This update/Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) Online Newsletter has the following items:
[*** I plan to report on the Canfei Nesharim Shabbaton and the Coalition On the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) conference in a special JVNA newsletter next week. Please stay tuned. ***]
1. My Article at the Beliefnet.com Online Magazine
2. Challenging the Jewish Establishment to a Respectful Dialogue/Debate
3. Is Foie Gras Kosher?/Please Write
4. Background Material on Foie Gras for Your Letters and Discussions
a. Israeli Supreme Court Landmark Decision on Force Feeding of Ducks and Geese
b. JVNA Press Release Re Banning Foie Gras
c. Graphic Photos of Foie Gras Production
d. David Sears on Pate De Foie Gras (From “The Vision of Eden …” (2003))
e. My Letter to the Editor
5. Messages From Important Vegetarian Group -- VUNA (Vegetarian Union of North America)
6. Action Alert: Responding to Canada’s Annual Slaughter of Seals
7. Valuable Vegetarian Links
8. Ad Campaign Protests Agriprocessers/Postville Slaughterhouse Practices
9. Israeli Teens and Vegetarianism
10. Can We Learn From Anti-smoking Campaigns
11. Action Alert: Saving Our National Forests
Some material has been deferred to a later update/newsletter to keep this one from being even longer.
[Materials in brackets like this [ ] within an article or forwarded message are my editorial notes/comments.]
Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the JVNA, unless otherwise indicated, but may be presented to increase awareness and/or to encourage respectful dialogue. Also, information re conferences, retreats, forums, trips, and other events does not necessarily imply endorsements by JVNA, but may be presented for informational purposes. Please use e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, and web sites to get further information about any event that you are interested in.
As always, your comments and suggestions are very welcome.
Thanks,
Richard
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1. My Article at the Beliefnet.com Online Magazine
My article below was reprinted in the Beliefnet.com online magazine. It is consistent with our attempts to try to turn the Postville glatt kosher slaughterhouse controversy into a wakeup call to get the Jewish community to consider all aspects of our diets. Please use the article as the basis of your letters and talking points. Thanks.
Vegetarianism Is a Jewish Value
By Richard H. Schwartz
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/161/story_16137_1.html
The horrific scenes of the mistreatment of animals videotaped at AgriProcessor’s glatt kosher slaughterhouse in Postville, Iowa, and the efforts of some Jewish groups to defend the facility’s procedures raise questions that go to the heart and soul of Judaism: If slaughterhouse procedures are not consistently monitored for strict adherence to the ideals of shechita, are we carrying out our mandate to be "rachmanim b’nei rachmanim" (compassionate children of compassionate ancestors)? Are we failing to properly imitate G-d, Whose "tender mercies are over all His creatures" (Psalms 145:9)?
Even if shechita is carried out perfectly, and pain and distress during slaughter are minimized, can we ignore the many violations of Jewish teachings on compassion to animals as billions of animals on "factory farms" in the United States and worldwide experience pain, suffering, and agony for their entire lives?
If, as is recited at synagogue services every Sabbath and yom tov (religious festival) morning, "the soul of every living creature shall bless God’s Name," can we expect these cruelly treated animals to join in the praise?
If "the righteous person considers the life of his or her animal" (Proverbs 12:10), how will we be judged, based on our vicarious treatment of the animals raised, trucked, and slaughtered for our tables?
And can we ignore the many other ways that animal-based diets and modern livestock agriculture severely violate Jewish values:
* While Judaism mandates that people should be very careful about preserving their health and their lives, numerous scientific studies have implicated the products of modern intensive livestock agriculture as significant risk factors for coronary heart disease, stroke, several forms of cancer, and other chronic degenerative diseases.
While Judaism teaches that "the earth is the Lord's" (Psalm 24:1) and that we are to be God's partners and co-workers in preserving the world, modern intensive livestock agriculture is widely recognized by independent scientists, including the Union of Concerned Scientists, as an environmentally unsustainable enterprise that grossly accelerates soil erosion and depletion, air and water pollution, overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the destruction of tropical rainforests and other habitats, global climate change, and other forms of environmental damage.
* While Judaism mandates bal tashchit, not to waste or unnecessarily destroy anything of value, or use more than is needed to accomplish a purpose, a diet based upon animal agriculture instead of plant agriculture (which provides protein from grains, beans, tubers, nuts, and seeds) wastes many times more land, fresh water, fossil fuels, grain, and other resources. It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just one pound of feedlot-finished beef.
* While Judaism stresses that we are to assist the poor and share our bread with hungry people, an estimated twenty million human beings worldwide die each year because of hunger and its effects, and nearly a billion are chronically malnourished. While the solution of widespread hunger is complex, it doesn't help that over 70 percent of the grain grown in the U.S. and almost 40 percent worldwide is produced to fatten food animals, not to feed the world's most impoverished human citizens, many of whom are displaced from their land by animal feed growers.
* While Judaism stresses that we must seek and pursue peace and that violence results from unjust conditions, the global expansion of Western-style animal-centered diets is increasing the gap between food security "haves" and "have nots," a chronic injustice that can lead to political unrest and violent conflict.
