Visit the Beth Café
At the Beth Café (Hebrew: »coffee house«), Israeli and Jewish specialities are on offer (hummus and falafel, bagels, filled fish with horseradish, medschádera, matzoh dumplings, knishes, and much more). In addition it offers many tea and coffee specialities, as well as kosher wines. All meals are naturally kosher and are prepared under religious supervision.
Beth Café is a non-profit organisation of the Jewish Congregation Adass Yisroel, Berlin (Public Corporation), and was opened in 1991 in the presence of the former Head Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Israel Meir Lau.
Beth Café is an integral part of the Congregation, by which it is supported and managed. The café was founded because of the Congregation’s duty to provide a kosher eating option for Berlin’s Jewish population and their guests. It serves the purpose of allowing the congregation members, Jewish citizens, and Jewish visitors in Berlin to observe the mandatory food regulations of Jewish religious law. Correspondingly, the provision of kosher food to the Jewish population of Berlin is the religious mandate of Beth Café.
For this reason, the laws governing licensing, trade regulations and shop opening and closing times do not apply to the café. This Kaschruth establishment of the Jewish Congregation Adass Yisroel, Berlin (Public Corporation) is an element of the religious practice, and belongs to the freedom of action of the Jewish religion protected by Articles 4 and 140 of the German Constitution, in conjunction with Article 137 of the Weimar Constitution, which cannot be restricted by legislators.
Seeing as it would neither be practical nor reasonable to give out individual “entry passes” to Beth Café, the above explanation regarding the mandate of the Beth Café for the provision of kosher food is only to inform the guests.
Under the roof of the Beth Café is also the KOLBO of Adass Yisroel. Kolbo is a Hebrew word which means »everything you need is within«.
Everything that a Jewish household requires is on offer here.
The selection of goods in Kolbo spans from kosher wines from Italy, Israel, Austria and France, to macaroons, jams, honey and date syrup from the USA, to kosher cleaning products and soaps. There is a large selection of religious items, such as Hanukkah candles, Shabbat candleholders, tefilin, talit, and much more. A selection of teaching and learning material is also available for children and adults.
During Pessach, when special food regulations must be observed, the shop »KoscherLePessach« is opened and sells matzoh, kren, charosset, and everything else that a man or woman might need for Pessach.