<p>Hi, I am visting Columbia and want to get a kosher meal at the dining hall. Can I just walk in and order, or do I have to make a reservation? If I have to make a reservation, how can I do so?
thanks,
-ari</p>
<p>Ok, so this is something that no one told me when I applied and really ****ed me off. The kosher meal plan here is TERRIBLE. Seriously, its some of the worst food you will ever eat. Sometimes they don't have enough time to make you food, so they literally give you airplane food (I'm not even kidding, its still in its packaging, its actual airplane food). When you DO get the privilege of non-aeronautic food, it comes in those giant aluminum trays covered in saran wrap that they just heat up in the oven. And they dont even have a separate kitchen there is this TINY tiny room way in the back of the dining hall that took me several minutes to find (I'm talking so small that its actually difficult to turn around in it if you are holding a plate of food). And sometimes the guy who runs the kitchen (there is ONE guy) just doesnt show up and you can't eat and there is nothing you can do about it.</p>
<p>As for your actual question, later on you will have to choose a meal plan -- one of the options will be Kosher meal plans. I <em>highly</em> suggest you go with the Barnard Kosher meal plan (the standard Columbia plan is the one that I just described above). The Barnard dining hall actually has a separate kosher kitchen where they make the food, and what they make is edible and everything! </p>
<p>Also there are a few kashrut places around Columbia where you can get your food, and if you sign up for dining dollars you can use those around campus.</p>
<p>Seriously though do not sign up for the Columbia Kosher Meal Plan. I cannot stress this enough. Just. Say. NO.</p>
<p>oh...hm....i just reread your post and this is for a <em>visit</em> to columbia. For visits you generally tag along with a current student and get a meal through them. But once you are actually inside the dining hall no one will stop you from going to the kosher area and taking the food, so it doesnt really matter who you tag along with. </p>
<p>As for all the stuff i said before, it clearly doesnt apply to your situation but it shall stand as a testament to my loathing for the columbia kosher meal plan.</p>
<p>I am actually visiting tomorrow...do you know of any way I can still get the kosher meals (or does it have to be through a student)?</p>
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Seriously though do not sign up for the Columbia Kosher Meal Plan. I cannot stress this enough. Just. Say. NO.
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<p>Is this a new thing that Columbia has a Kosher meal plan? All the orthos I knew ate at Barnard... so either they all got the memo or this is a new thing.</p>
<p>According to Columbia's website there is a limited kosher meal plan at Columbia(which began this year). I now know to avoid this if possible.</p>
<p>right, Barnard's dining hall in Hewitt - which Columbia students can access with a Columbia meal plan - has a big kosher section and the food there is usually good enough that non-kosher students will sneak over and grab a slice of cake or something.</p>
<p>Columbia is the #2 school by Jewish population, behind only Brandeis, so you can be sure that they've taken care of their peeps.</p>
<p>What percent of Columbia would any of you estimate jews to be? I am just curious.</p>
<p>I would estimate 30% of the student body, at least by ethnic background. Not all are big into jewyness with Hillel and everything.</p>
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I would estimate 30% of the student body, at least by ethnic background. Not all are big into jewyness with Hillel and everything.
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<p>Gotta be a bit less..probably more in the 20-25% range. Columbia probably has 35-40% non-whites, and I don't think so many as half of the whites are Jews.</p>
<p>I buy that.</p>