Prominent kashrus authority Rabbi Yosef Zaritzky has harsh criticism for Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau and his announced desire to revoke the kashrus from the Zoglovek Company, Israel’s largest purveyor of deli.
YWN-ISRAEL reported the company was shown on the weekly Kolbotek program violating animal rights in its unacceptable handling of poultry in its northern area plan that slaughters some 30,000 chickens and turkeys daily. Rav Lau is convening the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Council to discuss revoking the company’s kashrus. The chief rabbi expressed outrage over the way the slaughterhouse operates.
Rav Zaritzky of Bnei Brak, whose kashrus reputation in Israel needs no introduction, told Kikar Shabbos “Rabbi Lau does not understand kashrus. The issues at hand at Zoglovek have to do with animal rights, not kashrus”.
“I do not know how much he knows about kashrus and how strong he is about kashrus. If he is chief rabbi it does not mean that he understands kashrus. Excuse for being critical of him but too often rabbis in Israel are politically elected and they then think they understand”.
Rav Zaritzky says the matter may be the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, to teach the wrongs of animal cruelty but it has nothing to do with kashrus. “It is not a kashrus issue but a humane issue if one may be cruel to animals before shechita” the rav adds.
The rav defends his position, citing there are inspections before and after shechita during which time it can be determined if a bird is pasul due to an injury…We don’t take a chicken with a broken leg or possible injury to another limb. That is why there are so many mashgichim, to check for these very issues. What was shown on the program relates to animal cruelty and nothing to do with kashrus.”
Rabbi Zaritzky adds that he does not understand why the big fuss; adding every year the cruelty is seen with kaporos, when chickens are held in the heat of day at times for 24 hours without food or water. He feels that is far worse than what was seen on the Kolbotek program. He adds that as a result of this reality and the issues surrounding the shechita, a growing number of people have abandoned the minhag of kaporos.
Officials in Chief Rabbi David Lau’s office preferred not to comment on Rav Zaritzky’s remarks.
In another Zoglovek matter a protest is being announced, to be held outside the company’s offices in Tel Aviv on erev Shabbos. Protestors will demand the closure of the slaughterhouse due to the gross animal rights violations. In addition, social networking it abuzz with calls to boycott all of the company’s products
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
Rabbi Zaritzky’s reputation does need in introduction: Harav Nissim Korelitz and Harav Shmuel Wosner among others forbade the people to rely on his hashgacha.
The people who will boycott the companies products are people whose interest in mehudar kashrus is much less than their interest in “animal rights”. Rav Zaritzky has forgotten more about kashrus than the popularity seeking Dudi Lau will ever know.
If you would of seen the video, you would of closed down the company immediately.
And by watching the video there is doubts about the Kashrus of this company. If a chicken falls more then 10 Tefuchim it needs to be checked. Certainly the way these chickens are dumped into the conveyor belt, and the way they may be crushed in the process.
Is there a link to “the video”?
You don’t have to be a big fan of hechsher tzedek or similar concepts to know that this plant should have been closed long ago. There are so many shlachthoises in EY that are machmir on kashruth with top of the line chassideshe hashgacha that are also very strict about humane treatment of fowl and animals. There is zero need for this facility and it would not be missed. The fact that this Zatitzky from BB would dare speak such lashon haorh about Rav Lau, shlita, is a separate issue and further demonstrates why he should not be trusted with kashruth matters.
@ Dave Hirsch
Can you please provide a context to your comment? When did they say this? How do you know? What caused their comments?
Without provifding the reader with an ability to examine your comment to determine its strength, you either do not respect the people on this forum or you simply want to blow off some steam, either way it’s extremely unhelpful to anyone besides yourself.
“violating animal rights”…
You can’t violate what does not exist.
Of course Torah forbids cruelty, but that is not the same as saying animals have “rights”.
Those who promote the idea of “animal rights” are often the same ones who think eating meat should be outlawed which is not in line with what Torah says (or there would not be any animal offerings in the Third Beis Hamikdash, as I was taught in yeshivah that there would be after Moshiach arrives and it is rebuilt, beemhara viyamanu amen mamesh).