With Rosh Hashanah on the horizon, those who engage in the minhag are preparing for kaporos, demanding Jerusalem veterinary officials to do the same. The ancient minhag has over recent years come under much criticism, from those who are concerned with the welfare of animals to those who feel the demand and time factor make the schita of the chickens less than stringent, resulting in a compromised level of schita during the Ten Days of Penitence, stating therefore, the minhag should be abolished.

Proponents however will not hear of it, insisting the widespread minhag yisrael has been practiced by many great rabbonim in past and present generations, and so it must continue.

Whatever the case, veterinary officials over recent years have cracked down and authorized supervised locations for kaporos and schita, no longer permitting anyone to set up shop around the capital as was once the case.

The main authorized centers are the yard around the corner from the Machane Yehuda Shuk, the Meah Shearim Shuk/Beit Yisrael, Shmuel HaNavi and the Bucharin Shuk.

The approved schita sites will operate from 4 Tishrei 5770 (Sept 22nd) until erev Yom Kippur, Sunday, 9 Tishrei (Sept. 29th). Inspectors will be traveling around the city to prevent unauthorized operations in different areas, with the understanding there will be areas for pidyon kaporos, without schita, in many neighborhoods around the city, but schita will be forbidden at those areas.

There have been documented cases of unscrupulous individuals tossing chickens used for pidyon kaporos in dumpsters, violating cruelty to animal halacha as well as civil law, not to mention the health and other concerns. Many prominent rabbonim have spoken out in no uncertain terms forbidding such a practice. This has also resulted in a major chilul Hashem, with newspapers writing about it.

Chickens authorized and deemed safe will have documentation from veterinary officials testifying to this fact, and sanitary conditions will be enforced, as well as other regulations intended to prevent cruelty to the chickens, including a 12-hour maximum, preventing keeping chickens in coops for longer than this permitted time period.

Schita locations must also have a source of running water, electricity, receptacles for blood and other sanitation measures, as well as garbage pick-up arrangements with ongoing cleaning to guarantee there are no health hazards.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)