The Spin Goes ON: 12 Rabbis Issue Statement On Rubashkin–At Least 6 Have Financial Ties To AgriProcessors

From PR Newswire.com. It's important to note that the kosher industry's trade group and producer of KosherFest, Lubicom, released this statement. They also publish Kosher Today, the publication that smeared, among others, PETA.

At least 6 of the rabbis who signed this statement have financial ties to AgriProcessors/Rubashkin.

US Certifiers of Kosher Slaughter Defend Schechita Practices

NEW YORK, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- A broad coalition of rabbis andcertifying agencies involved in the supervision of kosher meat slaughter inthe United States has reaffirmed the humaneness of kosher slaughter(schechita) in the wake of charges by a radical animal rights group. In anunprecedented statement, uniting diverse segments of the kosher community, the 12 signatories expressed concern that the recent publicity "may lead to misconceptions about the practices depicted on the videotape [released byPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] and, more generally, about theshechita process itself."

    The signatories of the statement included the Orthodox Union (OU) and
other rabbinic authorities that certify the kosher slaughter at Agriprocessors
in Postville, Iowa, the object of the charges. The rabbis noted that schechita
"has been established over centuries to be the most humane form of animal
slaughter.  Shechita typically renders the animal insensible almost
instantaneously."
    Relating to some of the scenes on the video, the statement noted: "After
the animal has been rendered insensible, it is entirely possible that it may
still display certain reflexive actions, including those shown in images
portrayed in the video. These reflexive actions should not be mistaken for
signs of consciousness or pain, and they do not affect the kosher status of
the slaughtered animal's meat."  They even noted that it was not uncommon, but
rare that an animal may walk after schechita. "Cases when animals show such
signs of life after the slaughter process are extremely rare, and even such an
event would not invalidate the shechita if the trachea and esophagus were
severed in the shechita cut."
    Referring to the excision of the trachea, the statement said that it is
"not common practice," adding: "We wish to make clear that nothing in any such
post-shechita "second cut" or excision in any way undermines the validity of
the shechita itself or the kosher status of the slaughtered animal's meat.  We
further note that regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture explicitly
approve a second cut to facilitate bleeding."
    The statement ended with a strong commitment to "the Jewish mandate of
avoiding "tzaar baalei chayim," unnecessary pain to any creature. We reiterate
that the shechita process embodies this very mandate. We rededicate ourselves
to the ongoing responsibility of ensuring strict compliance with all religious
and federal laws governing kosher slaughter."

    The full statement and signatures follows:

                 STATEMENT OF RABBIS AND CERTIFYING AGENCIES
                   ON RECENT PUBLICITY ON KOSHER SLAUGHTER

    As rabbis and certifying agencies involved in the supervision of kosher
meat slaughter in the United States, we are deeply concerned that the recent
publicity surrounding the videotape released by a group called People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals may lead to misconceptions about the practices
depicted on the videotape and, more generally, about the shechita process
itself.  We therefore wish to state as follows:

    1. Shechita involves the slicing or cutting of the trachea and esophagus
       with a sharp knife without nicks in a manner which has been established
       over centuries to be the most humane form of animal slaughter.
       Shechita typically renders the animal insensible almost
       instantaneously.

    2. After the animal has been rendered insensible, it is entirely possible
       that it may still display certain reflexive actions, including those
       shown in images portrayed in the video. These reflexive actions should
       not be mistaken for signs of consciousness or pain, and they do not
       affect the kosher status of the slaughtered animal's meat. There may be
       exceptional circumstances when, due to the closing of jugular veins or
       a carotid artery after the shechita cut, or due to the non-complete
       severance of an artery or vein, the animal may rise up on its legs and
       walk around. Cases when animals show such signs of life after the
       slaughter process are extremely rare, and even such an event would not
       invalidate the shechita if the trachea and esophagus were severed in
       the shechita cut.

    3. With the act of shechita, it is common to cut the carotid arteries, a
       practice designed to facilitate bleeding and accelerate
       unconsciousness.  Excision of the trachea, however, is not common
       practice.  We wish to make clear that nothing in any such post-shechita
       "second cut" or excision in any way undermines the validity of the
       shechita itself or the kosher status of the slaughtered animal's meat.
       We further note that regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
       explicitly approve a second cut to facilitate bleeding.

    4. We reaffirm our commitment to the Jewish mandate of avoiding "tzaar
       baalei chayim," unnecessary pain to any creature. We reiterate that the
       shechita process embodies this very mandate. We rededicate ourselves to
       the ongoing responsibility of ensuring strict compliance with all
       religious and federal laws governing kosher slaughter.

           Rabbi Yisroel Belsky
           Halachic Consultant
           Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America

           Rabbi Sholem Fishbane
           Kashruth Administrator
           Chicago Rabbinical Council

           Rabbi Menachem Genack
           Rabbinic Administrator
           Kashrus Division
           Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America

           Rabbi Asher Hatchuel
           Rabbinic Head
           Sephardic Beth Din of America

           Rabbi Moshe Heinemann
           Rabbinic Administrator
           Star-K Certification

           Rabbi Emanuel Holzer
           Chairman, Kashrus Committee
           Rabbinical Council of America

           Rabbi Chaim Kohn
           Rabbinic Administrator
           Khal Adas Jeshurun

           Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz
           Head of Beth Din
           Chicago Rabbinical Council

           Rabbi Yitzchok Stein
           Rabbinic Head
           Beth Din of Karlsburg

           Rabbi Yechiel Steinmetz
           Rabbinic Judge
           Monsey, NY

           Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum
           Nirbater Rav
           Rabbinic Supervisor
           Alle Processing Corporation

           Rabbi Menachem Meir Weissmandl
           Rabbinic Head
           Nitra Beth Din of Monsey

SOURCE LUBICOM Marketing Consulting