T20:33:00.000-06:00

I usually don't pray on site, successfully making it to a Minyan either at shul or at another office building. But sometimes the stars don't align, and I'm forced to make do in my office before the prayer time elapses. Since I have a cubicle, there isn't much privacy in my own territory. In the past, I've either prayed in my boss' office or used Kraft's room reservation service to book a conference room. However, today the system was down. I took another track, and asked the Muslim guy down the hall what he does. I've noticed him lately carrying a rolled up cloth under his arm, which I figured was his prayer rug. It was, and he pointed me towards a row of empty offices, which turned out perfect for my needs. He was actually very happy to share this information, and more importantly, seemed happy to share in such concerns. I'll admit, it's nice to find somebody who shares in my same religious dilemmas.

This is exactly the type of reason why I think Kraft could benefit from a Religious Diversity Council, and this is just the type of relationship that I think could make it happen.

The Bitter Season

2005-12-27T19:05:00.000-06:00

I hate this time of year. Something about being wished a "Happy Chanukah" just turns my smile upside-down. I'm sure they mean well, but do they realize the implication of what they are saying? Just because you have a holiday that you care about, doesn't mean that my holiday is like yours. Whether it's because they are "sharing the cheer" or they've just been led to believe by all the commercials that everyone is celebrating their highest holidays now, the ignorance just bothers me.

I took ten days off for my holidays this year, and the only wishes I got were to make sure I had coverage for my work before I left. For their holidays, the whole company shuts down, has numerous parties, and has early dismissal. But when I leave before sundown, I'm viewed as a quitter.

Multiculturalism has a long way to go. These people have no idea how much they string me up. The schedule is so ingrained in their holidays, that they don't even notice the difficulties I have in celebrating mine.

So am I wrong taking offense at all their "shared" merriment?

A Hairy Beast?

2005-12-08T08:27:00.000-06:00

Getting ready for work the other day, I scenario I had been dreading for awhile finally hit the surface. Every day I spend about half an hour grooming in order to keep my beard and payos reasonably kept. As annoying as it is, the results are very professional (at least compared to my full-on Jew look). However, as I was cleaning up, I noticed that my beard has finally gotten to a length that makes it difficult to clean up. I roll my beard from my chin towards my ears, and the length has finally gotten such that it has started to go past my ears. I don't think this will work much longer.

Some additional background. I know it's not a Halachic requirement to never shave. But I do know that it is a Halachic preference. I see no reason to shave if I don't have to, but Parnassa (making a living) would definitely fall under the category of "do it if you have to." After going on numerous unsuccessful interviews, I trimmed my beard before interviewing with the company I now work for. However, after finding out on my first day that my boss had a full bead, albeit short, I was determined not to have to shave again for this job. And I haven't for the just over a year that I've been here.

But the question now begs, how long can I pass for corporate?

Jesus Saves...Moses Invests

2005-11-23T21:12:00.000-06:00

I've mostly been an incidental Jew at work. I do what I have to do, but don't bring up religion for its own sake. However, I had lunch with one of my coworkers, and it turns out she's not so shy about religion. She's a pretty devout Catholic, about my age, and asked a lot of questions, not just about things I do, but about Jewish belief in general. I did my best to answer (although that is not always easy. Try to be Halachic and PC at the same time.), but it also begs the question- what are the limits? The conversation mainly stayed on me and Judaism, mainly because I was afraid to broach Christian theology. See, one of the reasons to keep religion personal is that their is often an urge not just to find out about other religions, but to react to them. How do I be respectful of the person of faith that is telling me about their sincere beliefs that I could pull apart with childish logic? I wouldn't appreciate somebody doing the same to me. But at the same time it seems like a crime to overlook the apparent emptiness of another's claim. I've just always been trained to question the illogical.

I decided to restrain myself. But I do hear a lot about Jesus this, Jesus that from some of the people here. They don't mind opening up. I don't know if they see me as a missionary target- or if my visibly religious exterior simply inspires some kind of harmonious spirit.

Either way, it's never a good idea to go around the office smirking.

Daylight Savings Time

2005-11-15T20:51:00.000-06:00

Daylight Savings Time may be great for farmers, but it sure makes it hard to work and pray. When it doesn't get light until 7 am and is dark by 4 pm, you really have to squeeze in morning and afternoon prayers.

I try and pray in the morning after sunrise (the optimal time, as opposed to before sunrise), which really squeezes out all the flexibility I had before, since their is only one service in my area that meets this criteria. So much for breakfast.

And afternoons are worse. With services at 4:15 and getting earlier, I can't win. Sure, work is flexible. I theoretically can come in early (which conflicts with the previous paragraph), but that exposes me to being the "slacker" heading out early in the eyes of my coworkers, and sometimes it's just not realistic. There is a service at another office about 10 minutes away at 1 pm. That's actually proven quite good. I make the quick lunch escape, and I can stay as late as I need to. Which only leaves me working longer hours...

Yom Tov

2005-11-02T20:48:00.000-06:00

Well, I just passed my first High Holiday season as a working man. Not too bad. I had no problem taking off for the holidays. Although they wouldn't let me miss another day, which killed any chance of going to Israel for the holidays (which would've let me take advantage of the numerous days I had to take off anyways). As if taking two days off every week is excessive!?!

But it is quite difficult getting caught up with everything that continued in my absence. I fall behind more every day it seems. I came in two Sundays (and one night after a holiday). I earned one comp day, but truthfully, in all, I'm just as tired from the days of celebrating as I would be from having worked.

Fire Drill

2005-08-19T20:30:00.000-05:00

We actually had a fire drill at work. I actually was under the apparently false impression that these things actually ended in grade school. But in the middle of the day, they actually marched us out of the building into the parking lots to wait for about 15 minutes before letting us return to our desks.

At least I was smart enough to save my work on my PC before I evacuated. Or perhaps, I was foolish?

Down Time

2005-08-17T21:21:00.000-05:00

Computer virus...spreading. Second day with no computers at work. I thought big corporations would have all the fancy systems in place to keep us up. I managed to find enough offline projects to keep me going. My desk is shiny clean, and all my Kraft trophies are neatly aligned. Fortunately, we had a (Kosher!) group lunch scheduled today, which ate up (no pun intended) a lot of the downtime.

Please give me my internet back.

Group Blog

2005-08-16T20:30:00.000-05:00

We had a meeting to discuss some morale building initiatives for our group. We brought up communication inefficiencies that our floor has, and one of the fellows suggested a group blog as a good way of keeping communication flowing. I nearly burst out laughing.

That's all I need, competition.

Tasked

2005-08-15T20:13:00.000-05:00

The group's planning a lunch this week as a farewell to our summer intern. I've been assigned with the task of finding a kosher eatery for the date. Unfortunately, this is no easy task. We've gone on three lunches to date- and covered all the possible eateries. I don't know if everyone will think it's weird to go back to the same place again, or if they will just think it's weird that there's so little selection.

Good for Nothing

2005-08-11T18:51:00.000-05:00

I'm not only good for nothing with my family. I went out for lunch to a Kosher restaurant...and didn't think to ask my boss if he wanted anything. Not that I caused any damage by not putting forth a kind gesture. It was just a lost opportunity for me to do something for somebody else.

MAP

2005-08-07T23:44:00.000-05:00

At work we have a semi-annual review known as a MAP (Manager's Assessment of Performance - or something like that). Basically, you formulate your goals for the year, and then measure your progress against them.

I'm not going into the Human Resources and productivity aspects of this exercise. But I do think that it is a fabulous lesson akin to the Jewish idea of Cheshbon Hanefesh- An accounting of the soul. In that spiritual exercise, a person measures their life against the spiritual ideal. The obvious link is that both activities are meant to force us to reconcile where we stand presently with our stated goals. And the intention is that both will remind us of what is needed to get there.

Being goal focused is one of the hardest things in life for me. Having a goal means having failure when you don't make it.

Corporate Blogging

2005-07-31T10:33:00.000-05:00

The media has raised flags recently about the dangers about blogging about your work. Read this article for an example.

Obviously, this blog falls into that category. Am I worried? I don't really say anything that really could touch a corporate nerve here. I don't blog on company time or on my company computer. I don't reveal any secrets or mention anyone identifiably. I think I'm doing things pretty cleanly. Of course, the only way I'll find out is if they do. And the only way you'll find out is if I disappear.

Baal Tashchis

2005-07-27T18:50:00.000-05:00

As a food company, millions of pounds of food never make it to shelves after leaving our plants. Most of it is donated, if it is safe for human consumption. But some comes to Headquarters for various projects. The other day, I saw three cases of a specific product sitting with the garbage as I was leaving work. The cases were still sealed, but had been slapped with big "Please throw out. Basura. Wziwekpa." stickers. Or something like that. So not wanting to waste, I hastily raided the garbage, ripping open the case, and removing three sealed boxes of product. It looked like a good one too. Not sure why it should just be thrown out. My guess is the group working on the project has seen so much of the stuff that they don't want to even look at it, much less take it home. Why they didn't search for other users in the company I'm not sure. But I'd hate to waste. Of course, there could be something wrong with the product. Haven't really tasted it yet. I'd love to get some kind of clean "bill of sale" or "bill of health."

Corporate Perks

2005-07-27T18:49:00.001-05:00

This might just be a commentary on corporate waste, but it's a nice feeling when your boss tells you that you can use your corporate Amex card to get yourself a Kosher dinner. When the work day is late, the managers will order in food for the whole group. For me, they've at least authorized me to get my own food at their expense.

The only trick is I have to get it myself. So instead of having dinner brought to me because I am working late, I have to drive out to some restaurant inevitably down the block from my house, pick up food, and take it back to work. So I usually just end up finishing what I'm doing and going home a little earlier. The whole ordering in thing is supposed to save you from having to interrupt your work to eat. So the ordering Kosher hasn't really proven smooth yet.

Flirting with the Devil

2005-07-27T18:49:00.000-05:00

Ah, nothing like a slow day. So many ways to kill time. But I'm not into betraying my employer. They pay me, so my time belongs to them, whether they use it or not. (It's a Biblical thing.) But that doesn't mean I can't kill time "on the job."

Talking to friends on the phone is not frowned upon by the office, but only up to a point. So spending all day on the phone with them might not be an option, but that doesn't mean I can't make new friends. One of the contacts from the vendors I work with is a 26 year old girl from Minnesota. When we talk, it can be a good half hour conversation. And we usually talk every day, if not more often. And we usually don't talk about business either. But, hey, it is a client, so this isn't "stealing" from the company. I'm just keeping our corporate relationship happy.

Unfortately, she's married, not that that tones me down. But she has mentioned that I'd like her 23 year old sister, and she has invited me up for a visit. Who knows, maybe I'll really make a new friend...

Slacker?

2005-07-18T21:19:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been swamped at work. And psychological this has the reverse effect of what you would have thought. Instead of dragging through long hours and busting my tail, I'm slacking. I think I'm so overwhelmed that I won't catch up, that I'm just not interested in exerting myself. So I've been a lot less intense at work lately, and trimming my hours on both ends. The only question is how long it will take for others to catch on. And how long before a fire is lit underneath me...

Shomer Negiah

2005-07-18T19:03:00.000-05:00

One inevitablity in the business world will be that you will be in a group, introduced to some new people, and each one will stick out their hand to you in turn. And at least one of them will be a woman. In Jewish Law, physical touch between the sexes is forbidden. There are exceptions and there are loopholes, but living in a society where casual touching is the norm, and equality between the sexes the expectation, it is hard to be a religious Jew in an environment where business relationships are at stake. I will not explore the underpinnings of this Jewish Law, just it's application.

