EU - Kosher Slaughter Under an Unjust Attack Across Europe

Rabbis Group Warns of Fights Over Practice in Many Countries

 A prominent European rabbinical group has warned that kosher slaughter could come under further attack this year in European Union countries.

A kosher slaughterer slaughters a chicken in Israel. (photo credit: Miriam Alster/Flash90)

 
“Many European Jewish communities are not aware that shechitah could be put in danger,” Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, wrote in an email sent to multiple recipients on Tuesday.

 
The danger, he wrote, stems from governments’ reliance “on deeply flawed, agenda-led research when making policy.”

 
Goldschmidt pointed out that EU member countries are required to replace domestic laws on religious slaughter by January 2013 with European Regulation 1099, a set of new regulations meant to ensure animals do not experience “unnecessary suffering” at or near the time of the slaughter.   While the regulations allow exception for religious slaughter, they also allow “a certain level of subsidiarity,” or discretion, to each member state.

 
Goldschmidt noted the planned change in Estonia’s laws on ritual slaughter.

 
Last week an Estonian government official told JTA that Estonia would change its current laws on religious slaughter because the rituals “do not take new scientific knowledge into account.” There was no plan to ban the practice, she said.

 
The official added the change would be based on the EU-funded DialRel report of 2010. It states that kosher slaughter, or shechitah, causes higher risk, pain and suffering in animals than methods that involve stunning. Jewish religious law requires animals to be conscious when their necks are cut.

 
“European governments are increasingly making reference to the DialRel project as part of their implementation of European Regulation 1099,” Goldschmidt noted. “Faith communities rejected the methodology and findings of DialRel in 2010 when it failed to properly engage with them.”

The report “was mentioned in the context” of the Dutch Parliament’s 2011 vote to ban shechitah, Goldschmidt noted. The Dutch Senate scrapped the measure in June.

Shechitah is banned in Sweden, Norway, Switzerland and Iceland. Along with Estonia, countries that impose post-cut stunning include Finland, Denmark and Austria.
 
 
 
Read more: http://forward.com/articles/160618/kosher-slaughter-under-attack-across-europe/#ixzz22wf1N4qo

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Inspecting plastic resins are Rabbi Jonah Gewirtz, Senior Advisor; Rabbi Moshe Heinemann,
Rabbinic Administrator; Dr. Avrom Pollak, President, STAR-K.