If Judaism is to remain relevant to many of the great problems of today, it is my heartfelt belief that all Jews must very seriously consider adopting a sustainable vegan, vegetarian, or plant-based diet. In my view, it is a moral, social, and ecological imperative.
While Jews are a small percent of the world’s people and thereby responsible for only a small part of the problems related to modern intensive livestock agriculture and other current practices, it is essential, in view of the many threats to humanity today, that we strive to fulfill our challenge to be a "light unto the nations," and to work for "tikkun olam," the healing, repair, and proper transformation of the world.
Richard H. Schwartz, president of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America, is author of “Judaism and Vegetarianism,” “Judaism and Global Survival,” and “Mathematics and Global Survival.”
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2. Challenging the Jewish Establishment to a Respectful Dialogue/Debate
There have been many articles recently from members of the Jewish establishment, such as Rabbis Shmuely Boteach and Menachem Genack and Dennis Prager. Each article properly discusses Judaism’s wonderful teachings on treating animals with compassion, but ignores how animals are mistreated on factory farms and other negative aspects of animal-based diets and modern intensive animal agriculture.
I have written to Rabbi Boteach and Dennis Prager and to many Jewish publications, suggesting a respectful dialogue/debate on “Should Jews Be Vegetarians?” and related topics. I have offered complimentary copies of my books. So far, I have not received any replies re a possible discussion/debate.
Of course, there are many rabbis and scholars who have far greater knowledge of Judaism than I do, but it appears that our case is so strong that nobody is willing to openly discuss and debate with us on vegetarian issues. They find it convenient to be critical of PETA and other animal rights groups, and much of the criticism is unfortunately justified, but they do not appear ready to address our arguments.
Since I believe that a shift toward vegetarianism is both a societal imperative and a Jewish imperative, and that it would help revitalize Judaism and help attract many disaffected Jews back to Judaism, I believe that we should continue and expand our efforts to get vegetarianism and related issues onto the Jewish agenda. Please contact your local newspapers and radio programs and ask them to contact us about the impacts of animal-based diets on our environment, health, and on Jewish values. Please contact Dennis Prager (dennisprager@dennisprager.com) and Rabbi Shmuely Boteach (Shmuely@Shmuely.com) and Jewish blogs and publications and radip programs and suggest that Jewish teachings on vegetarianism be discussed and that there be dialogues and debates on the issues. Suggestions as always very welcome. Many thanks.
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3. Is Foie Gras Kosher?/Please Write
The article below appeared in the March 1 issue of the Jerusalem Post. Please use some of the material below the article to write a letter to the Jerusalem Post. Thanks.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/Printer&cid=1109647369298&p=1008596975996
Send e-mails at letters@jpost.com
or
http://info.jpost.com/C002/Services/Feedback/editors.html
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'Force feeding geese for foie gras is kosher'
Mati Wagner, THE JERUSALEM POST Mar. 1, 2005
Disagreeing with a High Court ruling and the adopted practice of a growing number of European countries, Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ruled there is no halachic restriction against force-feeding geese for foie gras.
Elyashiv, probably the most preeminent halachic authority living, was asked by a haredi foie gras producer to give his opinion after MK Moshe Gafni (Degel Hatorah) voted against Israeli foie gras production in the Knesset Education Committee, arguing that it contradicted the Jewish law prohibiting cruelty to animals.
Ze'ev Friedman, a resident of Bnei Brak, who has a 30 percent share in Foie Gras, a meat production plant in Petah Tikva that markets goose liver, initiated a meeting of a group of rabbis including Elyashiv, Rabbi Avraham Yosef, the chief rabbi of Holon, and Rabbi David Yehiel Verner, the chief rabbi of Hadera.
The rabbis described in detail the entire process of foie gras production to the nonagenarian rabbi. Asked if foie gras production was a violation of halacha, Elyashiv replied unequivocally that it was not. Halacha permits causing animals to suffer if, as a result, there is some tangible benefit to man. That is why animals may be slaughtered, used for plowing or for carrying heavy loads.
However, writes Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (Igrot Moshe, Even Ha'ezer IV 92), not all benefits enjoyed by man justify causing suffering to animals. Based on this distinction, Feinstein prohibits raising calves for veal. Producing white meat is nothing more than a marketing ploy, writesFeinstein, and does not justify depriving calves of iron in their diet or limiting their mobility.
In contrast, Elyashiv ruled that the enlarged liver resulting from forced-feeding practices is a tangible benefit to man and justifies animal suffering.
As further evidence that there is no halachic restriction against foie gras, Friedman, a sixth-generation foie gras producer, cited stories that Rabbi Moshe Sofer, known as the Hatam Sofer, who lived at the turn of the 19th century, ate foie gras on a regular basis.
"It could be that my forefathers in Hungary actually sold the Hatam Sofer goose liver," said Friedman.
Foie gras producers force-feed newborn geese with high-caloric food by inserting a tube into the esophagus, resulting in the swelling of the liver. The process lasts about three months, after which the geese, who have a life expectancy of about 60 years in their natural habitat, are slaughtered.
Animal rights groups say force-feeding damages the digestive system and the esophagus and causes suffering.
In August 2003, the High Court agreed with a petition by Noah, an umbrella organization for animal rights organizations in Israel, that force-feeding geese for the production of foie gras causes unnecessary suffering.
