ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, April 3, 1996               TAG: 9604030025
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MAG POFF STAFF WRITER

KOSHER CATERER CALLED MURPHY TO FEED ROANOKE SYNAGOGUES

Ed Murphy of Murphy's Of Course will be kept busy during the next two days of Passover; preparing kosher meals is this caterer's specialty.

But he can't prepare the food in his own kitchen; which is not kosher by the strict standards of the religious observance.

Murphy said kosher kitchens at Passover must be thoroughly cleansed of leavened foods and the utensils replaced.

Tonight, however, Murphy's employees will assist in the kosher kitchen of a Roanoke family that is hosting a large Passover dinner. He said his employees have been trained to help cook and serve the special meal.

The big night, however, will come Thursday when Murphy will prepare traditional Seder suppers for the congregations of Beth Israel Synagogue and Temple Emanuel.

Rabbi Jerome Fox of Beth Israel said its kitchen already has been cleaned for Passover and is sealed until Thursday night.

Conservative Jews eat only food prepared in a kosher kitchen, Fox said.

Murphy has been trained to keep a kosher kitchen, Fox said, but he would cook only in the kitchen of a congregation or private home. A conservative Jewish family would be unlikely to break these rules, he said, but a more liberal family might not keep a kosher kitchen.

Murphy traveled to Wheaton, Md., the closest place he can get ingredients necessary for the two large dinners. Local supermarkets sell some kosher foods, he said, but he could not get the fresh chickens he needed and the cost of other ingredients would be prohibitive.

Archie Fralin, spokesman for The Kroger Co., said all Kroger stores have lines of kosher foods, but the Tanglewood and Cave Spring Corners stores offer expanded sections for the holidays.

The stores said sales are especially brisk this year, exceeding demand for most previous Passovers.

Fralin said traditional items such as matzo balls are selling well, but so are some new items such as holiday cookies.

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