Ideally, I would avoid all physical contact. But in reality, there is often little time to make a decision between being introduced to some business woman and having her hand thrust towards you. There are a number of ways you could react in this situation. You could ignore the hand, and risk whatever reaction this might create. You could limply extend your hand to meet hers in lifeless defeat. You could stop the introductions and explain your religious restrictions and your reasons for restraining from meeting hands. Or you could run away. None of the above are that easy.

For the official record, I heard directly from HaRav Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg, Sh"lita, during a public appearance in Chicago, say that one should not shake hands, and if he can't get out of it, he should fake a sneeze into his hand, and thereby apologetically refrain from meeting her hand without having to engage in any embarassing situation. That was his Psak/Eitzah. I happen to also be of the opinion that actually explaining your concerns to the person, either at the moment or after the fact, actually generates a tremendous amount of respect in most people, and it will, in addition to creating a Kiddush Hashem, sanctification of Gd's name, relieve you from having to face the dilemma with that person in the future.

But in most cases, you don't have enough time to enter a lengthy discussion. Nor do you necessarily have the capability of gauging whether your response will be favorably received or simply scoffed at. The last factor left is simply understanding a person's feelings. If you can't explain your reason for holding back from physical contact, the person may be insulted. I wouldn't want to hurt another person's feelings. So my default position has always been if you can't completely avoid the contact situation or explain it, best to just shake hands and rely on the opinions that allow it. I don't extend my hand first, and I try and avoid shaking (say by standing opposite a table from women I may be introduced to), but when push comes to shove, I don't want to be the one doing the shoving. Just a little physical contact is more than enough.

Visting Boss

2005-07-17T09:40:00.000-05:00

I spent Shabbos (Saturday) in my bosses neighborhood. I told him ahead of time that I'd stop by. I did. He actually has a nice house (he just moved in). He took me on a tour, and introduced me to his family. I got along well with his youngest son. I even ate cookies out of his mouth. Then my boss comes up to me at work Monday afternoon, telling me that his son has diahrea and a fever. Oops. This'll test my immune system. But this should definitely be points for me. Takes "getting to know your coworkers on a personal level" to a whole new ballgame.

Funerals

2005-06-22T22:15:00.000-05:00

One of my coworkers lost her father. The intern lost her sister. And the former manager in my group passed away suddenly. It was all very weird. Work usually isn't an emotional place. But there was a certain communal mood. They passed around a condolence card for the woman who lost her father. It's tough, on one hand sharing in the pain, but on the other maintaining reserved professionalism.

More importantly, can I attend a non-Jewish funeral? Does it matter if it is in a church or a funeral home? Even if it is not in a Catholic church, what if they are holding a prayer service?

Holding out from joining in a funeral can seem a lot more callous and disengaging then just not eating non-kosher food with your coworkers.

Tefillin Check

2005-06-05T10:25:00.000-05:00

Friday afternoon. I've worked a slow week, coming in late and leaving early almost every day. I was planning on a full day Friday, until I get a call from my boss that he forgot his Tefillin in his office. He asked me to take them home with me, and he'll pick them up before Shabbos. No problem. But he asks me to leave early, so he doesn't have to rush around right before Shabbos. Also no problem for me. But that means that my lazy week looks even lazier. I'm happy. I like messing with people's minds. Although, my goal should probably to leave a good impression even if I do sloppy work, not to do good work and leave a bad impression. Kiddush Hashem (sanctifying G-d's name) is really about impressions to a large degree.

Kosher Medicine

2005-05-08T17:30:00.000-05:00

I've been sick for about a month now, with coughing, runny nose, and other basic symptoms. Just the stuff that drives the people that have to deal with your germs in an enclosed space on a regular basis crazy. I'm taking some pills, and one of my co-workers asked me what medicines I can take. Slow and confused as usual, I wasn't sure what she was referring to; I'm not good at taking any pills. She clarified, and asked if certain name brand pharmaceuticals weren't kosher. It happens that I had just read an article about this subject the day before by chance. Otherwise, I would have stuttered an incomprehensible response more than I did. Basically, all medicines are Kosher for consumption, regardless of ingredients. The laws of kosher only apply to foods, of which medicine is not included. That is why there is no blessing over medicine. Generally, food is considered that which nourishes. Medicine heals, not nourishes; it is for restoring the body to normal health, not a requisite for maintaining it. Therefore all is allowed. And I can go along sniffling.

Selling Chametz

2005-05-06T17:56:00.000-05:00

For a company of it's size, Kraft really isn't into food for Passover. From what I could tell, nothing besides Maxwell House and Breakstones (which happen to be Passover classics) is Kosher for Passover. But that doesn't mean the Kosher employee is ready for Passover. Like any member of the workforce, I had to clean out all my personal areas of any food products. This consisted of about the last half hour before I left for the last time before the holiday.

But at a food job (even when not working with the food), the edible stuff is still a popular commodity. At Kraft, employees line their workspaces with company brands. My desk is of course no differenct. Actually, for the amount of time I've been here, I've got most people beat. But the collecting of food products poses a challenge for the Passover season. I'm not allowed to own any non Kosher for Passover foods. How then could I retain my massive collection without being a sinner? The magic word - compromise. Well not necessarily compromising my faith, just taking advantage of the leniencies it provides. Judaism allows for the sale of food products, to be reacquired after the holiday. (This is accomplished through a complex legal process too complicated to describe here.) However, not everybody accepts the validity of this action. In effect, they rule that such food is considered as if it had been owned by a Jew anyways, and can't be eaten as Kosher ever again. So in order not to rely on this leniency, I disposed of the actual Kosher products lining my desk before Passover. The packaging, though, I retained, allowing me to keep up the Trademark look of my personal space. Additionally, all the non-Kosher products were sold, so as not to have been owned by me during Passover. Since they are not Kosher to begin with, I have no intent to eat from them in the future anyway. I also don't consider myself the "owner" of the items. In effect, I have abandoned those items, and they are ownerless. They may decorate my space, but I have no exclusive rights to their use. I gave that up.

