The Lithuanian parliament passed a draft amendment aimed at preventing the outlawing of kosher slaughter.

The amendment submitted by Vytautas Gapsys of the Labor party would benefit the “export of meat to Israel and Arab countries, which are new opportunities,” Gapsys told the news website obzor.lt on Tuesday.

Fifty-one lawmakers in the 141-seat parliament voted in favor of the motion on kosher slaughter, or shechitah, and two against, with seven abstentions.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

“There are certain requirements that are put forward, and the animals must be slaughtered while conscious, according to certain religious beliefs,” he added.

Muslim and Jewish religious laws require animals to be conscious at the time of their slaughter — a practice that is forbidden in seven European countries and deemed cruel by some animal rights activists.

The Lithuania amendment comes months after a court ruling on ritual slaughter in Poland paralyzed the country’s $500 million export industry of kosher and halal meat, which had been allowed to operate based on a government regulation from 2004. Ritual slaughter became illegal in Poland in January.

Lithuania currently allows religious slaughter without prior stunning, as required by Muslim and Jewish religious laws, under certain conditions.

“We have not seen limitations imposed and we are pleased with that,” said Faina Kulkiansky of the Jewish Community of Lithuania.

The Conference of European Rabbis welcomed the draft resolution.

“We urge the Polish Government to take note and we will continue to work with other countries urging them to follow Lithuania and introduce similar legislation,” Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, the group’s president, said in a statement.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $325,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount