| Media PRESS
RELEASE November 3, 2004
For Immediate Release
Contact person: Richard
H. Schwartz, President of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) ([email protected];
Phone (718) 761-5876; Fax: (718) 982-3631; web site: jewishveg.com). JEWISH
VEGETARIAN GROUP OPPOSES HORRENDOUS ABUSES AT IOWA KOSHER SLAUGHTERHOUSE The
Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) joins many rabbis, including Rabbi
Shear-Yashuv Cohen, Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Haifa, and Rabbi David Rosen, former
Chief Rabbi of Ireland, in expressing shock and sadness at the cruelty to animals
and abuses of halachic and federal slaughter requirements found at the AgriProcessors
slaughterhouse in Postville, Iowa. JVNA believes that properly carried
out ritual slaughter is a "humane" method of slaughter, which aims to
minimize animal pain, and that Jews who continue to eat meat should eat kosher,
organic, humane-certified meat. JVNA has also consistently opposed efforts to
single out shechita for criticism. However, JVNA believes that the graphic depictions
of the horrifying mistreatment of the animals at the slaughterhouse should cause
the entire Jewish community to examine the ways animals are currently being raised,
treated, prepared, and slaughtered, to see if the laws and principles of the Torah
are actually being properly practiced. And we hope that closer study of the values
in Jewish tradition-- concern for the pain of fellow creatures, maintaining health,
protecting G-d's world, conserving resources, feeding the hungry-- will ultimately
lead Jews and others to adopt a diet that is more humane, healthier, more environmentally
sustainable, and more capable of feeding hungry people -- vegetarianism. JVNA
president Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D. stated, "These horrific slaughterhouse
scenes completely contradict our mandate to be 'rachmanim b'nei rachmanim' (compassionate
children of compassionate ancestors). Even if ritual slaughter is performed flawlessly,
consistent with halacha, we should not ignore the severe violations of Jewish
law occurring daily on factory farms. We should fulfil our charge to be 'a light
unto the nations' by helping to lead the world away from a diet that is so harmful
to people, the environment, and animals, to one that is far more consistent with
basic religious values." For a long time, JVNA has argued that Jews
should consider how animal-based diets and agriculture violate basic Jewish mandates
to preserve human health, treat animals with compassion, preserve the environment,
conserve natural resources, and help hungry people. JVNA hopes that the
shocking events reported at the largest glatt kosher slaughterhouse in the world
will impel the Jewish community to consider the ramifications of typical Jewish
diets, and those of most Americans. JVNA urges Jews and others to consider not
only how animals are mistreated on factory farms, but also the devastating health
consequences of animal-based diets, and how animal-based agriculture -- because
of its grossly disproportionateuse of land, water, fuel and other natural resources
-- contributes substantially to global climate change, species extinction, pollution
of land, air, and water, destruction of tropical rain forests, coral reefs, and
other valuable habitats, shortages of water and other resources, and other threats
to the survival of humanity. Putting these issues squarely on the Jewish agenda
would save many lives, move our imperiled planet to a more sustainable path, and
show the relevance of Judaism in addressing current critical issues, and thus
help revitalize Judaism. Further information about the JVNA and its campaign
to get vegetarianism onto the Jewish and other agendas may be obtained by contacting
Dr. Schwartz or the JVNA (JewishVeg.com; [email protected]).
The web site also has many Jewish vegetarian recipes. A complimentary copy of
Richard Schwartz's book "Judaism and Vegetarianism" and a related CD
will be sent to members of the media who request them and to others who indicate
how they would use the material to help get vegetarianism and related issues onto
the Jewish agenda. |