And such are the details of Passover on the Cube.

Critic

2005-04-28T18:48:00.000-05:00

After spending a lot of time on a few special projects, I got rocked. Slapped in the face. Put down. My boss' boss' boss asked me to do some things, and I did them. But apparently it wasn't how the person he was doing it for wanted it. But I never got that information. So he just slammed me for not doing it right. But I'm really sure I did everything I was asked. If it wasn't what he wanted, either the person doing it before me was doing it wrong, or he didn't give me good instructions. He obviously isn't good at giving feedback. Whether it was just the way he communicated it, or whether he really felt I did a bad job, it definitely felt like I took a serious hit. And apparently I'm not the only one picking up on this sentiment. My boss and my boss' boss both mentioned their impressions separately. It looks like I'll have to adjust my work. That's the corporate game.

Dressing Up

2005-04-26T20:53:00.000-05:00

Today (actually, all week) we have another of our infinite Casual Days. Usually, I just ignore them, and suffer through Business Casual. I stick out like a sore thumb even then. But on casual day, I might as well be wearing a tux. But of course, today (and all week) is Passover. So I wore a suit and tie to celebrate the occasion. They can make me work on a holiday, but they can't keep me from celebrating a holiday at work.

But of course, I succeeded in sticking out more than usual. No less than two senior people asked whether I'd seen the memo about casual day. And no less than two people asked how my interview went.

I'll keep marching to my own beat. I don't think anyone thought it was bad.

Hotshot

2005-04-16T22:15:00.000-05:00

Not so much to do with Kosher, but I had Finance Orientation on Thursday and Friday. I got to meet Kraft's CFO. In a company this big, it takes a special occasion for this to happen. I asked him a question about the company's position regarding leasing of assets. He basically told me that the company was so cash rich, it had no need to lose percentages on leasing. That answer doesn't fully account for all benefits of leasing, but I let him get away with that for now. Then I asked him about the recent divestitures, and why they are cutting all these businesses lose if they have as much cash as he says. He told me that these are "tail" businesses, and our resources are wasted on them. He told me that with $3 billion in cash flow a year, $1 goes to dividends, $1 goes to buy back stock, and $1 goes to pay down debt. So basically, they really can't think of anything to do with their money. I'd leverage that cash up and go on an acquisition spree. Even if I couldn't integrate a business, it would still be worth buying it on a cash return basis alone. Short of that, I'd decrease the company's capital investment to a minimum, so that investor's could find better investments for themselves if I couldn't use their money.

Bottom line, I was not exactly thrilled with Kraft's future. I'm definitely not buying any stock for now.

On a separate note, I was able to eat some of the packaged snacks they fed us with at the orientation. And at the cocktail reception, I had to forgo the h'or Deurves, but was able to enjoy the Planters cocktail peanut mixes (OU). And I got away from speaking with the CFO just in time to cut out and make it to a minyan for Mincha!

Website

2005-04-12T17:54:00.000-05:00

I emailed the webmaster for the www.kraftfoods.com website. I asked who was maintaining the http://www.kraftfoods.com/kosher page. I got a response back that "The requested information was not available at this time." Gee, you'd think somebody had to be updating it. And I told them I was an employee.

This seriously slows down my efforts to educate Kraft employees about what Kosher can mean to the business. First they're going to have to get a hold of the company.

Catching On...

2005-04-11T20:14:00.000-05:00

I've stocked my cubicle with a wide selection of tasty treats. The food has been disappearing pretty fast, leading me to believe that my efforts to win over my coworkers. I thought they would be awed by my altruistic methods, but one of them came by and said, "So, you're clearing out for Passover?" I actually was awed by her perception.

Return

2005-04-10T18:01:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile. I have so much else going on for a change, that this blog has been put on the back burner. I guess that's a good thing.

My mother showed me an insert in a Jewish magazine appropriately named "Kraft Kosher." It was a compilation of recipes that could be Kosher. I guess that is a start. Apparently Kraft is at least smart enough to have somebody aimed at the Kosher audience. Now I just have to find out who that person is and how much leeway they have. I can leverage them for my numerous other attempts at taking over Kraft. I think I'm going to push on my Kraft Cookbook. Basically it involves me getting Kraft to pay me for putting together a cookbook, that they can put their name on and insert their ingredients.

Let's see how far I get.

Minyan

2005-03-31T20:32:00.000-06:00

I drove my mother to work during lunch. Afterwards, I caught a Mincha Minyan at one o'clock (the timing worked out perfectly, especially considering I wasn't positive what time they would daven). I figured better to take a few minutes off of work midday, and be able to stay as late as necessary than rush back from dropping my mom off and pushing to get out in time for prayers before sundown. I ended up working until 7, so from a work-hour standpoint, I definitely was able to put in more this way.

Unrelated, I had a conversation with my new supervisor about praying in synagogue. I explained how I arrange my coming and going around prayer times. Hopefully, that'll give her a better understanding of my work ethic - I'm not running away from work...I'm running to synagogue.

Heading Out

2005-03-29T20:03:00.000-06:00

Today I worked a pretty full day 7-5:30. It was a packed day, barely any down time. In fact, I rushed everything at the end. I wanted to make it to synagogue by 5 to 6. I felt bad being the first to leave. My boss even called to ask if I wanted to special order dinner. But I told him I'd make it out in time. In truth, I would've had enough work to keep me until 6:30, or even later if I wanted to get some things done that I could do tomorrow, but I wanted to get to Shul, so I rushed everything. I hope it didn't look bad. It just didn't seem to make sense to miss praying at Shul when I was almost done anyways. If I had work that had to be done tonight and would've kept me until 7, then I would've stayed without a question. But I was so close, and felt no need to slow down just to keep up impressions. Next week the clocks change, so I can afford to work an extra hour late.

