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Chicken-Killing Kapparot Ritual Coming This Sunday
By
Jen Carlson
Published Sep 24, 2009
Modified Sep 25, 2009
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Sep 24, 2009
Modified Sep 25, 2009
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With Yom Kippur coming up this Monday, South Williamsburg will be the stage for many a sacrificial chicken slaughter on Sunday. The Jewish ritual known as kapparot raises eyebrows each year, and now Dr. Allan Kornberg, Executive Director for Farm Sanctuary, has released a statement.
He says that while this ritual can be done 100% chicken-free, many are still "swinging the chickens over their heads and then slicing their throats with razors." The belief is that their sins will be transferred into the chicken’s body and disappear just like the bird's life. But what about the blood on their hands? Some rabbis say the cruel act "violates both kosher food standards and the Torah’s teachings on cultivating compassion for animals. In fact, an Israeli court ruled in 2007 that killing chickens for kapparot violates the country’s animal welfare laws, codifying in modern law what these sages have been saying for centuries."
Maybe someone should stage a sexy bike ride protest that night.
Tagged
animal cruelty
chicken
farm sanctuary
Hasidic
jewish
kaparot
kapparot
ritual
sacrifice
slaughter
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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