Agudath Israel of America, a national Orthodox Jewish organization, hails the decision of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal to overrule the country’s ban on kosher slaughter.

We welcome the Court’s determination that such a ban constitutes an unconstitutional form of religious discrimination against Polish Jewry and a violation of the community’s basic human rights and fundamental freedoms. Its statement as to the primacy of religious liberty – even in the context of unconventional or unpopular activities – is a strong affirmation of democratic ideals in a free and tolerant society.

The Court’s decision will do more than simply address the adverse economic effects of the ban. It will be a valuable asset in the rebuilding and revival of Polish Jewish religious life, decimated only decades ago. And, perhaps most importantly, it will serve as a rebuke to other countries that, on specious grounds, seek to prohibit this millennia-old religious practice.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)