THE FACES BEHIND THE STAR-K Behind one of the world’s foremost kosher symbols are some of the world’s most respected experts in the kosher industry today.
		Rabbi Moshe Heinemann Rabbinic Administrator
Rabbi Moshe Heinemann is highly regarded as a leading international authority in Jewish law. Having mastered the intricacies of Jewish law and the complex world of modern technology, he is regularly consulted by rabbinic and industrial leaders for his in-depth knowledge and practical application of science and religion. Rabbi Heinemann’s expertise has served him well as the Rabbinic Administrator of the STAR-K, a position he has held since 1971. The STAR-K’s well-respected and trusted name can be attributed, in no small measure, to its uniqueness--all kashrus related matters are the sole responsibility of Rabbi Heinemann, and the rabbinic staff answers directly, and only, to him. Its position as a non-profit lay organization further strengthens his hand, by not presenting a conflict of interest which might compromise its high kashrus standards. Rabbi Heinemann is also the rabbi of Agudath Israel of Baltimore, a position he has held since 1981.
		Dr. Avrom Pollak   President
Dr. Avrom Pollak spans the world of science and religion with rabbinic ordination and a PhD in cell and molecular biology from City University of New York. In the late 1970s, Dr. Pollak came to Baltimore as a post-doctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute, and was thereafter appointed Director of the Electron Microscope Laboratory at the University of Maryland Cancer Center. Dr. Pollak was elected President of the STAR-K in 1981. He left the world of academia in order to devote his administrative energies to the STAR-K on a full-time basis, as it grew from a local certification agency to one of major national and international status.
MEET OUR CORPORATE OFFICE
OUR KASHRUS ADMINISTRATORS You can be assured that our Kashrus Administrators, who are specialists in your particular product line, will personally service your needs with attentiveness and concern for your success in the kosher marketplace. They work closely with approximately 200 field coordinators, mashgichim (kosher supervisors), and shochtim (ritual slaughterers), stationed in STAR-K certified packing houses, caterers, and manufacturing plants, throughout the world.
		Rabbi Eliyahu Shuman
Rabbi Eliyahu Shuman, Director of Supervision for over twenty-five years, is the most senior STAR-K Kashrus Administrator. His position takes him to Europe and Asia in order to oversee the kosher production of fish and canned fruits. Rabbi Shuman is universally recognized in the field of kashrus as the foremost expert in kosher flavor production.
		Rabbi Mayer Kurcfeld
Rabbi Mayer Kurcfeld, as Assistant Director of Supervision, has been a Kashrus Administrator for the Star-K for over twenty years. He collaborates with Rabbi Moshe Heinemann in the oversight and review of kosher slaughter and meat koshering facilities in the United States and abroad. In addition, he is a specialist in the area of kosher catering and food preparation. His responsibilities include supervising local establishments such as restaurants, caterers, hotels, bakeries, butchers as well as onsite kosher food-services at colleges, hospitals and nursing homes. He is often consulted by architects and planners regarding the planning and design-flow in kosher commercial kitchens.
		Rabbi Baruch Beyer
Rabbi Baruch Beyer has been a part of the STAR-K family for the past decade, and is particularly knowledgeable about Kashrus on the Web, and Industrial Kashrus. His industry specialties include: candies, cereals, soft drinks, commercial bakeries and paper packaging in the U.S., South America, Europe, and Scandinavia. Holding a master’s degree in education, from Johns Hopkins University, he has extensive public speaking and teaching experience.
		Rabbi Zvi Goldberg
Rabbi Zvi Goldberg manages kosher oil, spice, flavor, sweetener, and drink productions. He oversees Star-K’s hotline, which fields calls and emails from consumers around the world, and is the designated liaison for STAR-K field representatives concerning current data on kosher productions. As the director of STAR-K’s Virtual Kosher University, the first comprehensive online classes on kosher, Rabbi Goldberg moderates its Telekosher Conferences. He also coordinates STAR-K’s annual Kashrus Training Seminar. He was formerly a pulpit rabbi in California, and currently teaches a folio of Talmud a day, daf yomi, at a local synagogue.
		Rabbi Dovid Heber
Rabbi Dovid Heber is respected as a foremost expert in the field of kosher pharmaceuticals, nutriceuticals, and medications. As the Director of the STAR-K computer department, he oversees the kashrus database, automation, and security. His responsibilities also include the production and editing of the annual STAR-K Passover Directory. In addition, Rabbi Heber is the Rav of Khal Ahavas Yisroel Tzemach Tzedek, in Baltimore.
		Rabbi Avrohom Mushell
Rabbi Avrohom Mushell administers STAR-K’s several hundred companies located in China and India. He is also frequently consulted regarding the applications of modern technology to Torah requirements.