What Dress Code?

2005-03-28T20:02:00.000-06:00

There's this new girl in the office. She must be in her mid-twenties, blonde, thin. Not a model, but she is attractive enough. But apparently she is one of those girls who grew up in a trailer home. She doesn't seem to understand professional dress. She appears to be from somewhere where the only way she knows how to get attention is by dressing, well, by not dressing. In a professional environment, status is basically acheived by dressing with class, ie wearing matching clothing, brand names, the latest styles. In the trailer parks, it is like sticking a piece of meat into a shark tank. The less you wear, the more attention you get, and therefore get further in life. But an office isn't quite like that. As in all more sophisticated enviroments, you have to be more tactful.

So this girl doesn't seem to understand any of that. She wears short skirts, tight pants, low cut blouses, and blouses that don't fully cover her stomach. We have a dress code and Kraft, but maybe because it's business casual, maybe that is accepted as anything goes.

I don't know whether to say something to this girl or her boss. It just seems so out of place. Even for her, I think she should know. Like a guy who is walking around with his zipper down, sometimes you appreciate somebody letting you know that you missed something. Of course, some people would rather learn on their own, and avoid the awkward moment.

Holiday

2005-03-24T21:04:00.000-06:00

One of my co-workers asked me about the "Holiday" tomorrow. She wanted to know whether I was planning on working. I am planning on working. I told her that it wasn't the kind of holiday where Jews can't work. I'd love to take the day off - while work isn't forbidden, it sure makes it hard to fully enjoy the day. But I have to save my vacation days to fly to New York. It's tough budgeting all your vacation days L'Shem Shomayim - For the sake of Heaven.

Update:

Another coworker came up to me Purim morning, and asked me what the holiday was about. Apparently, he saw it on his calendar from the Confederate States Civil War organization, and didn't recognize it as an event related to that group. He asked his wife, who thought it sounded like a Jewish holiday. But when you try and explain Purim, it's kind of hard. You can't quote scripture, and you can't just make it sound like the frat party that it has become.

Life's a Breeze

2005-03-21T19:00:00.000-06:00

Not sure how this happened. Today went by really fast. It's not that I was busy. Or that I had fun. But time really flew. Before I knew it, it was 5 o'clock. I didn't realy do anything today. I remember eating breakfast. And lunch. With a few bathroom breaks. I even took a nap. But working? I only remember one thing. And yet I hardly found myself looking at the clock.

Of course, my goal isn't to be occupied. It's to be productive. So still not happy. I did come up with an interesting idea, which is on my computer at work. I'll try and share that tomorrow.

Early Dismissal

2005-03-20T09:10:00.000-06:00

If you're told a week in advance that you'll be dismissed early Friday afternoon, what do you do? Well, after looking online for place tickets to New York to no success, I showed up a half hour early Friday morning. Then at 12:01, I was ready to head out the door. In truth, I didn't leave until closer to 12:30, but I think the important lesson here is that clearly the "afternoon" off means the second the clock hits PM, no?

Looking busy?

2005-03-16T21:35:00.000-06:00

I had an interesting discussion tonight about wasting time at work. Mainly, this discussion focused around using the internet for personal use. We basically eliminated this being halachicly problematic (excluding any questions of whether the internet itself is halachicly problematic). It shouldn't be considered stealing, since 1) the cost of using the internet is less than any measurable amount, and 2) I wouldn't be stealing time from the company, assuming I only used it when I had no other assignment to accomplish (which is a large part of the day). Since they pay me to sit there all day and to do certain tasks, when I have completed my taks, I theoretically am being asked just to sit there and be available when more come around. In the meantime, I could twiddle my thumbs, or in this instance, use the internet.

Of course, we concluded that the problem of using the internet isn't actual. It's purely image based. If anyone would see me using the internet frequently, they would assume that I'm either A) a slacker, or B) do irrelevant tasks and am therefore at a dead end. So I guess I have to steer clear. And find some new clandestine office hobbies. Like looking elsewhere for openings...

Candy

2005-03-16T21:33:00.000-06:00

I ran out of candy in my gumball machine. My boss dropped me five bucks, telling me that since he is my only customer, he felt obliged to pitch in. I asked him if he was joking. But I have five dollars, so I guess he wasn't. I bought more candy.

Work Ethic

2005-03-06T19:24:00.000-06:00

On Friday, I did a bang up job of working. Basically, I showed up at 9:45, talked on the phone with two friends until 11, and went to meet a friend for lunch. That lunch lasted from 11 to 2. Then I came back to work, and worked until 3:30, at which time I left for Shabbos. The sad part is that I wasn't being irresponsible. I had nothing on my desk to do. Of course, my boss did come looking for me a few times. But I did stay later than he did. And my immediate supervisor was off for the day, so I guess I took some liberties. But I can only put forth so much effort when so little is required of me.

Corporate Shakeup!

2005-03-02T19:12:00.000-06:00

So frum boss is no longer my boss. Our group has been realigned. Now the "woman who sits next to me" will be the "woman in charge of me". Did I mention that she never liked me? That's not really true. We have very different personalities. I come off as the hotshot young guy who thinks he can conquer the world, and she is a quiet accountant. I sense some friction, that I rub her the wrong way. So I could see her A) trying to slow me down, teach me the corporate pace, and B) not appreciating my attention grabbing antics.

