# Question for Jewish dopers, do alot of you eat ham? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2010, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039 "2010-09-17T01:18:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![notsoheavyd3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85e7bf/32.png) [@notsoheavyd3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notsoheavyd3)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/1 "2010-09-17T01:18:38Z")
I know it’s kind of a weird question. I was watching an old Daily Show that had Mario Batalli on it and if I heard right he made Stewart a dish containing prosciutto(ham) and Stewart dug right into it. Ok, so I was under the impression that even non-religious Jewish people actually didn’t do ham and the like. So just curious, is eating pork products actually uncommon even amongst the non-religious Jewish community or do they have little problem with it? ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/2 "2010-09-17T01:21:06Z")
No problem with it what so ever. Other than health wise. I stopped eating pork, and other fatty meats, a lot a while back. I still have a chicken bacon ranch, or grilled cheese and bacon. ETA: My dad is the same way, as are most non religious Jews and (former?) Muslims I know. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/3 "2010-09-17T01:28:12Z")
Since this is asking about personal experiences, it’s better suited for IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/4 "2010-09-17T02:10:26Z")
non religious jew here. Eat pork and ham whenever I feel like it. Why not? ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/5 "2010-09-17T02:17:27Z")
Non-religious Jew who eats pork-based products all the time. My grandmother: semi-religious Jew (everything but the rather important going-to-temple part) who eats pork-based products. My good friend R.: religious Jew, highly involved with Jewish life, eats pork-based products. tl;dr - not even most of the Jews I know keep kosher ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/6 "2010-09-17T02:20:59Z")
My nuclear family is Orthodox; the rest of my relatives are not. I was a bit put off at a party for my cousin, where they were serving some sort of ham orderves. So I guess some people are completely consistant in their non-kosherness. ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/7 "2010-09-17T02:22:15Z")
Religious (Orthodox) Jew here. I don’t eat ham, which is forbidden according to traditional Judaism. Most/all of the non-religious Jews I know eat ham. In fact, a Jew could call himself religious and still have no religious objection to eating ham, as Reform Judaism doesn’t insist on traditional kashrut. ---
**Author:** ![Incref](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@Incref](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incref)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/8 "2010-09-17T02:45:39Z")
I’m not Jewish but I simply had to post this when I saw the title. [Hyperbole and a Half: The Alot is Better Than You at Everything](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html) ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/9 "2010-09-17T03:41:52Z")
Conservadox Jew here. I gave up pork products years ago. I have twice _accidentally_ eaten them since then (once I thought the sandwich was sliced turkey. Once I didn’t realize that the sandwich I was eating had bacon in it) ---
**Author:** ![kombatminipig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5ac83/32.png) [@kombatminipig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kombatminipig)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/10 "2010-09-17T07:22:29Z")
Secular Jew. I don’t keep kosher at all. I see no moral benefit to it, and I’ve never felt that it makes me less of a Jew not to, though many would disagree. And no, I won’t be fasting tomorrow, though i traditionally do (though I don’t attend services). This is mostly because I’m on vacation with my gf though 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/11 "2010-09-17T09:33:41Z")
> [@kombatminipig](#): > > Secular Jew. I don’t keep kosher at all. I see no moral benefit to it, and I’ve never felt that it makes me less of a Jew not to, though many would disagree. > > And no, I won’t be fasting tomorrow, though i traditionally do (though I don’t attend services). This is mostly because I’m on vacation with my gf though 😉 Just curious: If you’re non-religious and see no reason to keep kosher, what reason do you have to fast? ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/12 "2010-09-17T09:39:18Z")
Behold the power of BACON! ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/13 "2010-09-17T10:53:41Z")
I grew up in a kosher home, but don’t keep it myself. I have no problem with shellfish- love lobster and generally have shrimp in the house. I have a weird mental block with pork. I don’t keep it in the house, and don’t eat ham or pork out. Will eat bacon and sausage. Irrational and random, I know. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/14 "2010-09-17T11:33:59Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > > [@kombatminipig](#): > > > > Secular Jew. I don’t keep kosher at all. I see no moral benefit to it, and I’ve never felt that it makes me less of a Jew not to, though many would disagree. > > > > And no, I won’t be fasting tomorrow, though i traditionally do (though I don’t attend services). This is mostly because I’m on vacation with my gf though 😉 > > Just curious: If you’re non-religious and see no reason to keep kosher, what reason do you have to fast? Did he say nonreligious? I didn’t see it. ---
**Author:** ![kombatminipig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5ac83/32.png) [@kombatminipig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kombatminipig)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/15 "2010-09-17T12:23:27Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > > [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > > > Just curious: If you’re non-religious and see no reason to keep kosher, what reason do you have to fast? > > Did he say nonreligious? I didn’t see it. Well, honestly, secular to the point of nonreligious. Atheist even. I fast for the same reason that most of the western world celebrates easter and christmas, because it’s a cultural thing. On a side note, I consider it healthy to remind myself once a year what it means to be truly and honestly hungry, and going without water to the point of discomfort when it’s in abundance all around me. Keeps things in perspective. ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/16 "2010-09-17T12:37:32Z")
I eat pork (and shellfish) as an actively Reform Jewish choice. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/17 "2010-09-17T12:39:29Z")
Not Jewish here, but we had some Jewish friends over for Easter dinner a couple of years ago. We had ham. Their idea. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/18 "2010-09-17T12:45:54Z")
> [@Incref](#): > > I’m not Jewish but I simply had to post this when I saw the title. [http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html) Beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/19 "2010-09-17T12:51:15Z")
> [@Incref](#): > > I’m not Jewish but I simply had to post this when I saw the title. [http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html](http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html) That’s great. It’s gotten so bad, I don’t even see the error anymore. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039/20 "2010-09-17T13:03:33Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Behold the power of BACON! Preach it, brother! Seriously - grew up in a kosher household, and I really don’t think there’s any finer way to develop a rich, nuanced appreciation for the awesomeness of bacon. I actually pity the people who grew up with access to the stuff, because they can’t possibly enjoy it as much as I do. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-jewish-dopers-do-alot-of-you-eat-ham/554039.md?page=2)