		Rabbi Tzvi Rosen
Rabbi Tzvi Rosen, editor of STAR-K’s quarterly journal, Kashrus Kurrents, is an expert on liquors and industrial kashrus (which include dairy, cheese, and canning). One of his major responsibilities--the supervision of products from the Mediterranean—takes him to Tunisia, Greece, Spain, Italy, and Turkey.
		Rabbi Mordechai Frankel
Rabbi Mordechai Frankel, Director of STAR-K’s Institute of Halacha, fields questions on kashrus and other Torah subjects, from kosher consumers and pulpit rabbis across the globe. In addition to his rabbinic ordination and PhD in Talmudic Law, he holds a degree in mathematics and is a qualified actuary. He is a popular teacher, lecturer, and author, as well.
		Rabbi Dr. Jonah Gewirtz
Rabbi Dr. Jonah Gewirtz is STAR-K’s Global Management Consultant. Among Rabbi Gewirtz’s many claims to fame, is the role he played in the kosher certification process of Baskin-Robbins, the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops. Those in the industry, perhaps, best remember him for his tireless efforts in assuring that every major U.S. steel company that produces steel for use in food packaging switch from a tallow based to a vegetable based butyl stearate oil.
		Rabbi Moshe Schuchman
Rabbi Moshe Schuchman attended Ner Israel Rabbinical College and holds a degree in mathematics. His responsibilities, as a Kashrus Administrator, include overseeing a number of STAR-K certified plants, as well as conducting kosher-organic inspections.
		Rabbi Sholom Tendler
Rabbi Sholom Tendler is both an ordained graduate of Ner Israel Rabbinical College and a recipient of a master’s of science degree in education from Johns Hopkins University. As a Kashrus Administrator, he is responsible for overseeing a number of STAR-K certified facilities and conducting kosher-organic inspections.
		Steve Sichel
Steve Sichel, STAR-K’s Director of Development, travels the world to introduce food and ingredient manufacturers to STAR-K Certification and its potential impact on increased sales in the multi-billion dollar kosher marketplace. In addition, Mr. Sichel, who holds a degree in accounting, assists new companies in the kosher certification process and audits kosher standards in processing plants for various industries.
MEET OUR NATIONAL KASHRUS COORDINATORS
		Rabbi Shmuel Aron Heinemann STAR-K NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY OFFICE
Rabbi Shmuel Aron Heinemann joined STAR-K in 1982, and became its Kashrus Administrator for the greater New York/ New Jersey area, nine years later. His responsibilities include supervision of: dairy and meat productions, bakeries, wineries, catering establishments, and industrial kashrus. Rabbis and kashrus personnel, in the greater metropolitan New York area, regularly consult Rabbi Heinemann about kashrus matters.
		Rabbi Yakov Bronsteyn STAR-K WEST COAST OFFICE
Our West Coast office, located in Phoenix, Arizona, is headed by Rabbi Yakov Bronsteyn. Rabbi Bronsteyn’s responsibilities include maintaining STAR-K kashrus standards throughout the western United States and Mexico, in everything from bakeries to pharamaceutical productions.
		Rabbi Joel Weinberger STAR-K CALIFORNIA OFFICE
Rabbi Weinberger became affiliated with STAR-K in 1988, and has headed its California office since 1991. His educational background in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management, in addition to Jewish Food Law, has prepared him well for this position. Rabbi Weinberger’s work takes him to the Philippines, Pakistan, Singapore, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Central America, and the western United States.
MEET OUR INTERNATIONAL KASHRUS COORDINATORS
		Rabbi David Stein STAR-K MIDDLE EAST/EUROPE OFFICE
Rabbi David Stein was university trained in mathematics, and spent many years of study in highly specialized post-graduate research. His move from the States to Israel, in the late 1970s, afforded him an extensive working knowledge and understanding of industrial kashrus in the Middle East and Europe.  Serving also as a rabbi to a predominantly American congregation of scientists and professionals, Rabbi Stein’s vast theoretical and practical rabbinic knowledge eminently qualifies him to run our Middle East/Europe office.
		Rabbi Amos Benjamin   STAR-K FAR EAST OFFICE
The multi-lingual Rabbi Amos Benjamin has been certifying kosher products in China since 1997. As the administrator of STAR-K’s Far East office, Rabbi Benjamin acts as a Kashrus Coordinator, arranges the inspections of factories, and represents STAR-K at trade shows throughout the Far East.
		Levie S Jacob STAR-K INDIA
Levie S Jacob is an experienced kashrus consultant in India. In addition to holding a degree in Mechanical Engineering, he acquired training as a mashgiach for Kashruth supervision from Rabbonim in Yeshivas Ohr Someach. He has been actively involved in avodath kodesh in Mumbai, and has coordinated mikvah maintenance, shechita and Torah study programs.

Source: Argentine Beef Packers S.A.

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