Not Kosher for Muslims: Jewish cookies (archive photo)
Photo: Yael Garti
Muslims offended by 'Jewish' cookies
Company may change product name of traditional pre-Christmas Danish treat
A group of Danish Muslims is refusing to eat traditional “Jewish” cookies because they feel offended by the name.
According to the daily Danish newspaper B.T., Ole Poulsen, head of the public food consumer department said that the Muslim refusal to buy the cookies could have an effect on sales.
"If this will be the case, then we would be obliged to do something about it," he declared.
He added that changing the product name was a possibility, as had in the past been done with the “Negroes’ kiss” cakes, which were re-branded with a more neutral name.
Educating population
Jewish cookies, which are made with cinnamon and hazelnuts and actually have nothing particularly Jewish about them, are very popular in Denmark during the pre-Christmas period.
Denmark’s chief rabbi, Bent Lexner, said that he did not see any problem in a name change.
“There is nothing Jewish in it and I wouldn’t mind another name, but I think that it would be better to educate Muslims to respect the culture of the majority in Denmark, if they want the majority to respect their culture".
Most of Denmark’s “Jewish” cookies are not kosher and they are therefore not consumed by a large part of the Jewish population.
Article published by arrangement with European Jewish Press , a pan-European news agency based in Belgium
