K A S H R U T . C O M_©

Poland: Agriculture Min. promises 'no impediment' to kosher meat

May 3, 2021 - from Arutz 7 :

"Poland’s Agriculture Minister Grzegorz Puda offered much needed words of re-assurance to Jewish leaders on Wednesday that his Ministry currently does not carry out work aimed at changing the rules of slaughter in order to limit the supply of kosher meat exports to religious communities across the continent."

"The Minister held meeting with the Chairman of the European Jewish Association (EJA) and Rabbinical Center of Europe, Rabbi Menachem Margolin; Dutch Chief Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs; and the Board Chairman of the Social and Cultural Association of Jews in Poland (TSKZ)."

"The Minister's meeting with the Jewish leaders took place after months of genuine concern among Jewish communities across the continent over the "five for animals” bill proposed by the Polish government, which initially included a limitation of kosher slaughter to local needs – eliminating de facto kosher meat production in the country." "As the major supplier of kosher meat in Europe, any ban would have been hugely detrimental to traditional European Jewish Communities, particularly smaller ones without the means or network to secure kosher meat. Keeping kosher is a fundamental pillar of traditional Judaism. Jewish leaders also fundamentally reject the premise that the kosher method of slaughter is in any way more cruel than more universal methods. Jewish leaders also underlined that animal welfare is a central tenet of Jewish practice and that kosher slaughter and animal welfare are in no way incompatible."

"ewish leaders across Europe were also concerned that other countries could follow suit, thereby effectively banning the access to kosher meat on the continent."