Interview with Kelly Finkel
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What is Judaism? |
Q. In your religion, are there certain parts of the animal you can’t eat? A. Yes, we follow the rules laid out by God in the Torah. For example, you can’t eat filet mignon which is the juiciest cut of meat. This is because of Jacob’s ladder, a story in the Torah where Jacob hurts his thigh which is the filet mignon. Q. What if you have to eat a part/animal that you are not supposed to eat in your religion? A. Certain people will break kosher only if their life depends on it. If someone is starving, they can eat foods that are not kosher to save their life. Also, if someone is diabetic and doesn't produce enough insulin in their body, they can get permission from their rabbi to use insulin which is made from pigs. Q. Do humans have the same value as animals in your religion? A. No, humans are the stewards, the caretakers of animals. They have dominion over animals. We have a responsibility to take care of them. Q. What are your religions' beliefs regarding animals as food? A. We only eat foods that are kosher--allowed. There are certain animals that are prohibited; they are listed in the Torah. We do not eat pork or shellfish. We can’t eat meat and dairy in the same period of time. Animals that are kosher must be slaughtered according to the guidelines in the Torah. This is so that the death is as painless as possible. Q. Why do you have laws/rules about what to eat? A. We do what God tells us in the Torah. |
When we interviewed Kelly Finkel, we learned a variety of Jewish beliefs and rules about animal consumption. The Torah outlines what foods are kosher for Jews to eat. Kosher foods meet the requirements of Jewish law as explained in the Torah. Every food that grows on plants, bushes are trees is kosher. There are many rules for kosher meats and proteins, but the simplest one is that Jews cannot eat sow (pork) or any foods derived from pork. Vultures, shrimp, prawns, and filet mignon are also not allowed. There is also a rule that says that all animals should be slaughtered in the most painless way possible. So when Jews eat beef, fish or poultry, they know that the animal suffered as little as possible. Another rule is that Jews must eat meat and dairy separately. Different places have different standards for how long they have to wait between eating meat and dairy. The local rabbi decides how long they must wait. There are exceptions to keeping kosher. For example, one of the foods that is not kosher is the sow. It turns out that some Jews are diabetic. Diabetics need insulin, which is created using pigs. A diabetic Jew can ask a rabbi for permission to use insulin for medical reasons. Jews do not have to keep kosher. Every time they eat kosher, they are showing their devotion to their religion. Jews, like many other religions, believe that we are superior to animals. They believe that humans are the keepers of the animals. If you want to learn more about Judaism visit Temple Beth Shalom at
www.bethshalomaustin.org/ |