The court ruled that foie gras production violates the Protection of Animals Law, 1994, which prohibits torture, cruelty or abuse to animals.
It based its decision on a distinction between food items necessary for human existence and luxuries. Less weight is given to agriculture industry needs and more emphasis is put on animals' rights when a food product is a luxury item.
Chai Binyamini, secretary-general of the association of goose growers in Israel, said the Agriculture Ministry had invested NIS 200,000 to investigate more humane methods of producing foie gras. Binyamini said 62 geese growers employing 600 workers produce 500 tons of foie gras a year. Industry revenues, including both liver and goose meat, are NIS 100m., of which NIS 60m. are for export.
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4. Background Material on Foie Gras for Your Letters and Discussions
a. Israeli Supreme Court Landmark Decision on Force Feeding of Ducks and Geese
Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D. (This article was written in August 2003)
In a landmark decision, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled on August 11, 2003 that the force-feeding of geese and ducks for the production of liver is cruel and illegal, and that the temporary regulations allowing the birds to be force-fed are to be annulled by March 2005. This ruling conforms to the position of major Ashkenazic and Sefardic rabbinical authorities in Israel, including Rabbis Zvi Pesach Frank and Eliezer Waldman of the previous generation, and Rabbis Ovadia Yosef and Shear Yashuv Cohen, among today's chief rabbis.
The judges indicated that, to produce this pâté delicacy, the birds are force fed enormous amounts of grain through a pressurized pipe shoved down their throats. As a result the birds develop degenerative diseases of the liver.
Rabbi David Rosen, a contemporary Israeli Orthodox rabbi and former Chief Rabbi of Ireland, states: “It should be obvious that pate de foie gras is produced in a manner that is in complete contravention of the Torah's prohibition of causing tsa'ar ba'alei chayim - pain to animals (see Maimonides, Yad Chazakah, Hilchot Rozeah, Ch. 13, M. 8). Rabbi Yechezkel Landau, the Noda Bi-Yehuda, clarifies that causing any cruelty to an animal while alive is a desecration of this prohibition (Noda Bi-Yehuda, Yoreh Deah, Response No. 10) and that if food can be obtained in a manner that does not involve additional pain and one chooses to obtain such through causing pain to an animal, one desecrates a Torah prohibition. Pate de foie gras is obtained through the willful desecration of a Torah prohibition and any truly God-revering Jew will not partake of such a product which is an offense against the Creator and His Torah.”
The court decision is an important step in a nearly ten year campaign led by NOAH, a coalition of about 20 Israeli animal rights groups, to implement Israel’s animal welfare laws, designed to prevent cruelty to animals. NOAH representatives visited some of the 45 farms where geese are force-fed, and documented the entire force-feeding process. They also submitted opinions from experts in several countries, who blamed the force-feeding process for causing severe respiratory problems, internal injuries and damaged organs.
Israel has 45 farms that raise geese and ducks to produce foie gras (liver). The National Poultry Council estimates that the industry annually produces 450 tons of goose liver and 50 tons of duck liver. The industry has an annual turnover of $30 million, and almost half of the liver is exported.
Ehud Peleg, one of NOAH’s lawyers, believes that the ruling sends a clear message that the Supreme Court places more value on compassion, morality, and justice than on luxury foods and profits. He believes that the decision means that the large-scale rearing of geese will now become uneconomic and thus there will be an end to the goose liver industry's use of artificially enlarged livers - a practice that is now officially recognized as cruel. However, it is expected that foie gras producers and other supporters of intensive rearing of animals will seek loopholes, and thus that the Israeli animal rights movement must remain vigilant and continue lobbying for an enforcement of the Supreme Court decision.
The Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) commends the Supreme Court decision, and hopes that it will be the first step in applying Judaism’s splendid teachings on tsa’ar ba’alei chayim, the Torah mandate to avoid causing pain to animals, to the many horrible examples of mistreatment of animals on factory farms. It is time to end practices that have become standard cost-saving measures in the raising of animals for both kosher and non-kosher animal products, including keeping animals in closed spaces so small that they cannot make normal movements and starving animals for extended periods.
JVNA urges our spiritual leaders to follow the lead of the Israeli Supreme Court by condemning clear violations of Jewish teachings on the proper treatment of animals. We also urge Jews to stop contributing to the suffering of billions of G-d’s creatures by moving towards plant-based diets, consistent with Jewish mandates to preserve our health, treat animals with compassion, protect the environment, conserve natural resources, help the hungry, and pursue a more peaceful, less violent world.
In addition to ending violations of basic Jewish mandates, a shift toward vegetarianism would have many additional benefits, because animal-based diets and agriculture contribute significantly to an epidemic of chronic degenerative diseases, global climate change, widening water shortages, rapid species extinction, destruction of tropical rain forests, coral reefs, and other habitats, soil erosion, and depletion, and other environmental and societal threats.
More information on Jewish vegetarianism is available at JewishVeg.com. The JVNA will send a complimentary copy of Richard Schwartz’s acclaimed book “Judaism and Vegetarianism,” and a related cassette tape, to anyone who contacts us and tells us how he or she will use the materials to make people more aware of Jewish teachings on vegetarianism and related issues.
