Jewish unity is the answer to the EU's kosher slaughter ban - opinion
Especially given Europe’s difficult past, it must do more to safeguard the human rights of the Jewish community and all citizens.
By OMER YANKELEVITCHMembers of the European Parliament buy beef at a butcher shop in Brussels, last month.(photo credit: REUTERS)
Three weeks ago, the European Court of Justice upheld Belgium’s prohibition of ritual slaughter. No one, following recent events in Europe, should be stunned by this unsettling ruling.The Jewish world has come to the general consensus that the decision – thinly disguised with rhetoric defending animal rights – harms the viability of Jewish communities in Europe, along with core values of religious freedom and expression. Acting against the advice of its own advocate general, the court was making clear that so-called animal rights trump European Jewry’s – along with the Muslim community’s – basic freedom of religion.Especially given Europe’s difficult past, it must do more to safeguard the human rights of the Jewish community and all citizens.Voices in Europe have expressed their disbelief and dismay from this ruling. European authorities and officials have said that they are ready to help. Among them was Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva, who spoke out during his recent trip to Israel. European Jewish communities and various Israeli government bodies, including the Foreign Ministry, have echoed similar shock and concern.While these statements are a positive first step, we are called upon as a united global Jewish people to join forces around a shared strategy in the next phase of our response.Particularly now during the global pandemic, shocking events rise and fall with the news cycle. After the initial wave of statements, political instability and the resurgence of COVID-19 serve to distract us from committing to the long-term work that will be necessary to secure the future of European Jewry.Let’s not be fooled into thinking that banning kosher slaughter is the end of the story. In fact, many have noted that this decision represents a ‘slippery slope,’ bringing about the question of, ‘What next?’Building a united strategy which combines effective use of the law, messaging, bottom-up and top-down activism, and local and global support will ensure that we do not have to find out what could have been next.Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Ministry sees itself as a convener in this work. Jewish communal leaders, institutions, government officials and legal professionals – both in Europe and around the world – must work together under a shared plan of action, which includes:• Calling out the hypocrisy of banning kosher slaughter – which shows mercy for the animal – while allowing hunting to continue• Working effectively with governments• Bringing together individual European countries and government leaders and offices from around the world, along with the Israeli government, to use diplomatic channels to engage with the European Union and other bodies• Creating an effective media strategy• Generating a shared voice to engage the public and leadershipNow is the time to join as a united Jewish coalition to ensure the strength and viability of European Jewry.The writer is Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister and a Member of Knesset.
