Animals: Tradition - Philosophy - Religion Article from All-Creatures.org

Kaporos 2022: Hands-on Activism

From AAM Animal Activism Mentorship
October 2022

A newly introduced tactic used by Jewish Veg outreachers encourages practitioners to use baskets during the ritual, instead of holding chickens painfully by the wings. Getting Kaporos practitioners to recognize that chickens are living, breathing feeling, individuals who can suffer and encouraging them to alleviate some of that suffering by not holding them by their wings, is the first step to change.

During the days of September 28th through October 4th, some Orthodox Jewish communities take part in a ritual called Kaporos. In some variations of this ritual, a live chicken is swung around the head of the practitioner, an incantation recited, and the chicken slaughtered. Each year activists flock to known Kaporos cities to document, protest, outreach, and rescue.

This year, many AAM Mentors and Mentees participated in various forms of activism around the ritual. We will hear from some of them here.

Mentors Shimon-Yaakov and Penimah-Tehilah took part in outreach efforts organized by Jewish Veg. They went around to 8 different sites in Brooklyn, NY, USA and engaged with practitioners to inspire change. A newly introduced tactic used by Jewish Veg outreachers, encourages practitioners to use baskets during the ritual, instead of holding chickens painfully by the wings.

Mentor Penimah had this to say in reflection about outreach efforts.

“Because of efforts by Jewish Veg in years past, this site…placed chickens in baskets before swinging them in the ritual. Although the chickens are still slaughtered in the end, using baskets greatly reduces the suffering and pain these chickens go through during the ritual. Getting practitioners to recognize that chickens are living, breathing feeling, individuals who can suffer and encouraging them to alleviate some of that suffering by not holding them by their wings, is the first step to change. On this and following days, after explaining how using the baskets ‘cause less tza'ar (suffering)’ and ‘shows some rachmanus (mercy) to the chickens,’ many practitioners chose to use baskets.”

Mentor Marnie and other activists in Ohio were able to rescue 15 birds from one site over the 3 days Kaporos was happening there. Pictured here are some of the birds Ohio activists were able to rescue. As is typical with birds used for Kaporos, many sustained injuries to their wings and are suffering from dehydration, deficiencies and other illnesses. If you would like to donate to the vet efforts for the birds rescued in Ohio

Chicken rescued in Ohio receiving some much needed vet care.

AAM mentees Suzie, Mike, and Russell also joined forces in Brooklyn. Russell participated in outreach conversations with Jewish Veg and Mike and Suzie joined other activists documenting conditions of the chickens and providing food and water to them.

Mike had this to say about his experience rescuing. “Kaporos was a rewarding and yet heartbreaking experience. Seeing thousands of birds left in the rain and cold with a death sentence awaiting them shook me to my core. But being able to help the ones I could, and give comfort to the ones I could not, meant the world to me.”

Apart from efforts in Brooklyn. Mentors also joined efforts in New Jersey and Ohio.

Mentor Michele had this to say as she bore witness to the ritual happening in New Jersey,

““Bearing witness of the Kaporos ritual in Lakewood yesterday. You can hear the baby chickens crying out in pain, distress, panic and utter despair. Just feet away and I can't save them from what lies ahead. I'm still shaking off the negative energy and helplessness I feel. Chickens are the most exploited individuals on the planet just in sheer magnitude of numbers. Whether it's for religious ritual or for meat or egg consumption, what they endure for human selfishness is unfathomable. Be kind. Be vegan.”

As an organization that values inclusivity from all groups and participation from demographics of humans with the desire to help animals, we realize the amount of hatred these Jewish communities experience. We also realize the role that certain animal rights groups, and animal rights activism, both in-person and online, has played in perpetuating anti-Semitic and hateful stereotypes of Orthodox Jewish communities. With this in mind, we ask that anyone who participates in activism during Kaporos keep the safety of these communities in mind when doing activism. Perpetuating hatred does nothing to encourage communities to change practices and only furthers the divide, bars conversations, and harms chickens for years to come.

Chickens being fostered by AAM mentee Russell after being found in an abandoned box.

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