O pinion
How Should Jews React to the
Belgian Ban on Shechitah?
BY RICHARD H. SCHWARTZ
RECENTLY THE BELGIAN
government banned the prac-
tice of shechitah (Jewish rit-
ual slaughter). How should
Jews react?
Jewish Veg, formerly Jewish
Vegetarians of North America,
of which I am president emer-
itus, is against all slaughter,
but we object when shechitah
is signaled out for criticism
or is banned. Shechitah was
designed to minimize pain,
but even if it is carried out
perfectly, the many months
during which animals are mis-
treated on factory farms should
be considered.

People who think that other
methods of slaughter are more
humane should read the book
Slaughterhouse: The Shocking
Story of Greed, Neglect, and
Inhumane Treatment Inside
the U.S. Meat Industry by Gail
• There would be a reduction
in the widespread heart dis-
ease, several types of cancer
and other diseases afflicting
many Jews and others.

• There would be a reduction
in the emission of green-
house gases. While the
world is increasingly threat-
ened by climate change,
a 2006 U.N. Food and
Agriculture Organization
report, “Livestock’s Long
Shadow,” indicated that
animal-based agriculture
emits more greenhouse
gases (in CO2 equivalents)
than is emitted by the cars
and all other means of
transportation worldwide
combined. • There would be a reduction
in environmental problems,
including deforestation, soil
erosion, water pollution,
loss of biological diversity
and desertification.

The shechitah ban must be opposed, but it is
hoped that rabbis and other Jewish leaders will
help increase awareness of the many benefits of
vegetarianism and of Jewish teachings.

Eisnitz. It documents the many
problems at slaughterhouses
where animals are stunned
prior to slaughter, with many
of the workers becoming
sadistic and cruel under the
horrible conditions of their
daily efforts.

There is a familiar admoni-
tion that states that when one
is given a lemon they should
make lemonade, meaning
make the best of what appears
to be a negative situation. I
believe this can happen in
the case of the Belgian ban
on shechitah. While meat-eat-
ers will understandably have a
negative reaction to the ban, if
it leads some Jews to shift to a
vegetarian or vegan diet, there
could be many benefits:
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM • Resources would be used
more efficiently. In an
increasingly thirsty and
energy-dependent world, a
person on an animal-based
diet requires up to 14 times
as much water (mainly for
irrigating feed crops) and
10 times as much energy as
a person on a vegan (only
plants) diet.

• There would be a reduction
in the number of animals
who suffer greatly from cruel
treatment on factory farms.

• There would potentially be
a reduction in the num-
ber of hungry people. At
a time when food prices
are skyrocketing, an esti-
mated 20 million people are
dying annually worldwide
from hunger and its effects,
and almost a billion of the
world’s people are chron-
ically hungry, since 70 per-
cent of the grain produced
in the United States and 40
percent produced world-
wide are fed to farmed ani-
mal. What makes that even
more shameful is that the
corn, soy and oats that are
high in fiber and complex
carbohydrates are converted
into animal products that
are devoid of these nutri-
ents, but high in cholesterol
and saturated fat that are so
harmful to health.

It should also be consid-
ered that plant-based diets
are most consistent with
Jewish teachings on preserv-
ing human health, treating
animals with compassion,
protecting the environment,
conserving natural resources
and helping hungry people.

Also, such diets are consis-
tent with conditions during
the two ideal times pictured
in the Jewish tradition: the
Garden of Eden (based on
Genesis 1:29) and the messi-
anic period, based on Isaiah’s
vision of a peaceable kingdom
(Isaiah 11:6-9).

The shechitah ban must be
opposed, but it is hoped that
rabbis and other Jewish leaders
will help increase awareness of
the many benefits of vegetari-
anism and of Jewish teachings
that point to it as the ideal
Jewish diet. This would help
revitalize Judaism by show-
ing the relevance of its eternal
teachings to current realities,
bring many idealistic Jews back
to Judaism, and help shift our
precious, but imperiled, planet
onto a sustainable path. l
Richard H. Schwartz is the
president emeritus of Jewish Veg,
formerly Jewish Vegetarians of
North America.

JEWISH EXPONENT
KVETCH ’N KVELL
Organization Calling Out Hill Should Look
in Mirror
TALK ABOUT THE fendl calling the kesl shvarz (“Temple
Is Actually Protecting Professor Hill,” Jan. 10). A Zionist
Organization of America official denounces Professor Marc
Lamont Hill for “rhetoric that is bound to sow resentment,” aver-
ring that “it is a fallacy that being anti-Israel and anti-Zionist is
different than being anti-Jewish.”
This is the same group whose national president uses lan-
guage such as “filthy Arab” and has slammed and questioned
the intelligence of Harvard graduate Natalie Portman, which
has gone out of its way to cultivate alt-right luminaries, such
as the individual behind Pizzagate, and most recently, was rep-
rimanded by the Conference of Presidents of Major American
Jewish Organizations for insulting other members of that
umbrella group.

The real fallacy is that being pro-Israel and pro-Zionist auto-
matically means being anti-Palestinian and/or Islamophobic.

Wojo Cohen | Cherry Hill, N.J.

Are We Really Anti-Immigrant?
The mistake the ADL and those on the left constantly make is
stating there is an anti-immigrant sentiment in this coun-
try (“ADL Report: Anti-Immigrant Views Have Become
Mainstream,” Dec. 27).

If we are so anti-immigrant, why do we accept more legal
immigrants then the rest of the world combined? Why would
they want to come here if we are so anti-immigrant? Why
doesn’t the media (and the ADL) not differentiate between legal
and illegal immigration when they report on immigration-
related stories?
We can all agree that immigration reform is needed and nei-
ther party has done much to that end. But we also know some of
the steps that can be taken. Many in the Democratic Party have
said in the past a wall or the like is acceptable, but they have
changed their tune since President Donald Trump’s election. l
Matt Segal | Cary, N.C.

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