Last Wednesday, 24 July, a momentous court ruling was issued. Shechita operations were allowed to continue running, providing much-needed Kosher meat for the Jewish community and for export to other countries. Jewish community representatives, Kashrut cooperations, rabbinic and lay leaders and the public all breathed a sigh of relief.
In the words of the court records, “the manner of slaughter was impugned in this case”. The ruling further appreciated that these “rules of kashrut, in respect of religiously prescribed dietary laws, are the keystones of Jewish practice”. It was a weighty lawsuit, questioning the Jewish religious humane method of slaughter - our very means to eat and survive as a people.
So how come this is likely to be the first time you are reading about this?
The case took place over three thousand miles away. The ruling was issued by the Federal Court in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, between the Jewish communities and kashrus businesses in the country and the Attorney General (“The Jewish Community Council of Montreal, Kashruth Council of Canada, Rabbi Abraham Banon, 4412532 Canada Inc. (D/B/A Kosher Mehadrin), and 1458935 Ontario Ltd. (D/B/A Shefa Meats) and Attorney General of Canada”).
For all animals not stunned before slaughter, in 2019 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) sought to apply three specific indicators to consider whether the animal was unconscious. These would have had a devastating effect on shechita, significantly slowing down the production process and making it economically unviable.
Last month, the Canadian court finally ruled in favour of the Jewish community, preventing enforcement of these arbitrary guidelines. As the judge, Justice Régimbald, noted: “The injunction will be granted. There are serious issues as to whether the CFIA’s Guidelines are unreasonable and whether they encroach on the Applicants’ rights to freedom of religion…and right to equality”.
Shechita UK, our own campaign group established over twenty years ago to lobby against legislative threats and negative coverage of this critical Jewish religious right, is proud to have advised and encouraged the leading advocates in Canada throughout the legal battle.
Shechita UK is now the go-to body for communities that have threats against shechita looming. One slip of the pen in any number of legislative proposals in a country’s legislature could trample on kosher meat production and create a dangerous legal precedent for other countries to follow. The Canadian Jewish community, which united and collaborated to save shechita operations in their country, is to be commended.
Every case is unique and every country has its own laws, biases, culture and context. There are arguments, scientific or otherwise, that are effective to deploy and others that have proven counterproductive and even harmful to our cause. In this case, the injunction was won by invoking the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Yet the science itself remains inconclusive and there is a significant body of scientific evidence which concludes that shechita is a humane method of slaughter. It is our right to continue providing kosher meat provision, but it is also scientifically just as right to do so.
Shechita UK’s close-knit group of veterinaries, doctors, scientists, rabbinic judges and activists can navigate these complex political, legal, and scientific waters superbly well. Over two decades, we have chartered a path to help those who need our help. However, these waters are by no means calm. They continue to simmer and boil. In Canada, the Jewish community can be relieved and kosher meat provisions can increase once more. For other countries soon in the crosshairs, Shechita UK is ready to help.
Shimon Cohen is the Campaign Director of Shechita UK
