After Years Of Abuse, Jerusalem City Government Moves To Clean Up The Kapparot Ritual

Abuse and mistreatment of chickens used in the ritual will no longer be tolerated.

Veterinary Services to Crack Down on Kapporos in Yerushalayim

Yerushalayim’s business license, inspection and Veterinary Services bureau are making preparations to operate the local kapporos markets. This year enforcement will be boosted to an unprecedented level at a limited number of sites: in the yard of former Kol Yisroel Chaveirim (Alliance Israelite Universelle) school in Machaneh Yehuda, the Bucharim Market, the Beit Yisroel Market, the Mea Shearim Market and the former municipal lot on Rechov Shmuel Hanovi.Shechitoh centers allotted by the municipality will operate from Tuesday, 4 Tishrei (Sept. 22) through Erev Yom Kippur on Sunday, 9 Tishrei (Sept. 27). Inspectors will be out in force to ensure unauthorized sites are not opened. Kapporos centers without shechitoh will be set up in various neighborhoods based on arrangements with the Veterinary Services bureau and the police.

Last year trucks were seen “reusing” chickens. Also, after pledging to shecht them, some birds were left in the streets and tossed into trash bins and dumpsters. To rectify the situation this year kapporos will have to meet Veterinary Services requirements: the chickens must be purchased from certified coops, transported in trucks authorized to transport live animals and kept in roofed cages in shady locations for a maximum of 12 hours.

{Deiah veDibur-Yechiel Sever/Matzav.com Newscenter}

Comments

[Yochanan Lavie]

Kapparot song (apologies to "Blackbird" by the Beatles):

Chicken swinging in the new year time
Take these crispy wings and learn to fry
All your tzuris
We were only waiting for this moment to shlug kapporos

Chicken swinging in the new year time
Take these golden thighs and cook for me
all your life
you were only waiting to set my aveirot free

Chicken fly, Chicken fly
Over the head of a black hat guy. (2x)

Chicken swinging erev Rosh Hashanah
Take these crispy wings and learn to fry
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to perform, yeah,(3x)

[danny]

How is this ritual different that that practiced by voodoo practitioners?