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b. JVNA Press Release Re Banning Foie Gras
PRESS RELEASE
JEWISH GROUP URGES BANNING OF FORCE-FEEDING OF DUCKS AND GEESE IN THE UNITED STATES
For Immediate Release:
March 3, 2004
Contact:
Richard H. Schwartz, President of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA)
Rschw12345@aol.com Phone: (718) 761-5876
The Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) urges that the force-feeding of geese and ducks for the production of foie gras be banned by California and New York State legislative bodies. The JVNA position is based on the tremendous cruelty involved in producing foie gras, which violates Jewish teachings on compassion to animals, the many rabbinic opinions forbidding the production of foie gras, and the fact that foie gras production has already been outlawed by many European countries, including the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.K.
[The following three paragraphs on rabbinic views on the force-feeding of ducks and geese was provided by Rabbi David Sears, author of “The Vision of Eden: Animal Welfare and Vegetarianism in Jewish Law and Mysticism.”]
Poskim (rabbinic authorities) opposed to the forced feeding of birds include the Bach on Yoreh De'ah 33:9; Chochmas Adam 16:10; Sha'arei Tzedek on Yoreh De'ah 33; Divrei Menachem (Divrei Shalom), p. 143, col. 2; Darkei Teshuvah, Yoreh De’ah 33:131, 142, 143, citing Teshuvos HaTzemach Tzedek, no. 17, Nekudas HaKessef, et al.; She'ilas Shalom Tinyana, no. 154 (end); Tzitz Eliezer, Vol. XI, nos. 49, 55 (end), citing the Chida in Machzik Beracha, Yoreh De'ah 33:19, and R. Zvi Elimelech Spira of Dinov, et al.; ibid. Vol. XII, no. 52; Teshuvos Har Tzvi, no. 26; Shema Shlomo, Yoreh De'ah, no. 1.
Rav Ovadiah Yosef, the most influential contemporary halachic authority in the Sefardic world and former Sefardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, forbids the forced feeding of fowl in Israel in Yabia Omer, Vol. 9, Yoreh De'ah, no. 3 (originally issued in 1976), both for reasons of kashrus and tza'ar baalei chaim, which Rav Ovadia mentions explicitly.
Based on a leniency of the Turei Zahav, there are several decisors who permit forced feeding if it is done gently; however the majority view is opposed to it. Thus, the majority of religious Jews today refrain from consuming foie gras.
On August 11, 2003, the Israeli Supreme Court made a landmark decision that banned the force-feeding of geese and ducks for the production of foie gras, effective in 2005, as a violation of Israel’s animal cruelty laws. As the judges indicated, to produce this pâté “delicacy,” the birds are force-fed enormous amounts of grain through a pressurized pipe shoved down their throats. As a result the birds develop degenerative diseases of the liver.
Since so many countries have already banned the production of foie gras, it is time that the U.S. follows suit.
California Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, introduced a measure in February, 2004, that would ban foie gras from being produced and consumed in California. Burton stated: "We just shouldn't be cramming a tube down a duck's throat and forcing in food to make foie gras. It's an inhumane process that other countries have sensibly banned. I'm pleased California will be next on the list."
Legislation has also been introduced in New York State to ban the production of foie gras. Assembly bill 1821 and Senate Bill 5153 would amend the state animal cruelty law to make it "unlawful to force feed a bird, by hand or machine, for the purpose of fatty enlargement of the bird’s liver."
Since California and New York are the only states that produce foie gras, the JVNA urges members of the California and New York State Senates and State Assembles to follow the lead of Israel and other countries by addressing the cruelty involved in producing foie gras, through passing legislation that would ban its production. This would be consistent with Judaism’s teachings on tsa’ar ba’alei chayim, the Torah mandate to avoid causing pain to animals, and with teachings about compassion in Judaism and other religions.
Rabbi David Rosen, Rabbinic Advisor to the JVNA, and a contemporary Israeli Orthodox rabbi and former Chief Rabbi of Ireland, stated:
“It should be obvious that pate de foie gras is produced in a manner that is in complete contravention of the Torah's prohibition of causing tsa'ar ba'alei chayim - pain to animals (see Maimonides, Yad Chazakah, Hilchot Rozeah, Ch. 13, M. 8). Rabbi Yechezkel Landau, the Noda Bi-Yehuda, clarifies that causing any cruelty to an animal while alive is a desecration of this prohibition (Noda Bi-Yehuda, Yoreh Deah, Response No. 10) and that if food can be obtained in a manner that does not involve additional pain and one chooses to obtain such through causing pain to an animal, one desecrates a Torah prohibition. Pate de foie gras is obtained through the willful desecration of a Torah prohibition and any truly God-revering Jew will not partake of such a product, which is an offense against the Creator and His Torah.”
