Is Kosher Kinder?
posted by: Heather Moore 53 days ago
Today, September 28, is Yom Kippur, a Jewish High Holy Day. In observance of Yom Kippur, Jewish people are expected to fast and refrain from wearing leather shoes, among other things. It is thought to be inappropriate to wear the skin of a slaughtered animal while asking God for mercy. This might be one reason why some people seem to believe that animals are held in higher esteem by the Jewish religion.
During my years in the animal rights movement, I’ve met many people who were under the impression that kosher slaughter methods are kinder than conventional slaughter techniques. But although the Jewish commandment Tsa’ar ba’alei hayim mandates that all living be treated with compassion, kosher meat, eggs, and dairy products are not necessarily produced more ethically than non-kosher products.
Thousands of years ago, when Jewish laws requiring that animals be "healthy and moving" at the time that their throats are cut, were passed, they were intended to minimize pain to animals. Back then, kosher slaughter likely was less cruel than other slaughter methods. But with today's high-speed mass-production and sanitation laws, ritual slaughter has become a mockery of its original intent.
PETA has uncovered horrible cruelty in kosher slaughterhouses too. In 2004, an undercover investigator from PETA videotaped employees at Agriprocessors, the world's largest kosher slaughterhouse—and the subject of the biggest immigration raid in U.S. history—shocking animals in the face with electric prods, ripping out the tracheas of conscious cattle, and leaving them to die slow and painful deaths. Following PETA’s investigation, the USDA determined that Agriprocessors employees “had engaged in acts of inhumane slaughter.”
A 2008 follow-up investigation by PETA showed that, although conditions had improved somewhat at Ariprocessors, workers were still illegally hacking holes in cows’ throats. The company eventually filed for bankruptcy after years of scandals involving worker exploitation, environmental violations, and health and safety issues, as well as animal abuse.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop the suffering in kosher slaughterhouses. Uruguay and Argentina are leading exporters of kosher meat to the U.S. and Israel. A PETA investigator went undercover at a Uruguayan slaughterhouse that uses the cruel “shackle and hoist” slaughter method. He caught workers at this facility on tape as they tripped animals and forcefully pinned them down. The workers stood on the steers’ legs and used a sharp metal pole to wrench their necks back before cutting their throats and hoisting them upside-down by one leg. Workers also cut into the joints and heads of steers who were still conscious.
These atrocious practices not only violate the Jewish law mandating that animals be treated with kindness and respect, they also violate basic common decency. Slaughter—kosher or otherwise—is grisly and cruel and people of all faiths (or none at all) can best show compassion for animals by eating delicious vegetarian foods.
If you’re looking for humane kosher foods, many companies, including Mon Cuisine, Morningstar Farms, Worthington Foods, and Yves, make great-tasting, kosher-certified mock meats. And, of course, most plant-based foods are naturally kosher. For vegetarian recipes and information on other companies that make kosher-certified mock meats, see www.HumaneKosher.org.
Read more: animal welfare
comments
Thank you, Philip. And you're welcome, Thomas :-)
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Thank you Gissel.
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Well said Gissel!!
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Don't worry, Thomas, we got what you meant. Comments like those are anti-semitic indeed, and are totally out of place here. Some people immediately find an excuse to hate a particular group. Makes them feel superior. Just ignore them. Their comments say more about them than about the people they hate. Anti-Americans usually condemn death penalty when it's performed in the USA, but they never say a thing about death penalty performed anywhere else, like China or Cuba. So, they don't really care about death penalty. They just love to hate Americans. Well, I'm not a USA citizen and I didn't like Bush and his politics, but it would have been stupid from my part to judge a whole nation because of that, wouldn't it?
The problem with stereotypes is that they can turn against you, I think.
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Let me be clear. Kinder slaughter is everyone's business, yes. However, comments like
"The more I hear about the Jewish religion the more I wonder why God chose them, as they are some of the most vicious creatures in this world."
are clearly antisemitic.
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Well said, Philip. This is not about anti-semitism. In this particular case, I just wondered how people who believe in a loving God may think it's still acceptable to kill an animal while still conscious, when now we have the choice to knock them down first. I also don't get why the Pope does think it's wrong to use condoms, as the Earth is overcrowded with humans and 1/6 of the world population is starving. All religions have issues to consider. And all humans as well, there's a lot of room to improve (as no one here has zero impact on the environment, not even the most strict vegan). This is just one of those many issues. I think it's good that those Jews who love animals know that the Kosher sacrifice isn't always kinder, as much as other people must know that factory farms are cruel to animals. Now the Jews who read this have the information and they can do something about it. That's positive.
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Anti-Semitism is not the issue here. The issue is that if animals are to be killed to be consumed by humans, the least we can do, as decent human beings, is to ensure that the animal feels no pain and no distress.
As I said earlier in this discussion, "Religion has much to answer for in our world and the coming together of all Religions to debate the question of ritual slaughter; it's requirement & method, would be a very big step forward." That is not Anti-Semitic or against Christians or Muslims. It is a fact.
The sooner all Religions come to the table and end painful, distressful and distasteful slaughter and agree that all slaughter animals must be properly and completely stunned whilst still standing normally, the better.
The question is: Will the Jewish religion, the Muslim religion, the Christian Religion and all other Religions come to the table and have a frank, open discussion??
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Casually, I'm a vet student from Uruguay and I had to visit a slaughterhouse. And yeah, the Kosher sacrifice, as it is performed here (by a Rabbi), is disgusting. I'm not a vegan, but if people are going to eat animals, at least we should kill them as fast and painlessly as possible.
Heather,
Sorry you have that problem with fiber. I have a friend with Crohn's disease, she can't eat vegetables either. My mom also has problems with fiber (she can only take very small amounts at the same time, or else she'll feel a lot of pain later). I've tried to explain to some vegans that it's cruel from them to call non-vegans selfish, meat-greedy or whatever, because not everybody has a choice on that matter.
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Well said Jessica. Some people will take ANY opportunity to spew their antisemitism. Kosher animals are treated worse because they're kept in smaller cages? Really Carol H.? You've toured EVERY Kosher meat plant in the world?
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Kosher is SUPPOSED to be humane and kinder. Its not my fault if some stupid employees who work in a slaughterhouse do horrible things that go against the whole point of what is kosher! How dare you go spewing your jewish hate around like a monkey throwing feces. People of all religions,races and creeds kill and do awful cruel things. You are ignorant for thinking christians are so "peaceful". I have just as much if not so much MORE evidence of the cruelty of other religions rather than jews but Im not going to post racist crap because it is wrong and pointless. Its so easy to blame a whole group of people. I am jewish and am a member of Peta and about 8 other organizations and I donate money to help others even when I can barely pay my own rent while paying for school. You racist a**hole.
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