CIS Nut Policy
The Congregation Israel of Springfield (CIS) Nut Policy is designed to help provide a safe environment for everyone with nut and peanut allergies,* and to raise the awareness of all members of the CIS community regarding severe allergies. People suffering from nut allergies may suffer severe medical responses to exposure to these allergens. Anaphylaxis, or anaphylactic shock, is a systemic allergic reaction that can be fatal within minutes.
We acknowledge that due to food processing practices and other actions over which we have no control, it is impractical to eliminate nuts or nut products entirely from an environment where there is food. Therefore, we have opted to be a Nut Aware community. While our goal is to strive to be a nut-free space to the extent possible, parents/congregants must recognize that it is impossible for us to create a completely nut-free environment. CIS is not strictly a nut-free facility and cannot enforce a nut-free policy for the entire facility. All attendees are strongly encouraged to use caution of what foods they and their children may have access to and eat.
1. Nuts and foods containing (even traces of) nuts SHOULD NOT BE BROUGHT INTO CIS at CIS functions including prayer services and social events. However, events that are primarily adult-related activities or private functions will not be restricted by this policy. Any food that contains nuts at these events must be removed from CIS immediately upon its completion. The kiddish/event contract will be amended to include this requirement.
2. Food provided by CIS, including snacks, Kiddush and/or other catered meals, will strive to be nut-free, but depending on the caterer, may have been made in the same facility as food containing nuts.
3. For purposes of this policy, restricted foods include any products with nuts as an ingredient or with a cautionary label warning.
4. It is understood that the CIS kitchen and its equipment will not be “nut-free.”
5. Congregants will be advised to read labels on all foods before bringing or sending them in to CIS to identify nut ingredients “hidden” in foods to keep them out of CIS.
6. The Youth House will also be subject to the “CIS Nut Policy.”
7. The CIS Nut Policy will be communicated to the congregation via the CIS website, but CIS cannot and does not guarantee that food served at CIS functions is safe for allergic individuals.
*“Nut” refers to peanuts and tree nuts. Tree nuts include but are not limited to: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts (According to FARE - Food Allergy Research and Education, foodallergy.org/common-allergens/tree-nut).
Sat, April 27 2024 19 Nisan 5784