So, I was bored and looking around the net. Found a magazine devoted to meat. Meatpaper. Not for the best marinades, but a Mac World meets Poultry sort of thing (no pun intended). I read one of the articles about a new definition of Kosher, and it was very well written.
So, basically PETA caused trouble, and exposed a cruel kosher slaughterhouse. This sparked a huge debate a few years later about the definition of Halakhah. More specifically, should the treatment of workers count in whether or not food is Kosher? From what I’ve read in the article, it sounds like yes, it should, however the biggest factor preventing it from becoming a part of Halakhah is cost.
Now this might be the “Atheist Devil” inside me, but coming from Jews? They’re pretty much the religious world’s whipping boy (no offense), and are now holding cost above religious principle. That’s like being a woman, fighting for the right to vote, being subject to rape and genocide because of the want to vote, then not voting. I mean, yes, this isn’t what the whole religion is about, but from what I know about Judaism this is what they see sets them apart the most, they can’t share a meal with others because it might not be Kosher. (Well, that and the whole Jesus thing, but we’re talking about food, not Prophets).
Maybe it’s because I’m not religious that I can’t seem to understand why this wasn’t made part of Halakhah a long time ago. I can see people being worried that this would carry on to other things, like clothing made in sweatshops, but is that a bad thing? I know the whole idea of making money revolves around cheap labor (unless you’re Gucci) but in this article Safran Fore is quoted saying,
To be Jewish is to strive to make the world less cruel and more just. Not only for oneself, and not only for one’s people, but for everyone.
Well, then being Jewish should relate to the fair-trade market? Maybe I’m making bad connections or maybe I’m under informed, but it seems to me that these laws should be looked at. I don’t like going half-assed into something I voluntarily do, I don’t see why anyone else would want to. So, I guess it all comes down to whither or not they should change that “strive to make the world less cruel and more just” to “ought to make the world less cruel and more just.”
Now I'm not bashing Judaism. It's just my own opinion, agree with it or disagree with it, that's all alright.
