Closing of Pita Plus near University of Maryland upsets Jewish students

Pita Plus in College Park, MD has suddenly closed without explanation and is being converted into a halal shop. Some Jewish students at the University of Maryland are up in arms that the only off campus kosher eatery is now closed. Students can still access Kosher food on campus at the University of Maryland Hillel.

The university’s Jewish community has expressed frustration at the closing of Pita Plus, which many relied on as a local spot to take families and visitors who keep kosher. Others argue that the lack of an off-campus kosher restaurant presents a challenge for getting meals that adhere to their religious dietary restrictions.
“It’s really upsetting,” said junior Stephanie Cantor, a member of the university’s Jewish Leadership Council. “I know there’s a really large population that definitely loved to have this as an alternative to Hillel, especially for freshmen living in dorms who don’t have the option to cook meals.”

“Obviously I was disappointed because that was where, if I wanted to eat out, that’s where I’d go,” said Nina Calmenson, president of Kedma, the Orthodox student group at the university. “I was disappointed and surprised; they’re the only kosher restaurant in College Park. Now, you would have to drive to Silver Spring or Rockville, and in my opinion that’s a far drive.”

Students who can’t travel that far must come up with other food options. They will need to rely more on self-prepared food and the cafeteria at Hillel, a Jewish student group, they said.

And although Hillel offers kosher meal plans and a new market – with better food than before, some students said – some see dining there as a last resort.

Sources:
http://www.diamondbackonline.com/mobile/news/pita-plus-closes-without-explanation-1.1550956
http://www.eathalalonly.com/2010/09/halal-shop-to-replace-kosher-pita-plus.html

Tags: campus, halal, Kosher, maryland, md, pita plus, umd, university of maryland

---

Promoted Websites

A YeahThatsKosher Update

Dear Kosher Travelers,

Due to the recent economic situation, many of you are traveling less, some are traveling more, and hopefully, everyone is still traveling kosher. There are a few items we’d like to announce as the late Spring / Summer travel season gets underway.

First, we’d like to shep nachas. YeahThatsKosher founder, Dani Klein, was named the #13 most influential Jewish individual on Twitter. You can follow Dani, and all YeahThatsKosher updates here: @YeahThatsKosher. You can view the rest of the top 100 Jews and Organizations on Twitter here: http://kavod.jta.org/out.php?title=jtarsquos-100-most-influential-jewish-twitterers

Secondly, we’d like to ask for your assistance. In order for our site to constantly provide content, we need the support and insight from our readership. If you’ve been traveling over the past year, consider writing a post for the blog. Keep in mind the mitzvah you’ll be doing by providing others with kosher information.

If you are interested in writing for the blog, please visit our Writer’s Tools page: http://yeahthatskosher.com/writers-tools/

And finally, we are looking into researchng keeping kosher on college campuses, as well as which sports stadiums and arenas offer kosher food. If you are interested in helping with this research, or writing about your college campus, please post, or email: yeahthatskosher.com@gmail.com

Please help spread the word about YeahThatsKosher.

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/yeahthatskosher

Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/wwwYeahThatsKoshercom/58615880234

Give our posts “Kavod” on the JTA’s site. Click the Kavod button in the right column.

Shabbat Shalom!

~Dani Klein

YeahThatsKosher Founder

Tags: @yeahthatskosher, campus, college, dani klein, facebook, jewish travel, JTA, Kosher on Campus, kosher travel, mitzvah, twitter

---

Promoted Websites