But aside from affecting my career prospects (which it does drastically), it will also affect my religious/personal life. By that I mean dating. I have no doubt that she won't change my ability to take off for holidays. That I'm sure she expects. But for dating...this will be tough. Keep in mind she is 45 and not married. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that. So I have to recreate all my arrangements with my boss to go to New York regularly, like "working remotely". And since she is a first timer to this management thing, I think she will be hesitant to sign off on any abnormal arrangements...We'll see.

Cholov Yisroel

2005-02-27T09:15:00.000-06:00

One of my co-workers asked me for the names of Kosher bakeries. I gave her a list, and then she asked if we could eat Entenmanns. I said, of course, I thought everything of theirs was Kosher. But then my boss tells her that he doesn't eat Entenmanns. So know we're giving conflicting Kosher explanations. My boss told her that there are different levels of Kosher. I thought that would kind of leave my coworker with a flaky not-so-respectful understanding of Kosher, so I set out to explain the difference between Cholov Yisroel and regular dairy Kashrus. And contrary to how I thought an explanation of a fairly complex and little known area of Jewish law wasn't that hard to explain. It actually went pretty well.

And of course understanding Dairy Kashrus is pretty important at the country's largest dairy seller.

Quiet

2005-02-24T17:04:00.000-06:00

It's been quiet. Too quiet. Today I was so bored, I went through my Outlook contacts, and started looking for good Shidduchim. Not that I'm a matchmaker. But it seemed to occupy my mind. So I contacted about four people. We'll see if anything comes of it. I guess it's a productive way to use my downtime.

Eating Out

2005-02-18T15:24:00.000-06:00

Today my group went out to lunch to celebrate the retirement of one of the guys. Non-kosher style. I was trying to figure out whether to go. I asked my boss if he was going, and he said of course, and I should go to. I guess he didn't pick up on the Halachic question. A religious Jew is forbidden from entering a non-Jewish restaurant because of Maaris Ayin, or Misleading other Jews. The logic goes that people would see the religious Jew going into the restaurant and assume that it is OK for Jews to eat there, thereby possibly causing another Jew to sin. So I wanted to steer clear of this lunch. But now I was not only up against the rest of my group, but my boss as well, who was either unaware of the problem, or thought it was more important for both of us to go.

In the end I didn't go. I didn't discuss it with my boss; I just told my co-workers I wouldn't be able to make it, and explained the dilemma. They understood. I just hope my boss doesn't feel that I'm more frum than him.

Bible Critic

2005-02-18T06:56:00.000-06:00

Every Thursday, most of the group goes to a Bible study group. Today, it was just me and one other hold out. So I figure'd the other person must not be into Bible study. But during that time, she calls me over and asks me if I know the Bible well. Hoping my ignorance won't show, I tell her to "try me." She asks me about Jacob and the wrestling match, and wants to know about not eating the leg of an animal. I was able to answer her. Not that I really know it so well, but fortunately, she just wanted the basic story. Passed that test.

A busy week...

2005-02-04T14:57:00.000-06:00

As the days get longer, suddenly afternoon services at shul are within reach. With services at 4:50, I only have to leave work at 4:30 to get there. That makes it quite tempting to sneak off a couple of minutes early, although I only made it once this week. On Thursday, I arranged my schedule to cut out early, coming in early in the morning and getting all the vital stuff off my desk. But in late afternoon, a crunch project came across, and I was still working through it as sundown approached. Missing my chance to sneak out, I was saved by a call from my boss tracking me down. It was time to pray. After finishing, I explained to one of my other co-workers that I had been doing. She was understanding.

Of course one of the most popular levels of religous discourse continues to be around Kosher. Not too surprising working for the largest food distributor in America. We had a little Super Bowl Snack event Thursday where the topic of conversation was which of the prepared treats would be kosher. None of them. Even though the base products where, the preparations had made them non-kosher. But the pinnacle was lunch on Friday. In honor of significant work anniversaries of two of my coworkers, our group went out to lunch. At a kosher restaurant. So not only did I get to eat, but I got to play host as well. Because apparently they thought as a Jew I would know what to order. I hoped they realized that there is no difference in the food. That is the true secret of kosher. It's not a different type of food, it just excludes certain types.

The trick remained saying the lengthy blessings after the meal in front of the large company. I debated not eating bread to avoid the conflict, but ultimately, that's what I wanted from the menu. So I basically prayed as people started getting up. Didn't generate any commotion, although somebody did ask me a questions while I was in the middle. Fortunately, I was towards the end, and I was able to finish before answering. It all works out. And I got a free lunch.

Tzitzis

2005-01-27T19:54:00.000-06:00

One of the things that I compromise on at work is my Tzitzis strings. Usually, I pull the strings out from beneath my shirt at each of their four corners and let them hang loose where they can be seen. This is the essential Mitzvah, commandment, of the Tzitzis, to be seen and serve as a visual reminder of all of Gd's commandments. But at work this comes across as too sloppy. (I guess you could ask the question of whether this is real or just perception.) So I bring them out together only on the two sides, tuck them under my belt, and stick the remainging exposed portion into my front pockets. So technically they are still sticking out where they can be seen. But they are much cleaner looking. It may be a nice look, but the inconsistency still bothers me. But haven't had any comments about them yet...

Miscelaneous Jew

2005-01-26T19:37:00.000-06:00

Today we had our group lunch in the cafeteria. I was smart. I abandoned my peanut butter and jelly sandwich in favor of the pasta I had made for breakfast. This way I would have a shorter blessing to make after my meal. Usually you don't want to minimize the blessings you say...by nature, they are an opportunity to praise Gd, which we can seize. But when you're eating with three other people, who either abandon you alone at the table while you "talk to yourself" reading from a little book or must sit and wait for you to finish, the short version comes in handy.

I also got into a discussion about the confidentiality of confessional and pastor/rabbinical conversations. I told my co-worker that there is no Jewish belief that such conversations should be protected from a court of law. This conversation also evolved into the issue of religious groups and their exemption from general discrimination rules. We both pondered the free speech/non-discrimination implications of these distinctions. Overall, very informative.

Finally, I wanted to write about an awkward situation that comes up pretty much every day. Multiple times. Saying Berachos (prayers) leaves me in a difficult position. During prayers, I cannot respond to anything around me. This is most difficult when saying the Beracha after using the washroom (we praise Gd for even the simplest of daily activities, out of respect for the profound complexity of these biological wonders). The Beracha is fairly long, and by nature, I'm not in a private place (it is not respectful to say prayers in the washroom itself, leaving me in the hallway). So I must find the locations where I am least likely to run into somebody on the way. Also, when I wash my hands before eating bread for lunch (as the Priests did in the temple to assure ritual cleanliness before dealing with the holy sacrifices), I cannot talk until after eating the bread. But I must wash down the hall in the break room. And the blessing for the bread is ideally made in the same place where one will eat. Hence, I have a little walk from where I wash my hands to where I will eat. Also, making it difficult to avoid ignoring anybody along the way. Often, I'll fill a cup with water, and walk quickly with my eyes on the cup as if I'm afraid of it spilling. This averts eye contact, which avoids a need to acknowledge somebody passing. Of course, I'll probably be lucky enough to walk past the CEO during this time...

Settling In?

2005-01-26T07:28:00.000-06:00

I put in my first 12+ hour day at work. I came in right after praying in the morning - at 6:45 Am. And I didn't leave until after 7:15, when I went home, ate a quick dinner and headed off to pray again. Not a bad day. Unfortunately there usually isn't a reason to stay that long. Not that there was a particularly good one today.

The office ordered dinner again today. And it seemed like they've picked up on the fact that I can't eat it. My boss is already on top of it - promising we could expense our own dinner if we want to. I'd rather go home...

After dinner at home, I went to learn for a few minutes. I have been learning Mishnah Berurah, a modern summary of daily Jewish laws. I only spent 15 minutes studying, but I guess the plus side was that I sat down and did it with no one pushing me to. Hopefully, it will be a sign that I'm shifting away from the learning in my spare time theme.

Avoiding the Group

2005-01-20T19:30:00.000-06:00

Today was Thursday. Which means Bible Study day in our group. The woman who trains me arranges for a preacher to come in and give a class on the bible. Most of the people in the group go. But there are Halachic problems with me going. It would be interesting to hear what they have to say. And I don't think there would be any problems with me sitting and listening in. But I do know it is forbidden to teach a non-jew torah, specifically the bible. So as soon as they ask me what Judaism has to say on a topic, I'd be in violation.

Of course, there is also the problem of my ignorance. I don't know the literal or figurative interpretations of every part of the bible. So I'd be left in a position where my ignorance signals emptiness on the part of my religion, or worse, weakness. So I'm not going to let my poor showing be, well, a poor showing for Judaism. So I'll just have a quiet lunch at my desk...and keep avoiding the invitation every week.

Distractions

2005-01-20T19:28:00.000-06:00

As if officially announcing "I don't care about work" to my group, I finally brought in my mini-putting green into the office. So now I am the official sponsor of games for the group. Which basically tells everybody that I'd rather be playing than working, and additionally, will spend my time getting others to do the same. So much for the charade of being a team player.

Brown

2005-01-19T19:18:00.000-06:00

Today I wore my brown pants, with a brown sweater. I wasn't sure which shoes to wear. I don't like how the brown shoes go with the pants. They're two different shades or something. I wore black shoes. But I felt like such a fool, so I pretty much hid in my cube all day.

I really don't know how to work with this business casual thing. It really conflicts with my religious sensibilities. I have to stretch my wardrobe to colors I would never otherwise wear. And I have no idea how to wear them and match at the same time.

I think I shouldn't have compromised on the clothes. I should just have stuck to black and white, albeit a nice dressy version. I stick out anyways. Why am I afraid of sticking out more? I'm worried that I might be doing it because I like the variety.

The Pace

2005-01-19T19:11:00.000-06:00

After a full day of work yesterday, I guess I was lulled into a false sense of action. I did nothing today. I took a pre-lunch nap. Usually, it's not until siesta time that I get nappy. They say it will be a busy week next week. That still doesn't occupy my time now. I wish there was a way to let my coworkers understand that I'm not slacking, I just don't have anything to do. And that is with offering to help them with their work.

The Bosses Wife

2005-01-18T20:34:00.000-06:00

So on my way into work today, my supervisor passes me as his wife is dropping him off. He calls me over to introduce me. I say Hi, she says Hi. Game over. But I got the feeling like it was a huge letdown for him. Like he'd been talking me up for months and we didn't hit it off. Oh well. She is married already.

But during the day his wife came back. With the kids. And the whole group gathered round to ogle them. But of course, being the bearded one, they gravitated towards me. So I felt all defensive, like I had to play silly little baby entertainer to justify the attention they were giving me. But they were cute.

I also gave a mini-kosher lesson to one of my co-workers. There wasn't much of a lesson. They just thought that the Kraft products I was eating at my desk weren't kosher. I showed them. Lesson over.

Kraft Kosher?

2005-01-14T15:06:00.000-06:00

We had a department meeting at 9:00, for about 50 people. And we had a kosher breakfast! My manager had ordered breakfast, with bagels and cream cheese and danishes and orange juice. I was able to eat everything! So things are getting more kosher here. Maybe in numbers we are educating people. After the meeting the outgoing Director of the Department commented to me that the food must be kosher, since I was eating it. So I guess I am giving some healthy exposure to the group...

On another front, I booked a ticket to NY for the weekend during the day. The only catch is that I come back Tuesday morning. I negotiated with my supervisor to work remotely on Monday. So now I have the pressure to actually produce something that show's I was working. It should be a motivating challenge. But I also feel bad, like I'm giving the impression that I'm deserting my group, and not making them first priority. But a guy has to date. I just hope everyone understands.

