Update on Halal & Kosher Menu Items

September 1, 2022

Dear Skokie School District 73.5 Families,

A number of questions and concerns have been raised by the community concerning halal and kosher menu items. This memo seeks to address those questions and concerns.

Questions/Concerns:

• Is the district really adhering to kosher or halal or just attempting to check a box?
• Where are items being purchased from?
• Are the items certified halal or kosher?
• Are all items on the monthly menu kosher or halal?
• How do students get the halal or kosher meat option?
• Where/who do we contact with questions?

Response:

The District and the food service management company, Organic Life, take the responsibility of providing a kosher and halal meat option very seriously. Organic Life is working with their distributor to source certified items.This distributor provides certifications (see example below). Due to supply chain issues some of those items will not be available for months. When this happens Organic Life will use local sources:

Kosher
Jewel/Osco
2485 Howard St
Evanston, IL 60202

Halal
World Fresh Market
2434 W Devon Ave 
Chicago, IL 60659

Only the halal and kosher meat options are certified. These options are not listed on the menu, but the options remain consistent on a weekly basis. The options are as follow: 
 
Halal options:

• Chicken wrap (Halal chicken breast specially ordered from our distributor on a Lawash wrap, also specially ordered. Please find the halal certification for the chicken below.)
• Cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread (both cheese and bread halal)

Kosher options:

• Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread (both turkey and bread purchased from a kosher market)
• Cheese sandwich (both bread and cheese purchased from a kosher market)

The monthly menu does not list the halal or kosher meat options. To receive this option a student must ask for the halal or kosher meat option when going through the lunch line. 

Food service questions, concerns, and comments can be directed to Karen Hayes, Operational Services Coordinator at 847-676-8317 or by email at [email protected].