VOLUNTARY CHAPLAINS — Five local members of the clergy, including Congregation Ohev Sholom’s Rabbi Scott White, are volunteering their time to serve the Prairie Village Police Department. They will be lending an ear to officers who put themselves at risk every day. Whether it’s behind the wheel in a patrol car or responding to a disturbance, officers often deal with escalating situations and stress.
The new Chaplain Program of the Prairie Village Police Department offers resources to its officers and staff, which can benefit them in numerous ways. The main goal for the chaplains is to be a resource to the officers, staff and their family members.
SODASTREAM CELEBRATES ISRAEL AT 70 — SodaStream is celebrating Israel’s 70th anniversary with three limited-edition 1-litre carbonating bottles. The bottles feature two Israeli prime ministers and the founder of Zionism. The special three-bottle kit contains:
Golda Meir — The first and only female prime minister of Israel
David Ben Gurion — Israel’s first prime minister
Binyamin Ze’ev Herzl — Formed the Zionist Organization and is known as the father of the State of Israel
THE IMPOSSIBLE BURGER IS NOW KOSHER (JTA) — Those who keep kosher and have been craving a cheeseburger should rejoice — the Impossible Burger, a meatless patty that has made waves for how similar it tastes to real beef, is now certified kosher and pareve.
The Orthodox Union, the United States’ largest kosher certification agency, has given the burgers its stamp of approval, its producer Impossible Foods announced May 22.
The kicker: since the burgers are made without animal products, they can be eaten with either milk or meat — including cheese — without violating Jewish law.
Impossible burgers are different from traditional veggie burgers because they are made directly from proteins and other ingredients including wheat protein, potato protein and coconut oil. The key ingredient, according to the company, is a protein called heme that gives the burgers their meaty taste and texture. They are known for “bleeding” just like a normal burger — and tasting awfully close to one as well.
The product has been a resounding success, and its parent company has raised hundreds of millions of dollars of investments.
“Getting kosher certification is an important milestone,” said Patrick O. Brown, Impossible Foods CEO and founder. “We want the Impossible Burger to be ubiquitous, and that means it must be affordable and accessible to everyone — including people who have food restrictions for religious reasons.”
Impossible Burgers are also in the process of receiving halal certification, which should come through later this year, according to the company.