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| Brussels Chief Rabbi on Belgium shechita controversy
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Brussels Chief Rabbi Albert Guigui
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The European Jewish Press interviewed Brussels Chief Rabbi Albert Guigui about the growing concern of the Jewish community of Belgium regarding a law that proposes banning shechita or Jewish ritual slaughter. This law is being introduced by Belgian senator Jean-Marie Dedecker, a member of the governing Flemish Liberal Party (VLD).
EJP: What is the current situation in Belgium and how will this law change the status quo?
Guigui: Today the Jewish and Muslim communities do not have any problem practicing their religion. Our practice is protected by Belgium’s constitutional rights enforcing the freedom of religion. Furthermore, today’s Jewish practices in the slaughter of animals for consumption fully respect the concern of Belgium legislators; the defense and the protection of the rights of animals.
 Also, let’s not forget that if this law is passed in Belgium, it might set a precedent for other European countries. If this would happen, the situation will be dramatic for European Jewry. 
Brussels Chief Rabbi Albert Guigui |
The proposal of senator Jean-Marie Dedecker focuses on two points: it proposes the stunning of every animal before slaughter and the labeling of the meat specifying if it was slaughtered according to religious rite or not.
As a Jewish leader, I have two problems with this law. Firstly, stunning an animal before slaughter is forbidden by Jewish law. Secondly, the labeling of the meat slaughtered by religious traditional laws will stigmatize religious groups and communities in Belgium. This labeling can cause an increase in the price of kosher meat because many parts of the animal that Jews do not eat because of religious regulation are reinserted in the common production chain, and a non-Jew could be very reticent of buying this meat if it is labeled with a special and stigmatizing tag.
Also, let’s not forget that if this law is passed in Belgium, it might set a precedent for other European countries. If this would happen, the situation will be dramatic for European Jewry.
EJP: Is this proposal marking a break in the current Belgium multicultural chessboard?
Guigui: No, not at all. Belgium was and still is a very good place for minorities. The state finances religious institutions but still remain neutral in national religious affairs. Let’s not draw quick conclusions and say that Belgium is complicating the life of Jews. This country is fantastic and this law has not been voted on yet. I do not think that this proposal is symptomatic of a growing hostile sentiment toward Jews. I just think that the proposal is threatening the constitutional rights of the Jewish citizen of Belgium.
Let’s see what will happen in the coming weeks in Parliament and let’s not draw conclusions until later.
EJP: Are there any precedents in Belgium regarding laws that regulate the practice of religion?
Guigui : No, there are no precedents of laws compromising the practice of the Jewish religion in this country.
EJP: Do you think this proposal is hiding another political agenda other than just ecologist legislation?
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Dedecker is just trying to attract voters from the Vlaams Belang, the Flemish extreme right party.
Brussels Chief Rabbi Albert Guigui | Guigui: First of all, nothing proves the conclusions of Senator Dedecker. Studies have shown that the stunning of animals poses several problems. During a hearing in the senate last June, I pointed to a report of the third summit of the World Animal Health Organisation (held in Paris on May 2005) that clearly stated the positions against shechita have no scientific basis whatsoever.
Senator Dedecker said that his first concern was the Muslim annual festival of sheep, Eid-el-Kabir, when sheep are slaughtered as part of the religious rites. That is nonsense, only 3% of the animals are killed outside abattoirs during the festival. Dedecker is just trying to attract voters from the Vlaams Belang, the Flemish extreme right party.
During the hearing, Dedecker told me that if Jews are not satisfied they still could import meat killed in France or elsewhere. That is also nonsense, because protection of animals would be required in one country but neglected in another. Does a cow from Belgium deserve more protection than a cow from France? If it is just about the protection of animals then it should be enforced everywhere. If Dedecker is so concerned about the protection of animals he should take on a law forbidding hunting.
EJP: If there are only about 340 beasts slaughtered following Jewish lawper annum in Belgium, why are you combating this law with such dynamism?
Guigui: Even though there are only over 300 animals slaughtered ever year by Shechita, it is simply a question of principle. We would be mobilized and active to prevent this law being passed even if we were only slaughtering a single animal every year.
This law threatens our democracy and our freedom of religion.
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