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Religion
June 23, 2011
Dutch lawmakers offer compromise on kosher slaughter ban
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The Dutch Parliament has offered a compromise on a bill that would ban kosher slaughter.
Under the compromise hammered out June 22, ritual slaughter will not be included in a bill that would ban the slaughter of animals in the Netherlands without first stunning them if it can be proved that the ritual method of slaughter does not cause additional suffering.
Under the laws of shechitah, or Jewish ritual slaughter, animals may not be rendered unconscious before slaughter. Muslim law has a similar proscription.
The compromise means that the Jewish and Muslim communities can “go and investigate what is possible instead of just telling them what they can’t do,” lawmaker Stientje van Veldhoven of the centrist D66 party said.
The Jewish community has rejected this line of reasoning, saying the ban and the new amendment demonstrate a lack of religious freedom for Dutch Jews. As many as 50,000 Jews and approximately 1 million Muslims are living in the Netherlands, according to reports.
The Dutch parliament will vote on the proposed ban, with the amendment, next week. If the legislation passes, it would make Holland the first European Union country to ban shechitah.
Shechitah is permissible under European law and to ban it goes against the E.U. Charter of Fundamental Rights, which clearly states that there is freedom of religious practice.
A controversial ban on kosher slaughter put in place by New Zealand’s agriculture minister was partially reversed last November amid allegations that the decision was taken to appease Muslim countries that have lucrative trade relations with New Zealand. The ban on kosher slaughter of poultry was suspended; the ban on beef remains.
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@ Azer Gilbert
Progress doesn’t necessarily mean change. God gave us the Torah containing laws that last forever, whether you like it or not. After circumcision and animal slaughterting, why not also ban kosher food and begin eating pork since those who eat it are healthy ?- Comment by David on 6/25/11 at 10:44 am
As a jew, shame on you for holding these views ! If you cannot accept judaism as it is then you should consider paganism for your corrupted beliefs.
- Comment by David on 6/25/11 at 2:45 pm
There is a better answer however. Properly practiced Jewish shechita (kosher slaughter) is the kindest, gentlest, most compassionate method, including over halal (Muslim slaughter). Temple Grandin (not Jewish) is the top animal welfare specialist in the world. Here is her latest article from The Forward,
‘Maximizing Animal Welfare in Kosher Slaughter’
http://www.forward.com/articles/137318/- Comment by Ben Plonie on 6/25/11 at 11:41 pm
And in another article here http://www.meatpoultry.com/Writers/Dr Temple Grandin/Getting religious with slaughter.aspx?p=1
“It is very clear that many of the knives that people are using for halal slaughter need to be improved. I recently visited a plant where the knife was so dull that it was like trying to cut meat with a butter knife.”
- Comment by Ben Plonie on 6/25/11 at 11:45 pm
Excuse bad link above. Here it is
http://www.meatpoultry.com/Writers/Dr Temple Grandin/Getting religious with slaughter.aspx?p=1- Comment by Ben Plonie on 6/25/11 at 11:46 pm
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As a Jew, I want to be considerate in preventing cruelty to animals. I cannot imagine that stunning an animal would change anything in its make up. The comparable situation can be seen in humans during an epileptic seizure when the body returns to normal anatomy and physiology and no evidence of remaining pathology. Because our fathers “did it that way” is no longer a valid excuse. In religion as in anything else, progress means change. If we cannot change, we cannot progress!