Kosher Slaughter Ban Withdrawn in Poland

POLAND - A court has overturned an earlier ban on kosher slaughter of animals, which was due to come into effect in 2015.
calendar icon 16 December 2014
clock icon 3 minute read

Poland’s constitutional court last week ruled to allow the resumption of kosher slaughter in the country, in favour of a petition to overturn a ban implemented last year, reports Y Net News.

"Jewish communities all over Europe can sigh in relief," said a statement by the European Jewish Association (EJA), which led the drive to re-allow kosher slaughter in Poland.

Rabbi Menachem Margolin, General Director of EJA, applauded the court for overturning the prohibition of kosher slaughter and voting in favour of the petition.

He added: "This is a very important day, not only for the Jewish community in Poland but for all European Jews. We were able to prevent a dangerous precedent that would have affected all European Jewry."

Rabbi Margolin spearheaded a long struggle to overturn the law passed in November 2013, but would have only been implemented in 2015. He had also appealed to Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz to overturn the law after she took office in September.

He argued that the Jewish practice of 'shechita' is "the most humane method of slaughter" as it ensures the welfare of the animal not only at the time of slaughter but also concerns itself with "the conditions in which animals are raised before their slaughter."

The Y Net News report adds that the EJA had previously campaigned against legislation to restrict the practice of ritual slaughter in Denmark.

Following Rabbi Margolin’s meetings with members of the European Commission, including Commissioner for Health Tonio Borg, the Commission promised to seek clarification on any legislation that calls for restrictions on the practice of religious slaughter.

© 2000 - 2024 - Global Ag Media. All Rights Reserved | No part of this site may be reproduced without permission.