[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
As can be seen in these photos taken by YWN a few moments ago, the first chicken for Kapparos have arrived in Yerushalayim. This location is at Bar Ilan and Shmuel Hanavi streets. There will be NO Shechita being performed at the location, as the Jerusalem municipality has not yet issued any permits for that. Instead, after using you chicken for Kapparos, the chickens are being placed back into crates, and will be taken to Kfar Chabad where they will be slaughtered by Shochtim.
As YWN ISRAEL published earlier today, the Ministry of Agriculture is being meticulous in enforcing laws pertaining to the transport and handling of chickens, limiting transport to certified vehicles exclusively. In practical terms, this means it is virtually impossible to transport a sufficient number of chickens for kaporos.
While some frum areas have been preparing the traditional areas used annually for kaporos, it is now evident there are no chickens available, as is seen in the YWN video. Efforts are still continuing but it does appear many if not most areas that usually host kaporos will not be operating this year.
YWN-ISRAEL learned on Wednesday 7 Tishrei that at least one avreich has been arrested after he was found to be transporting chickens illegally. Health officials’ seem to indicate there will be some kaporos stations operating, adding the law will be enforced, including the regulation demanding that the chickens are slaughtered within eight hours of transport.
The Eida Chareidis has instructed the tzibur to do kaporos with money this year instead of chickens. Using the phraseology “Because of the wicked government that has prohibited continuing the minhag of kaporos, a minhag handed down from our fathers…. We are announcing one who is capable of doing kaporos with chickens should do so while others who cannot due to the gezeira of the government, should use money. Each person should use 25 shekels and recite the appropriate nussach”.
Additional information will be published as it becomes available to us.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
I’m sorry if this seems callous, but it seems to me that we need to pick our battles. We have enough dealing with so many other important issues; if there’s a viable solution to the Kappara problem then use it. It is perfectly acceptable to use money. As long as the chickens worked out, that was great. But now I think we should save our fight for when we REALLY need it.
The last time the Rabbonim recommended using money for Kapporos was when the nazi’s outlawed Schechitoh.
If it works around the world in the US and Europe where they have just as strigent animal welfare laws, why can’t it work in Israel? Seemingly the Israeli government goes the extra mile to harm the chareidim as usual. The Chareidim will have a kapporoh but the chilonim trouble makers wont.