Good news for rum aficionados! Bacardi is kosher. We know because today we visited the Bacardi Rum Factory in Catano, Puerto Rico, to review the production process and to see first hand whether the rum is kosher and okay for Jewish consumers. Turns out that…it is! According to the people we spoke to, they produce a hundred thousand bottles of rum each day—now that is a lot of kosher drink!

Some highlights of our trip included shmoozing with the senior manager of the plant, donning hardhats and touring the entire factory, a private lesson on how to mix the best rum-based cocktails that Puerto Rico has to offer, and the beautiful view of the Atlantic we enjoyed both ways from Isla Verda. Best of all, they were giving free drinks! (Too bad we had to drive…)

Got to run, we are making a yahrtzeit Mincha minyan!

I went to the supermarket this morning. No, not to shop, but to keep my baby happy while my wife filled our cart with supplies.

As I cruised down the aisles making whirring noises to my four-month-old (keinayinhorah), I noticed that I was dodging an awful lot of young men with shopping carts laden with pita, tuna, and non-perishable kosher staples. They were the Roving Rabbis preparing for another summer of tefillin, Torah, travel, and touching lives. This is their last chance to cram as much kosher food into their suitcases before they take to the road for weeks at a time.

I introduced myself and gave them some expert advice on what to pack and other useful tips picked up on my years on the road. Pack small mayonnaise tubes so that you do not need to refrigerate them. The packaged dried salami does not taste as good as it looks. A little extra liquorice never hurt on a long drive, and everything tastes good in a wrap!

The baby was calling, and they had a flight to catch, so we were only able to talk for a few minutes, but I am sure that they will be sending us lots of updates from wherever they are. From the green shores of Ireland to the sameness of Long Island, these young men will be spending their summers teaching and learning about what it means to be a Jew. So fasten your seatbelt and hold onto your hat because the summer is about to begin!

Your editor,

RootedRabbi