The European Jewish Congress (EJC) has called on Dutch politicians not to vote for a ban on shechita, Jewish ritual slaughter, ahead of a bill on the subject is presented to the Dutch Parliament for consideration.
Dr. Moshe Kantor, President of the EJC, said that this ban would stand in opposition to Dutch norms. “Holland has always presented itself as an accepting society and a ban on a central part of Jewish identity would mean that Dutch politicians are turning their backs on the tolerant Holland that we admire,” Kantor said.
If the legislation is passed it would make Holland the first European Union nation to ban shechita, and the first European country to do so since the 1930’s. Shechita is permissible under European law and to ban it goes against the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights which clearly states that there is freedom of religious practice.
“While the legislation was drafted ostensibly because of animal rights concerns, it is a slippery slope to populism, extremism and anti-Semitism,” Kantor continued. “We call on Dutch politicians to carefully consider the ramifications of this bill and what it could do to Jewish life in Holland.”
The EJC has been at the forefront of fighting a ban on shechita in the European Union. Towards the end of last year, the EJC was instrumental in successfully battling an attempt by the European Council of Ministers to add problematic labeling on kosher meat products.
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3 Responses
Nogeah legislative proposals to address toiva marriages and the like…what is happening here is something that can happen only when secular interests, sometimes even well meaning, are allowed to intrude into the religious sphere.
There are Native-American Indian tribes that smoke peyote, a form of cannibis (marijuana) as part of their religious rituals. They are allowed to under American law, as long as it is kept strictly within the context of religious ritual…the criminal laws against marijuana use give way in the name of reloigiouis freedom.
Similarly, whatever our moral position is on any numbrer of issues…we need to keep secular policy making in our legislatures out of the religious sphere…in order to protect religion from the kind of thing happening today in the Netherlands.
And that is a position that is both classically Liberal and in support of reliogious position…and it is one that protects Yiddishkeit and shechita.
Correction – “…And that is a position that is both classically Liberal and in support of religious FREEDOM…and it is one that protects Yiddishkeit and shechita.”
We have to be wary of the primarily anti-Muslim (anti-multiculturalism) movement, since we are among the leading beneficiaries of a multicultural policy. However anti-semitism isn’t really factor, its the backlast against accomodating the Muslims that is leading to this problem.