THE CITRON (ETROG):
ALL TYPES OF ARE KOSHER

The citron, together with myrtle, willow and palm leaves, make up the "four species"
upon which blessings are recited during the seven-day Succot holiday.

All of the etrogim (citrons) that are available on the market in Israel are "real citrons" and should therefore be kosher for use on the Succot holiday, according to a professor of horticulture at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Determination as to the "horticultural purity" of the citrons was made by Eliezer E. Goldschmidt, James D. Rothschild Professor of Horticulture at the Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences of the Hebrew University.

His pronouncement has significance, since religious authorities over the centuries have questioned the kashrut (ritual suitability) of citrons grown on trees that have been grafted with other species of citrus.

However, using techniques of molecular genetics, Prof. Goldschmidt has succeeded in proving that various strains of the fruit are in fact"real citrons" because of the close relationship in the makeup of their DNA.

In all, Prof. Goldschmidt -- himself a religious Jew who has researched the issue for several years -- examined 12 different types of citrons grown in Israel and Italy, including types originating from Morocco and Yemen.

He found that not only were they all genetically nearly identical, but that there were clear differences between the DNA of these fruits and others in the citrus family, such as lemons and mandarins.

Prof. Goldschmidt worked on the project in collaboration with colleagues in Italy specializing in genetic research on citrus fruits.

The citron, together with myrtle, willow and palm leaves, make up the "four species" upon which blessings are recited during the seven-day Succot holiday.

Most species of citrus arrived to the Middle East from the Far East (China and India) many hundreds of years ago, with the citron being the first among them, followed by the lemon and other citrus species.

During the Middle Ages, cultivation of the citron and other citrus trees spread throughout the Mediterranean basin.

   
   
Information provided by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem