Clean Monday
Clean Monday is a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus, where it is celebrated with outdoor excursions, the consumption of shellfish and other fasting food, a special kind of azyme bread, baked only on that day, named "lagana" () and the widespread custom of flying kites. Eating meat, eggs and dairy products is traditionally forbidden to Orthodox Christians throughout Lent, with fish being eaten only on major feast days, but shellfish is permitted in European denominations. This has created the tradition of eating elaborate dishes based on seafood (shellfish, molluscs, fish roe etc.). Traditionally, it is considered to mark the beginning of the spring season, a notion which was used symbolically in Ivan Bunin's critically acclaimed story, "Pure Monday".
Badatz Beit Yosef
Badatz Beit Yosef is a kosher certification that is widely used by Sephardic and other Jews in Israel. Badatz Beit Yosef follows the guidelines set by Rabbi Yosef Caro. In Israel, an estimated 70 percent of restaurants use the Badatz Beit Yosef standard. Badatz Beit Yosef was the first kosher-certifying organization to certify cigarettes for Passover. Badatz Beit Yosef is the leader in kosher slaughter of chicken for Orthodox Jews in Israel.