Following last Friday’s decision made by the Polish Parliament (Sejm) essentially banning all Kosher butchering from taking place in the country, General Director of the European Jewish Association (EJA), Rabbi Menachem Margolin has conducted a series of intensive talks with polish leaders and representatives in the E.U Parliament. Rabbi Margolin urged President Komorowski and Sejn Marshall, Ewa Kopacz to meet with members of the Jewish community in order to discuss ways for reversing this decision.

Rabbi Margolin emphasized that the Rabbinical center of Europe (RCE) is already mobilized, and starting this morning, Rabbis all across Europe are arranging meetings with the Polish ambassadors in their countries in order to protest against the horrible meaning of Kosher butchering ban not only for Jews in Poland, but all over the world.

Simultaneously, the European Jewish Association has called upon all Jewish organizations throughout the world to put aside their differences and unite all efforts towards foiling any legislation that can potentially contribute to Jewish exclusion and violate Jewish freedom of religion and worship throughout Europe, specifically in Poland, with all its symbolic significance to Jewish history.

Rabbi Margolin has noted with satisfaction that the European Parliament Members as well as Members of the Polish Parliament with whom he has spoken, have all understood the severe consequence of the Polish Parliament’s legislation on Friday, and some have pointed out that this legislation stands in contrast to the Polish Constitution. Polish officials have stressed that the most practical way to address the issue is to resubmit the legislation, prohibiting kosher butchering in the Polish Parliament.

EJA General Director has made it clear that as soon as the Polish Parliament will reconvene, there will be a massive Jewish presence in all deliberations. “We will fight with resolve, and exhaust all of the legitimate means at our disposal in order to assure that no Jewish person will find himself excluded in Poland or in any other European country for simply living according to his/her beliefs.

“I am very encouraged in light of the willingness of Polish Parliament members to join us in the struggle to revise this unconstitutional legislation”.

In a letter sent by Rabbi Margolin to the Polish president, Bronisław Komorowski, and Polish Parliament (Sejm) Marshall, Ewa Kopacz, he specifies the instant feeling that has risen among Jews all over the world when hearing about a Polish Parliament decision so devastating to Jewish welfare and freedom of religion. “Kosher butchering that has been proven scientifically as not crueler then any other method, is essential for sustenance of Jewish life and its ban hurts Jews not only in Poland but across Europe and all over the world.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)