>>>>>>>>Yes I do - but I married into a family which were not very observant - Shabbos is very peaceful if you follow the spirit
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>But then it its necessary to earn a living and this is more important than pure observance - that's why orthodoxy is now in a minority
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>See what I wrote here: message #1420300
>>>>>>>Apparently even nowadays an orthodox way of living is a luxury?!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I think that non-orthodox way of living is more a matter of convenience than a necessity.
>>>>>
>>>>>That's an interesting difference in pov. As I understood from my father, only the more wealthy jews could afford:
>>>>>1) not working on sabbath
>>>>>2) eat only kosjer food
>>>>>
>>>>>Admitted, that was 80-90 years ago, here in Amsterdam. Times have changed. But it might still be the case. Perhaps not in your city, but in other places, yes.
>>>>
>>>>I don't think it was a matter of social inequality. I cannot say for Amsterdam, but in schtetl environment Sabbat observation was quite universal. Naturally, our days, when 5-day workweek is very common and kosher food is available in supermarkets, it is even more difficult, in my opinion, to find income lines in this issue.
>>>
>>>Kosher food in supermarkets? Unknown to me. In the Netherlands you have to live in one of the few jewish neighboorhoods to get kosher food. I guess that's one of the main reasons why orthodox jews live together in a jewish neighboorhood.
>>
>>Yes, I actually wanted to tell the same to Ed. In NY, where he lives, there are many kosher stores and some supermarkets have kosher sections. In Milwaukee, there is only one kosher store (quite small) and with not very convenient hours of operation. Some supermarkets have sections of kosher food - in some of them these sections are bigger (there more Jews live), in some smaller or no at all. So, to find kosher food in a such place may become a challenge. I'm sure in some states / places it's almost impossible.
>
>I apologize. Being non-observant person I can hardly judge this kind of inconveniences.
>However, it is my understanding that kosher principles are not made in supermarkets, it's more of willingness to follow, i.e. you may not get glatt kosher food, but you could still be able to get 'rudimentary kosher' by buying in regular supermarket and applying common kosher rules.

No to your last point - food is either Kosher or it's not