My Conversion Story Journal

June 30, 2025

Traveling to a different state and keeping kosher are not without its challenges. You can get a kosher meal on the plane, but bring your own fork and spoon. Though they do offer an unused one, it doesn't say that the fork and spoon are kosher. The food comes with a pamphlet with the kosher certification on it and a description of what blessing to say over the food. It also comes double wrapped. I admit that it looks weird and I got weird looks when I had a tray plastic wrapped and the food unwrapped and no one else's was that way.

I did not rent a car because I was told that I would be driven anywhere I needed to go. I should have known that would be a mistake, and it was. It took just a couple of hours before Shabbat started that I was finally convincing enough to get them to take me to the right store to get kosher grape juice. There are a few stores that sell kosher products, but it is not as plentiful as it is here where I live. Starting Shabbat was very stressful, but it was good, like always, after it started.

I went to the Chabad in Utah. It was smaller and the women were friendly. There were almost as many people that were visitors (on the women's side) as there were regulars. They sang a lot more than at my shul, and the Rabbi's voice was the loudest (not in a bad way). I liked that they handed out Tehillim after service and said Tehillim together for the hostages, the soldiers, and all Israel. That was really nice, because everyone was quiet. I don't think that is possible in my shul to do. It is too loud. The only thing I didn't like was that there was a paining on the women's side (I'm not even sure what it was) in the direction that we pray. It was off to the side, but still on that wall, and made me uncomfortable. The kiddish was nice and the women I talked to were nice. I can't tell you anything about the men, because I didn't talk to any.

I'm glad that I brought my own challah, because I didn't see any anywhere that the Rabbi said they would have some. However, I did find some good kosher things, including soda at the most unexpected places.

There was one kosher food truck located in the parking lot of the shul. That is the only kosher restaurant in Utah. Though I wouldn't fly to Utah just to go there, the food truck was delicious and comparable to the kosher restaurants where I live. I had one kosher lunch eaten at this restaurant. Everything else, I made myself.

Things to remember: bring kosher food and dishes. Rent a car.

It was a good trip and completely able to be done with a kosher diet.