At the beginning of 2019, Shechitah will be outlawed in the Flanders region of Belgium. The region is home to the city of Antwerp and 60 percent of the country’s Jews, presenting a huge problem for the Jewish community throughout the region.
The law, which was passed in June 2017, requires that all animals should be stunned prior to their slaughter for humanitarian purposes. This requirement is not allowed according to the Halachos of Shechitah, thus making kosher shechitah illegal.
Since the law was passed, the Jewish community of Belgium, various federations and organizations across the country and Europe, as well as the World Jewish Congress, have fought against the law claiming that it violates EU law, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Belgian Constitution. All three of those bodies of law guarantee the freedom of religion. In this case, that freedom is breached by making Jewish shechitah illegal.
Another region in Belgium known as the Walloon region passed a similar law in the same year. This law will come into effect in August of 2019. It too was challenged in court.
President of the Belgian Federation of Jewish Organizations, Yohan Benizri, said when the law was originally passed that: “Legislators have given Belgian Jews a worrisome political signal, by trumping their right to practice their faith, in violation of the crucial principle of separation of church and state. That’s very sad, but it is also unlawful. It is a violation of European legal norms, including the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and we are hopeful it will be overturned as such. If this legislation ever comes into force it would be a dark day for freedom in Belgium.”
Particularly hit hard in this new process are Mashgichim and Shochtim who will face a double burden of losing their parnassah as well as having difficulty trying to find meat to give to their families.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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16 Responses
So much for being an “inclusive” society.
Its time we start our own country.
An appropriate response would be to boycott any goods made in Belgium, perhaps extending it to the European Union.
They should move to the U.S.
if we boycott belgium then where will we get our waffles
Dear akuperma,
an appropriate response would be to move to Israel. The self imposed Gallus is going to backfire.
I wonder if they allow factory farming there.
Chochom-Iber. We already have one. It is called Israel. Time to come home.
Another hidden push from Hakodosh Boruch Hu to leave the Diaspora and return to the Holy Land.
Oh Ya chochom ibber it’s called ISRAEL 🙂
Belgium is the canary in the coal mine. Expect more anti-semitic acts in other countries as well in the name of the EU’s absurdly liberal principles. The EU continues Hitler’s policy of creating a Judenrein Europe with a politically correct cover of animal rights.
akuperma has a great idea. I am never buying another Honda or any Belgian-made diamonds. I would give up my Belgian waffles, but I recently found out they are not made in Belgium. Does anybody know anything else that is made in Belgium and exported to the US?
The entire Jewish World community is hard hit.
This is a dangerous precedence.
Perhaps we call Muslims to our aid.
They also eat Kosher when they do not have Hallal meat.
Will the community be boycotting diamonds sold on the Antwerp market?
The wealthy” Antverpen’ites” already bought ” Just-in-case ” apts. in EY, mostly in Rechavia, years ago… A freind of mine in the business and who lives in Antwerp whispered this in my ear.
That’s where they’re fleeing to , when this push really becomes a hefty shove.
Sorry, nobody’s coming to the US Golden Land milk & honey anytime soon… Keep dreaming, some of you.
A ban in Belgium is not important. So long as shechita remains legal in France, Jews all over Europe will be able to eat meat. If ch”v it’s ever banned in France, that will be a disaster.