Out of Office

2005-01-13T17:19:00.000-06:00

Today my supervisor wasn't in. I pretty much did have work to do all day, which is nice, I guess. Although it was pretty much investigating the sloppy work of my coworkers, which taught me a good business principle - pay to get it right the first time!

Since I was bored, I left work early in order to pray at synagogue. It only meant I left an hour early, and since I didn't take lunch it wasn't crazy. Although my coworkers probably thought I was just sneaking out. They didn't know that shul (synagogue) started at 4:20. So I could've stopped what I was doing to pray in my cubicle and then gone home, or just gone to shul. I guess I should be more forthright in the future so that they don't just see me as a slacker. And so I can show how important prayer is.

Awkward Assumptions

2005-01-12T17:25:00.000-06:00

I told my supervisor what I thought of my job. Well, I didn't really. I told him its boring. And asked him what other options are out there. But when it came down to quitting, I'm not there yet. After all, after we finished talking, I had to ask him to pray together.

We use his office to pray, so we can have some privacy. It assures me of some face time with the boss every day. As such, we've built quite a relationship. Which only makes more awkward situations such as having to let him know my feelings about the job he created...We'll see.

A little more intro...

2005-01-12T07:47:00.000-06:00

I think it's important to give you a little bit more background to the creation of Kraft Kosher...not the blog, but the reality. One of my goals in taking the job at Kraft was to show that Orthodox Judaism is perfectly adaptable to every situation. And there are few situations potentially colder to the value of individualism than corporate America. I wanted to prove that without compromise I could fully integrate and excel into an environment where my beliefs and practices were foreign. Both as an inspiration to the gentiles and non-practicing Jewish people at Kraft, but also to those religious souls who feel there is no way to particpate in the world and remain fully committed to their faith. So the job sounded like a perfect opportunity to test my idealism.

First day on the job, I'm greeted at the door by a bearded guy. OK, I think, so my beard won't be that exceptional here. Then I find out that this guy is my supervisor. In his office, he confides in me that he is a religious Jew, although not wearing a head covering, I wouldn't have known. He is a Baal Tshuva (born again Jew, for lack of a better term) with the Lubavitch movement, and in our first meeting assures me that I will not have to worry about any conflicts with my religious practice from him.

So there goes my whole premise of breaking new ground. Everything is taken care of here. A company of 106,000 employees, and I'm working for the one frum man (actually, I've found one other, but that's a different story). So I'll still have issues, but some of the idealism is taken out of it.

Priorities

2005-01-11T19:44:00.000-06:00

Today was a pretty slow day at work. I'll try and spread some more on that theme later (actually, I think I'd have a hard time covering up what I think of my work). My boss took the day off. So after a day of looking busy, which mainly consisted of me filling up my gumball machine, checking out every page on the corporate intranet, and sleeping while staring at a report printout, I decided that instead of praying in the office, I'd head out to synagogue. With services 15 minutes away at 4:25, I thought it would be doable. Either way, I just wanted out of the office. Even though at 3:30 I came up with something that needed doing. But I figured how often do I get this chance, and so I left. I made it almost on time. But it sure beats finding an empty cubicle.

Dress to Kill

2005-01-06T19:21:00.000-06:00

Today I wore my browns. I didn't head off to work for UPS, I was just wearing my brown slacks, brown shoes, and brown sports coat. And boy did I clash. I got dressed in the dark this morning, but I still thought I might be off a bit. And when I got to work, and saw myself, I knew I was right. It was just wrong.

But it leaves an interesting point. I'm not used to wearing brown. I almost always wear exclusively black and white, for religious reasons. But the interesting conflict is that Kraft is a business casual outfit, so I would stick out (even more than I do anyways) wearing dark suits. So I've had to adapt my wardrobe. And it's difficult to do so-and still match.

For some quick background, the idea behind the black and white to begin with, at least in my opinion, is not from scriptural source, but from a religious worldview with certain moral priorities. In Judaism, a number of rules are at play. First is the idea of humbleness. Accordingly, clothes that are overly flashy or trendy contradict this perspective. But at the same time there is an importance placed on presenting yourself well, seeing the Jewish people as a princely people, direct servants of Gd. So sloppy, dirty, or casual wear are in conflict with this ethic. So a simple black and white should do the trick. Unless you work in Khaki and Polo land. (My first comment after coming back from my first day at Kraft was that it seemed like the land of bad holiday gifts...I've never seen so many ugly sweaters and ill fitting, four year old shirts.)

So I've had to revise my wardrobe. Not easy. It's still fairly dark. And it's almost all single color garments. But I've had to look harder to find clothes that will look like I change on a daily basis, but that still convey simplicity. I hope I do a good job.

Intro Post

2005-01-05T20:38:00.000-06:00

Nothing really fancy in this-here post. You don't know me yet, so I don't want to overwhelm you. At this point, I'll just start with introductions. My name is Josh, I am currently 24. (If I'm still posting at that point, I'll let you know when I hit 25.) I just graduated from Yeshiva University in New York City in September with a degree in Finance. After graduating, I consulted for a few months for a private equity fund in New York, the Plymouth Group. However, after Thanksgiving a returned to Chicago to start the slow life at Kraft Foods, which is headquartered here on Chicago's North Shore. Yes, I'm Jewish, which is the Kosher half of the Blog's title. I'm also Orthodox, meaning I fully subscribe to the unaltered religious traditions upheld by our people. And that creates an interesting life-dynamic. And part of the goal of this blog will be to let you see how that affects my life, from the professional, social, familial, and, yes, even within the religious sphere. I love talking, but even more I like dialogue, so not only will I read your comments, but I'll probably also respond. See you again soon!