Polish Jews Continue Kosher Slaughter Despite Ban

The Polish-Jewish community is still practicing shechita (kosher slaughter), despite a January legal ban on ritual slaughter passed by the country’s parliament, the Sejm. Last week, a bill that would have created an exception to the ban, thus re-legalizing both kosher and halal slaughter, was voted down in the Sejm, 222-178.

American-born Chief Rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich told the Jerusalem Post, “I have no hesitation to do shechita. When it becomes necessary we certainly will do shechita [again] because I believe it's legal.”

Polish Minister of Administration and Digitization Michael Bon, who deals with religious issues, has recommended the re-examining of the ritual slaughter ban to see whether it contradicts the Polish constitution’s prohibition against violating freedom of religious worship.