On Monday, I blogged about a possible impending shortage of kosher meat, due to the Agriprocessors raid. Yesterday’s Washington Post has a detailed article discussing this possibility, and also looking at rising concern among observant Jews regarding current Kosher standards. Says one rabbi:
How can those who are responsible for preparing religiously fit meat not conduct themselves in a religiously proper manner? It’s an embarrassment to the Jewish community — how can this be seen as Jewishly fit?
In related news, a followup to this passage I wrote on Monday:
Hopefully the meat shortage, and the reasons behind it, will provide a catalyst for the Jewish community to examine the current standards under which kosher meat is produced. And anyway, the most reliable way to keep kosher is to avoid animal products entirely — there’s no need to keep meat and milk separate, or to worry about whether these foods are produced in compliance with kosher law, if you’re not eating them in the first place.
I was pretty sure that passage would generate a nasty response from some readers. Instead, I got an email from a rabbinical student who absolutely agreed with me, even taking what I wrote a step further by replying, “…the only way to keep kosher without fear is to eliminate animal products.” Link.