More information on Jewish vegetarianism is available at JewishVeg.com. The JVNA will send a complimentary copy of Richard Schwartz’s book “Judaism and Vegetarianism,” and a related cassette tape, to anyone who contacts the group (rschw12345@aol.com) and tells them how he or she will use the materials to make people more aware of Jewish teachings on these issues.
c. Graphic Photos of Foie Gras Production
http://www.stopforcefeeding.com/page.php?module=photos&article_id=33
d. David Sears on Pate De Foie Gras (From “The Vision of Eden …” (2003))
From the blog www.mentalblog.com
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
http://www.mentalblog.com/2005/03/david-sears-on-pate-de-foie-gras.html
A follow up to our previous post. We quote David Sears, he writes in his book The Vision of Eden (published in 2003, and thus not a response to Rabbi Elyashiv) on pages 86-87:
Pate De Foie Gras: The forced feeding of geese and other species of fowl for the production of pate de foie gras was the subject of debate among rabbinic decisors during the 18th and 19th centuries, when many Jewish families in Eastern Europe subsisted from the breeding and sale of livestock. Stuffing geese was deemed halachically unacceptable by most prominent authorities, although several, including the Chasam Sofer (R. Moshe Sofer, 1762-1839), permitted it.(75) Thus, Jewish farmers in Hungary force-fed their geese, while those living in Rumania, Poland, Ukraine, and Russia did not.
Both the unnatural method of feeding and the suffering the birds inevitably endure as their sclerotic livers become enlarged to as much as eight times their natural size raise the issue of transgressing the laws of tza'ar baalei chaim. Of pressing halachic concern is whether or not forced feeding renders the birds treifos (internally damaged). The smallest puncture in the animal's esophagus as a result of foreign matter or a coarse particle of grain in the feed would render it non-kosher. Therefore, religious Jews today almost universally abstain from pate de foie gras. Most European countries forbid raising geese for pate de foie gras for humane reasons, but some allow it to be imported.(76) Ironically, among the world's main producers of foie gras are the secular Kibbutzim (farming collectives) in Israel.(77)
Footnotes:
75. Authorities opposed to this practice include the Bach on Yoreh De'ah 33:9; Chochmas Adam 16:10; Sha'arei Tzedek on Yoreh De'ah 33; Divrei Menachem (Divrei Shalom), p. 143, col. 2; Darkei Teshuvah, Yoreh De'ah 33:131, 142, 143, citing Teshuvos HaTzemach Tzedek, no. 17, Nekudas HaKessef, et al.; She'ilas Shalom Tinyana, no. 154 (end); Tzitz Eliezer, Vol. XI, nos. 49, 55 (end), citing the Chida in Machzik Beracha, Yoreh De'ah 33:19, and R. Zvi Elimelech Spira of Dinov, et al.; ibid. Vol. XII, no. 52; Teshuvos Har Tzvi, no. 26; Shema Shiomo, Yoreh De'ah, no. 1. The Taz is inclined to permit it if the birds are fed gently. On this basis the Chasam Sorer takes a lenient view in Teshuvos Chasam Safer, Vol. I, no. 25. Nevertheless, I am told that most Chassidim in Hungary before the Holocaust would not eat force-fed geese due to uncertainty as to their kashrus. For a comprehensive halachic perspective, see R, Binyamin Adier, Kashrus U'Treifos B'Ohf, chap. 33, sec. 98-129.
76. Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, as well as Australia have banned this practice. Italy has recently implemented such legislation, to be complied with by 2004.
77. The Knesset, Israel's parliament, recently initiated a process of reassessing its standards for raising fowl in order to produce pate de foieyas. As of July 2001, the forced feeding of ducks, which represent 12% of the birds slaughtered for foiegras in Israel, has been banned. However, Israel's rabbinate has opposed the forced feeding of fowl all along; see above n. 75, Teshuvos Har Tzvi, Tzitz Eliezer, op cit. R. Ovadiah Yosef, the most influential contemporary halachic authority in the Sefardic world and former Sefardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, forbids the forced feeding of fowl in Israel in Yabia Omer, Vol. 9, Yoreh De'ah, no. 3 (originally issued in 1976), both for reasons of kashrus and tza'ar baalei chaim.
posted by Tzemach Atlas at 7:32 PM
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e. My Letter to the Editor
March 3, 2005
Editor, the Jerusalem Post
letters@jpost.com
Dear Editor:
As president of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) and author of “Judaism and Vegetarianism,” I would like to respectfully indicate my surprise and sorrow at reading that Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv ruled there is no halachic restriction against force-feeding geese for foie gras, despite an Israeli High Court ruling banning the production of foie gras and the adopted practice of a growing number of European countries (“Force feeding geese for foie gras is kosher,” Mar. 1, 2005 issue.)
Rabbi Elyashiv’s ruling would seem to condone any mistreatment of animals, including recreational hunting that our sages have condemned, as long as some people felt it beneficial. Even if one believes that meat is necessary for proper nutrition, in spite of the abundant evidence to the contrary, surely there are many choices that do not involve such
systemic brutality as force-feeding young geese until their livers swell to many times their normal size, causing serious, sometimes fatal, pain and trauma.
In his book, “The Vision of Eden: Animal Welfare and Vegetarianism in Jewish Law and Mysticism,” Rabbi Dovid Sears cites many Jewish sources who deemed the stuffing of geese halachically unacceptable. He indicates that Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, the most influential contemporary halachic authority in the Sefardic world and former Sefardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, forbids the forced feeding of fowl in Israel in Yabia Omer, Vol. 9, Yoreh De'ah, no. 3 (originally issued in 1976), both for reasons of kashrus and tza'ar baalei chaim. Rabbi David Rosen, former Chief Rabbi of Ireland, stated: “Pate de foie gras is obtained through the willful desecration of a Torah prohibition and any truly God-revering Jew will not partake of such a product, which is an offense against the Creator and His Torah.”
