With Rosh Hashanah rapidly approaching, rabbonim in Yerushalayim are preparing for kaporos. This week, a meeting was held with the Rav/Posek of the Jerusalem Rabbinate, Rabbi Eliyahu Schlesinger Shlita, along with Councilman Shlomo Rosenstein, and Dr. Zohar Devorkin (Chief Veterinary officer). They reviewed the procedure of previous years, deciding the same supervision will be in place towards permitting the continuation of the minhag without compromising the integrity of the shechitah.

The supervision over kaporos began a number of years ago after veterinary officials learned that due to the mistreatment of the chickens in some cases, they were not fit for shechita by the time kaporos was performed. There are the know horror stories of how in some cases, areas that are unsupervised, too many chickens are crowded into cages, often in the hot sun and without water. There are many questions pertaining to the Halachic status of the chickens as well, since some are injured prior to shechitah. This and other issues have led to the annual supervision by rabbonim and veterinary experts.

Rav Schlesinger calls on the tzibur to please only perform kaporos in supervised areas, which may be distinguished by the signs from the municipality and the obvious presence of the supervisory personnel. The same holds true for those performing pidyon kaporos.

The Jerusalem Rabbinate adds that certified shochtim will be displaying a teudat kashrus from the local rabbanut that the knives were checked and the shechita is approved by the local religious council.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)