2015
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aron, saying unto them,
Speak unto the people of Israel, saying,
These are beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that ye eat.
And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud, he is unclean to you.
Leviticus 11:1-3, 7
Milk Of Israel
Milk of Israel is a film project and installation set against the backdrop of the dairy farming community in Kanturk, Co. Cork. It follows the supervision process of Super Kosher milk production at North Cork Co-Operative Creameries for Yavney Food Industries in Israel.
The title, Milk of Israel, is a translation of the Hebrew term Chalav Yisroel, which refers to dairy products sourced from cows or sheep milked under the supervision of an observant Jew, ensuring compliance with Jewish dietary laws outlined in the ancient biblical books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy.Between 2005 and 2010, the creamery produced Super Kosher rennet casein for the Orthodox Jewish market for three weeks each year.
At the time of filming, they were the only producers of Super Kosher rennet casein in Europe, overseen by a Jewish Rabbi. This was made possible by the creamery's small-scale operation. Kosher certification was supervised by a team of Orthodox Jewish men and Rabbis under the authority of Beth Din Zadek in Jerusalem, Israel.
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aron, saying unto them,
Speak unto the people of Israel, saying,
These are beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that ye eat.
And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud, he is unclean to you.
Leviticus 11:1-3, 7
Installation view Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh, Co Cork
Yacov Yanki Jack | 2015 | 32 minutes | colour | sound | digital video‘
Yacov, Yanki, Jack is a filmic work that offers a rare glimpse into the practice of Chalav Yisroel—rabbinical supervision of kosher milk production. The film follows Yacov Abenson, an Orthodox Jewish supervisor from Manchester, as he conducts spot checks on Irish dairy farms supplying North Cork Creameries in Cullen, County Cork.
Due to the impracticality of continuous supervision across 100 farms during milking, these unannounced spot checks were implemented as a substitute, ensuring compliance with Jewish dietary laws. The film provides an intimate view of this ancient religious practice within a contemporary Irish rural dairy farming community, highlighting the cultural intersection created through this niche economic exchange.
The title, Yacov, Yanki, Jack, reflects the Rabbi’s names in Hebrew, Yiddish, and English, symbolising the bridging of cultural and linguistic worlds.