Very truly yours,
Richard H. Schwartz
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5. Messages From Important Vegetarian Group -- VUNA (Vegetarian Union of North America)
VUNA’s objective is promoting a strong, effective, cooperative vegetarian movement throughout North America
Their aim is to supply vegetarian organizations and individuals with information that will help them organize and maintain a strong vegetarian lifestyle.
Membership is open to groups and individuals.
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Forwarded message from VUNA (a group that I used to be actively involved with):
Hello VUNA Members and Supporters,
We realize you haven't heard from us in a long time, but wanted to let you know that we've been working behind the scenes on reorganizing and rebuilding the Vegetarian Union of North America. The VUNA Council has been holding regular planning sessions via teleconference and also keeps in touch via e-mail.
Gerry Coffey has done a great new issue of VUNA VIEWS which is too big to send to you via e-mail, but we know you'll want to read all the details so we've posted it on our website at the following address: www.ivu.org/vuna/news/2005
Included in the newsletter are updates on what we've been doing (including a submission to the USDA), Councilor profiles, news items, and more!
Another important development is that we are holding elections for the VUNA Council this Spring. We are seeking a few good vegetarians or vegans to join our team. For more details see the following message from Saurabh Dalal, VUNA Secretary, below and the online VUNA VIEWS at the above URL.
Peter McQueen
VUNA President
Second message from VUNA:
Hello VUNA Members and Friends
We are once again doing organizational planning for VUNA, specifically in the establishment of a new VUNA Board of Directors (also called the VUNA Council).
"The property, affairs, and business of the Corporation shall be managed by the Board of Directors." The Council consists of between 3 and 12 individuals.
This is the official Call for Nominations for names as candidates for the VUNA Council. Candidates must be:
- vegetarian, which according to the VUNA definition is "the practice of living without the use of meat, fish, or fowl, with or without the addition of eggs and dairy products."
- an individual member of VUNA (which includes all members of IVU in North America)
- prepared to undertake agreed specific responsibilities on behalf of the Council.
Please note:
1. an official email, nominating yourself or anyone else, must come to Dennis Bayomi of the VUNA Nominating Committee: dbayomi@mts.net . You may also send this by regular mail to: Winnipeg Vegetarian Association, Attn: Dennis Bayomi, Box 2721; Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3C 4B3.
2. each candidate should then submit a 'position statement' not to exceed 250 words to dbayomi@mts.net or by snail mail to the address above. The format is open and can address past experience, specific skills or knowledge that would be of likely interest to VUNA, a willingness to undertake specific responsibilities, ideas to move VUNA forward, and anything else that the candidate feels important and relevant.
3. #1 and #2 above must be submitted via email or regular mail to Dennis Bayomi by 1 April, 2005.
Please review the relevant information (Bylaws) on the VUNA website:
http://www.ivu.org/vuna/members/bylaws.html
THANKS for your interest and support of the greater vegetarian movement!
Wishing you the very best -
Saurabh Dalal
VUNA Secretary
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6. Action Alert: Responding to Canada’s Annual Slaughter of Seals
Forwarded message from the Humane Society of the US (HSUS):
STAND UP FOR SEALS
In late March the ice floes off Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada will once again run red with the blood of hundreds of thousands of harp seals, some as young as 12 days old. Canada's annual seal slaughter is the largest commercial hunt of marine mammals anywhere in the world--and the rest of the world is taking notice.
On March 15, The HSUS and our Protect Seals Network partners will hold the first International Day of Action Against the Canadian Seal Hunt. Participating groups will announce a boycott of Canadian seafood--to be launched once the first seal is clubbed or shot to death on the ice this year. More than 40 demonstrations are planned at Canadian embassies and consulates around the world. Please make your plans to attend an event near you and add your voice. http://hsus.ga4.org/ct/Zdzf5tE1VBCZ/
The U.S. Senate introduced a resolution, S. Res. 33, on February 1 urging the Canadian government to call off the hunt. Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), the lead sponsor, noted that polls reflect 71 percent of Canadians believe the seal hunt should be banned outright, or limited to seals over one year of age.
"The clubbing of baby seals can't be defended or justified, and Canada should end it just as we ended the Alaska baby seal massacre 20 years ago," said Senator Levin in his remarks to the Senate.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1. Attend an International Day of Action rally on March 15:
http://hsus.ga4.org/ct/N7zf5tE1ZjKP/
2. Ask your U.S. Senators to co-sponsor S. Res. 33 and send a message to Canada to end the bloody seal hunt:
http://hsus.ga4.org/ct/N1zf5tE1ZjK0/
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7. Valuable Vegetarian Links
The information below was submitted by author, activist, and JVNA advisor Dan Brook
Here is a very good list of vegetarian links from Vegetarians in Paradise:
http://www.vegparadise.com/linkswe.html
Mine are listed under General Information Sources:
http://www.vegparadise.com/linkswe.html#infosources
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8. Ad Campaign Protests Agriprocessers/Postville Slaughterhouse Practices
Search http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?S=3002176
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43035
POSTVILLE Animal rights activists have launched an ad campaign against a meatpacking plant in northeast Iowa, saying it uses cruel practices to slaughter cattle.
