A campaign by the Ministry of Agriculture against the “kapparot” (or kaporos) custom of twirling chickens in the air and slaughtering them on Yom Kippur Eve in order to atone for sins has met obstruction from haredi newspapers.
Haredi newspapers Yated Ne'eman, Hamevaser, Bakehila, Hapeles and Hamodia all refused to run the advertisement encouraging Jews to use coins instead of chickens for the custom, so as to avoid cruelty toward animals.
Mishpacha magazine agreed to run the ad, but only if a quote from Halakhic (Jewish legal) sage Rabbi Yosef Karo opposing the custom as unduly cruel was removed from it.
The Agriculture Ministry appears to have anticipated the lack of cooperation from haredi papers.
It decided to print posters and put them up on the bulletin boards and walls in haredi neighborhoods, thus utilizing a time-honored means of mass communication in the haredi world.
Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel (Jewish Home) called upon the public to use money instead of chickens for the ritual and then donate the money to the poor, thus helping the needy and increasing social solidarity.