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Chassidim can breath a sigh of relief since the new Fur Bill introduced by MK (Kadima) Ronit Tirosh, seeking to prevent the importation of certain furs, does not apply to shtreimalach.
A Knesset ministerial committee approved the ban on importing fur, news that definitely was not greeted with a smile among the manufactures and distributors of shtreimalach. Interestingly, the law is not at all related to shtreimalach, and not intended to target the frum population, but it is intended to prevent importing rabbit, dog and cat fur/skins from eastern Asia including China due to reports of cruelty to those animals. The bill has yet to be voted upon in Knesset.
The law is indeed significant since 95% of textiles in Israel are imported from China. Officials estimate the fur industry results in the death of 2 million animals in eastern Asia annually.
(Yechiel Spira - YWN Israel)
What a relief. Such an essential item is protected.
Comment by yaakov doe — June 15, 2009 @ 8:39 am
Perhaps Israel should be manufacturing clothing rather than importing from China. Israel has high unemployment among unskilled and semi-skilled workers, and the specific needs of kosher consumers (in terms of shatnez and styles) should give Israel a big advantage.
I suspect the problem is that secular Israel runs the economy, and they are focused on high tech rather than on “blue collar” industries.
Comment by akuperma — June 15, 2009 @ 9:37 am
Mr Yaakov Doe, forgive me for taking your comment as sarcastic and if I’m wrong i apologize in advance, but I wonder how you would react if there was a new law that prevented you from getting leather seats?
Comment by AzoyIsEs — June 15, 2009 @ 9:43 am
what would be so bad with sythetic strimels? 2 problems would be solved a: the tzar balle chaim b: the cost would be less.
Comment by sammyjoe — June 15, 2009 @ 10:39 am
Any item obtained from animal cruelty should be banned and stopped. As you know, our Holy Torah also provides beautiful laws with regards to kindness to animals.
Comment by veryinteresting — June 15, 2009 @ 11:28 am
What are you guys -PETA???? HKB”H put animals on this earth to serve us. There is nothing wrong with doing that - not only to eat, but also to glorify Shabbos with Malbushei Kovod. If it’s not your minhag to wear a shtreimel, fine. But for those who uphold their ancestors’ minhagim, it’s a beautiful thing and it would be terrible to have to fight for the opportunity to do so.
Comment by yiddishemama — June 15, 2009 @ 2:06 pm
Dog and cat furs? Who wears those in Israel?
Synthetic shtreimels would be an answer to the prices as well. Yes, I know, traditionally they were made from real furs, so what? Bekeshes used to be silk, and nowdays almost all of them are of polyester. Why should a shtreimel be different and cause the kalla’s father to collect thousands of dollars for an item that can cost 100 times less?
Comment by sammygol — June 15, 2009 @ 2:47 pm
Isn’t fox fur used for shreimels? BTW - I agree with both comment #6 AND #7. There is nothing wrong with using animal fur (as long as there is no tsar ba’alai chaim) and there is also nothing wrong with the less expensive option of synthetic fur.
Comment by AinOhdMilvado — June 15, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
yiddishemama: why have the fur of a chaya temayo on your head, (or a male member of ur family)and it costs an arm and a leg, if there was kosher sythetic striemel it is terrible that people who cannot put food on the table purcase such an expensive item, it doest make sence, or is hewish. and why kill animals for a wrong reason?
Comment by sammyjoe — June 15, 2009 @ 5:41 pm
#4, what about the tzar balle chaim of the ones whom’s parnassah comes from making these shtreimels?
Comment by sam rose — June 15, 2009 @ 11:38 pm
#10
I hear you, but few shtreimel machers versus thousands of Yidden who cannot afford them? Come on, are you going to say that you prefer supporting your local undertaker rather than have “bila hamoves lonetzach”?
Let’s give everyone a bracho “shelo yitztarech ze loze” and may everyone find a parnasa that doesn’t call for impoverishing others, or worse.
Comment by sammygol — June 16, 2009 @ 12:40 am
Ancestors?
Sorry, my ancestors certainly didn’t wear a streimel. And if you just a few hundred years back, neither did yours.
Comment by menachem__ — June 16, 2009 @ 10:27 am
Yes, animals are here for us, but still we have to use decency with how we use them. Savagery, even with animals, is not permitted. If the rabbits, dogs, and cats used for this are killed cruelly, do you think it’s ok for us to encourage and participate in this industry?
Comment by veryinteresting — June 16, 2009 @ 1:11 pm