World Jewish News

Polish Ambassador to the EU Marek Prawda (2nd from L) during a meeting in Brussels with theDirector General of the European Jewish Association

Kosher slaughter : Polish PM agrees to establish committee to find a solution

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has given his consent to the establishment of a special committee in order to find a solution to the problem of kosher slaughtering in his country after the Polish parliament last week rejected a government-sponsored bill to legalize the Jewish ritual known as shechita.
The announcement was made Thursday in Brussels by the Polish Ambassador to the EU Marek Prawda during a meeting with the Director General of the European Jewish Association (EJA), Rabbi Menachem Margolin.
The special committee will be headed by Polish Minister of Administration and Digitization, Michał Jan Boni, who is also in charge of religious matters in Poland.
Ambassador Prawda, on behalf of Minister Boni, invited Rabbi Margolin to join the committee.
This new development that might bring a solution to the problem that has put the European Jewish community in turmoil, came after intensive talks and activities by Rabbi Menachem Margolin with Polish government officials and Polish members of the European Parliament.
Rabbis from the Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE) have also held talks with Polish ambassadors across the continent.
During his meeting with Rabbi Margolin, Ambassador Prawda indicated that Minister Boni has already instructed his legal counsels to examine the legal issues raised by the EJA and RCE that the legislation banning kosher slaughtering in Poland stands in contradiction to the Polish constitution that prohibits any violation of freedom of religion and worship of minority groups in the country.
Rabbi Margolin noted that the decision made by the Polish parliament was connected to the Polish people’s wishful aspiration to protect animal rights.
Once the Polish government understood that this ban is seen as an action against the Jews, it decided immediately to establish a committee with the task to find an immediate solution which enables Jews to make a kosher slaughtering.
Rabbi Margolin thanked the Polish government, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Minister of Administration and Digitization, Michał Jan Boni and the Polish Ambassador for their immediate response and efforts to bring a solution to this problem.
EJA is an umbrella group of Jewish organizations active in various sectors on European level.

EJP