USA/Chicago: Foie Gras debate

A letter written by the President of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA)

Contact: Richard H. Schwartz,
President of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA)
Rschw12345@aol.com
Phone: (718) 761-5876

Letter to the Chicago aldermen

Dear Aldermen Natarus,

As president of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) I want to commend you and other Chicago Aldermen for passing a law banning the sale of foie gras in Chicago. I urge you not to rescind that ban.

As you know, Judaism has very strong teachings on the proper treatment of animals. The Book of Psalms indicates that “God's mercies are over all of His creatures,” and the Book of Proverbs indicate that the righteous individual considers the life of his or her animals. Much more information on Jewish teachings on compassionate treatment of animals is in the animal section of my articles at JewishVeg.com/Schwartz.

On August 11, 2003, the Israeli Supreme Court made a landmark decision that banned the force-feeding of geese and ducks, for the production of foie gras, as a violation of Israel's animal cruelty laws. This ruling conforms to the position of major Ashkenazic and Sefardic rabbinical authorities in Israel, including Rabbis Zvi Pesach Frank and Eliezer Waldman of the previous generation, and Rabbis Ovadia Yosef and Shear Yashuv Cohen, among today's chief rabbis. As the judges indicated, to produce this pâté “delicacy,” the birds are force fed enormous amounts of grain through a pressurized pipe shoved down their throats. As a result the birds develop degenerative diseases of the liver.

Rabbi David Rosen, a contemporary Israeli Orthodox rabbi and former Chief Rabbi of Ireland, stated: “It should be obvious that pate de foie gras is produced in a manner that is in complete contravention of the Torah's prohibition of causing tsa'ar ba'alei chayim - pain to animals (see Maimonides, Yad Chazakah, Hilchot Rozeah, Ch. 13, M. 8). Rabbi Yechezkel Landau, the Noda Bi-Yehuda, clarifies that causing any cruelty to an animal while alive is a desecration of this prohibition (Noda Bi-Yehuda, Yoreh Deah, Response No. 10) and that if food can be obtained in a manner that does not involve additional pain and one chooses to obtain such through causing pain to an animal, one desecrates a Torah prohibition. Pate de foie gras is obtained through the willful desecration of a Torah prohibition and any truly God-revering Jew will not partake of such a product which is an offense against the Creator and His Torah.”

Shana tova,
Richard H. Schwartz

Source: Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA)
Author: Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA)

Link: Activists press council to fight repeal of foie gras ban
Link: NJ legislator to propose ban on sale of foie gras; chefs nervous


Other EVANA-articles about this topic:
USA: Put the Knife Down, Foie Gras Ban a Progressive Step (en)

A Dialogue Between a Jewish Vegetarian Activist and a Rabbi (en)

USA: Bill would have New Jersey join anti-foie gras campaign (en)

USA/Chicago: Restaurants prepare for foie gras ban (en)