The European Jewish Association (EJA) has called upon Polish and European Union leaders to help reverse a Polish Constitutional Court ruling banning shechita, or kosher slaughter, in the country.
"It has been proven scientifically, that kosher butchering does not allow the animal to feel pain?," asserted EJA Director General, Rabbi Menachem Margolin, according to the European Jewish Press (EJP).
He stated that "there have been many experiments, checking the animal's nervous system activity during Kosher butchering, that proven behind any shadow of doubt that that the animal either doesn't feel pain because there simply isn't, or it goes into sudden shock that prevents its brain from feeling anything."
In a letter to the Polish president and chief Justice, Margolin echoed the sentiments of Jews worldwide, stressing that the ruling of the Polish court has been "so devastating to Jewish welfare and freedom of religion."
"Kosher butchering is essential for sustenance of Jewish life and its ban hurts Jews not only in Poland but in other places across Europe that import Kosher meat from there", he continued.
The issue is going to be discussed in the European Parliament in Brussels on Thursday during an inter-faith conference on the issue of Freedom of Religion in Europe, which will include addresses made by Richard Prasquier, head of the umbrella representative group of Jewish organizations in France, and Hassen Chalghoumi, Imam of the French city of Drancy, according to EJP.