Agriprocessors in Postville is the world's largest kosher slaughterhouse. The company sells meat under the Aaron's Best and Rubashkin's brand names.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals hopes its campaign will encourage Jews to buy other brands of meat.
PETA is spending 15-thousand-dollars to purchase ads in eight Jewish publications.
PETA has filed a complaint with the U-S Department of Agriculture alleging that Agriprocessors routinely violates the federal law demanding the humane slaughtering of animals.
A U-S-D-A investigation of the complaint is ongoing.
A company spokesman says the ad campaign will not hurt business. He says retailers and customers are standing by the company.
Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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9. Israeli Teens and Vegetarianism
Teens need their greens
By Bruria Atar
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=217547&contrassID=3&subContrassID=0&sbSubContrassID=0
In fact, adolescents need to be especially careful to eat properly to encourage healthy functioning and optimum growth
The number of overweight young people in Israel has doubled in the past 10 years. Today, about a quarter of Israeli kids are too fat. Moreover, 75 to 80 percent of the overweight adolescents will grow up to be overweight adults. In terms of morbidity and mortality, they are at higher risk later on for high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and so forth. People are considered overweight if they deviate by more than 20 percent from their ideal weight.
This is not to say that overweight adolescents or children should diet. "I'm against dieting and especially against avoiding certain food groups," says Nira Feldman, a clinical dietitian with the Maccabi health maintenance organization (HMO) in northern Israel. "Adolescents must eat well, and correctly. Drastically reducing the amount of food consumed is dangerous, especially for girls, because it can interfere with normal menstruation.
"Crash diets generally make people even fatter, hungrier and more frustrated. Most important is to make sure that a youngster doesn't begin skipping entire food groups, like cutting out all dairy products or legumes. Those situations should be discussed with a dietitian," she continues.
The main problem during adolescence, emphasize nutrition experts, is a lack of nutritional balance that can retard development, since it's precisely then that the child is undergoing accelerated growth and reaching his or her full height. Hence the essential minerals must be provided: iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium.
In a survey done in the Dan region of children aged 1 to 16, 34 percent suffered a preliminary iron deficiency and 15.7 percent were anemic. Iron is necessary for moving oxygen properly to the body's tissues through the red blood cells. According to Dr. Sarah Kaplan, chief dietitian at the Meuhedet HMO, a lack of iron is the main reason for anemia, which can cause fatigue, weakness, poor concentration and a decline in the ability to learn and remember. Sometimes it can even lead to retarded development and behavioral disturbances like apathy and absent-mindedness.
Therefore, Dr. Kaplan emphasizes, iron-rich foods like meat and liver should be consumed in greater quantities along with dark, leafy green vegetables, walnuts and whole grains, plus foods with plenty of Vitamin C like melon, citrus fruit and kiwi. Food supplements or medicines can be added if necessary.
SNIP
Meat? Ugh!
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10. Can We Learn From Anti-smoking Campaigns
There has been much recent progress in reducing smoking through education campaigns. Hence, perhaps the article below re reducing smoking might trigger off some ideas re reducing the consumption of animal products.
Smoking gets own 'Kyoto treaty'
By Nick Triggle, BBC News health reporter
February 27, 2005, BBC NEWS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/4295845.stm
Each day about 13,500 people worldwide die from smoking-related diseases. By 2020 the mortality rate will have doubled - the equivalent of 10 million a year.
To tackle the rise, which is expected to be felt hardest in developing countries, the World Health Organization's tobacco control treaty comes into force on Sunday.
It is regarded as smoking's answer to the Kyoto agreement - only with teeth.
Ratified by 57 countries, including the UK, the document sets out a programme to reduce the number of people smoking across the world.
Under its terms governments have promised to introduce smoking bans, tobacco advertising restrictions and health warnings on cigarette packets, draw up anti-smuggling strategies and agree to increase tax on tobacco sales.
Developing countries
It has been hailed as a landmark in the fight against smoking after developing countries - where 84% of the world's 1.8 billion smokers live - took a lead role in setting it up.
Two thirds of the 57 founding members are developing nations.
And while many of the Western governments which are on board have already taken a tough stance against smoking, the signatories do include Japan and Germany, both of which have been slow to introduce tobacco control.
Supporters also point out some of the world's largest tobacco growers - India, Japan, Pakistan, Thailand and Turkey - have agreed to be bound by it.
Key requirements of treaty Ban tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion, where constitutions allow, within five years Tobacco packaging must include health warnings covering at least 30% of packet within 3 years Introduce measures to protect people from second-hand tobacco smoke in public places Draw up strategies to combat smuggling Adopt tax policies which discourage smoking
But with just over a third of the WHO's member states adopting the treaty, the impact is likely to be limited initially.
Dr Vera Luiza Da Costa e Silva, director of the Tobacco Free Initiative, the WHO department behind the treaty, said she expected the number of countries to have ratified it to top 100 by November.
