I partook in Kapparot last year for the first time and cried the entire time during and for three days after. All the while dodging horrendous stares from all else -yet some were a bit sympathetic as I was very emotionally distraught over it.
I COULDN’T AGREE MORE WITH YOU!!! I’m all for tradition yet not for the mistreatment of ANY living creature.
THANK YOU
What kind of God do these people think they are serving? The God of my Bible is the Creator and surely treating even the lowly chicken in such a despicable manner is grievous to Him. All I can say is one day we will all stand before our Maker and account for our deeds here on earth - to both humans AND animals that He created. I want no part of a religious that is so callous and cruel.
About 15 years ago, I read an article in the Jewish Times with pictures showing Orthodox Jews holding terrified chickens by their feet and swinging them around in circles. While only a small fraction of Orthodox Jews participate in this despicable display of animal cruelty, it is none-the-less despicable.
I applaud the letter-writer for standing up to this cruelty. More need to protest as well. Also, if this is still going on, the Jewish Times should cover it.
Having grown up Orthodox I would like to point out that the chickens are not ritually “sacrificed”. Orthodox Jews haven’t had “ritual sacrifices” since the times of the temple. The chickens are ritually slaughtered for consumption and they are distributed to families who are hard up for food. I do not condone the mistreatment of any animal by any person and according to Halacha (Jewish Law)such behavior would be a sin. Although I suspect that Mr. Cohen’s depiction of the ritual has occured, my experience has not been anything like that.
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