More than 100 other countries have also signed the treaty, but will not be bound by its restrictions until they agree to ratify it.
"Obviously getting other countries to ratify it is the natural step and I think that will happen.
"The framework allows member countries to work together to protect themselves from the big cigarette manufacturers through tightening marketing restrictions, controlling pricing and sponsorship.
"This is particularly relevant for the developing countries, which are increasingly being targeted by tobacco companies."
Smoking bans
But she said it was also relevant to countries who had already introduced advertising and smoking bans.
"The framework also deals with smuggling, that is a problem for these countries."
Global tobacco control expert Jeff Collin, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, also believes the treaty, called the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, will have an impact.
"This is a very strong treaty that asks a lot of signatories, unlike say Kyoto. There would be no point in having a weakened treaty that was acceptable to everyone.
"What has been particularly impressive is that the developing countries from Africa and Asia have led the way, they really wanted this.
"It has had a low profile as many think it will only have an impact in developing countries but that is not true.
"It also encourages best practice, new protocols and further progress, some of the western countries could really take a lead.
"And you only need to have a look at the tobacco industry's sponsorship of Formula One.
"They can get round national bans because TV shows the advertising when the races happen in countries with no ban."
Anti-smoking campaigners also believe the treaty will have an impact.
Deborah Arnott, director of Ash, said: "The smoking industry is very nervous about it, it is already encouraging countries to adopt policies to cut smoking such as public bans and warnings.
"We are not going to see it make an impact straight away but over a number of years I think we will see a difference."
She also believes it could force the UK government into a rethink about its proposed smoking ban which does not include pubs which do not serve food.
"I think you could argue the public are not being protected."
Warnings
But the apparent lack of enthusiasm among EU states has caused some concern.
Only 10 of the EU's 25 states have ratified the treaty even though under European legislation health warnings are placed on all cigarette packets and a total ban on advertising in print and on-line comes into force in July.
Philip Tod, a spokesman on health and consumer protection at the European Commission, agreed the remaining 15 member states should commit themselves.
"The treaty is an important step forward in tackling tobacco control worldwide but we need more countries to sign up.
"The framework is a reflection of EU actions on tobacco control so we would expect member states to ratify it."
We sell our products in more than 160 countries and in all of them we target adults and support regulation of the industry Di Giovanni Tommaso, of Philip Morris
However, some believe the treaty is weakened by the refusal of the US to become a member.
Officials close to the treaty negotiators told BBC News that ever since the idea was first proposed in 1995, the US has been trying to water down the contents under pressure from the tobacco industry.
Laurent Huber, a co-ordinator for the Framework Convention Alliance, an international umbrella group to support NGOs in implementing the treaty, said: "If there is one area of it that is weak, it is to do with trade.
"A lot is expected on public health, but I am afraid it is not as strong on trade.
"And that is where the battle is going to be. The tobacco industry is increasingly looking to push its trade into poorer countries."
And he said that as the US - home to many of the leading cigarette manufacturers - had not ratified the treaty, the tobacco industry could exploit loopholes to push their interests abroad.
Behind the scenes the tobacco industry is said to have objected to many of the treaty measures, however in public market leaders say they are behind it.
Di Giovanni Tommaso, a spokesman for Philip Morris, the world's largest cigarette manufacturer, said: "We look forward to continuing to work with governments on making sure different regulatory systems complement each other.
"We sell our products in more than 160 countries and in all of them we target adults and support regulation of the industry."
© BBC MMV
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11. Action Alert: Saving Our National Forests
Thanks to Rabbi Dovid Sears, long time friend and JVNA advisor, scholar, and author of many books, including “The Vision of Eden: Animal Welfare and Vegetarianism in Jewish Law and Mysticism” for submitting the report below.
Forwarded message from:
Katelyn Sabochik
Online Campaign Manager
info@saveourenvironment.org
This fall the Bush administration issued deplorable new management rules for our national forests that put millions of acres of our public lands at risk.
Now the Forest Service wants to exempt forest management plans - the blueprints for how our National Forests are run - from public environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Exempting these plans from public scrutiny would be very dangerous for our forests - we can't let this happen!
I just submitted my comment to the Forest Service, will you join me? Tuesday March 7, is the deadline to provide feedback on this dangerous proposal, so please use the link below to submit your comments now before it's too late!
[Please note that there is a reference to Christmas on the petition's form letter, but you can modify the form letter if you wish.]
http://www.saveourenvironment.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=13074&ref=482315
NEPA is a landmark environmental law that has protected our natural heritage for over thirty years. This law requires federal agencies to study and disclose the environmental effects of their actions and to include the public in their decision-making.
The Bush administration has worked to steadily chip away at this important law over the past four years. This latest attack on NEPA would greatly reduce information available to the public, scientists, and other agencies. It would make it much more difficult for the public to weigh in on or provide comments, concerns, objections, or alternatives to Forest Service proposals.
Well over 100 national forests are due for revised management plans by the end of this decade and therefore at risk. If we don't nip it in the bud now, the effects of this exemption could stretch across millions of acres of our forestlands.
Please don't wait. Click this link to let the Forest Service know that you are opposed to this harmful proposal!
http://www.saveourenvironment.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=13074&ref=482315
Thanks for your help!
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