Fur from a Shtechler is okay?
Word from Israel is that the death of Shtreimel Envy has been postponed for the time being. Since this Summer, there has been a Knesset bill that would restrict the importation to Israel of fur products from dogs, cats and rabbits that were raised and “harvested” in not so pleasant ways, especially in Asia. This bill has caused a furor among some “religious based” political parties in Israel, since it would interfere with the importation of rabbit fur shtreimels that are worn by some Jewish citizens on the Sabbath and holidays. In the words of.. well.. nobody in particular, I am just making the quote up, “I like my beef, chicken and lamb kosher, and slaughtered by a shochet, but those pesky wabbits that are used to make the hats which I wear to honor of Sabbath, well you can just electrocute the hell out of them.”
Last week, a vote on the bill in committee, which was proposed by Ronit Tirosh (MK, Kadima party) was postponed, due to opposition by other MK’s and the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture. Tirosh was named a Person of the Year in Education in 2000 in Israel and was tagged by Forbes as one of the 50 Strongest Women. That and a few shekels can get you a falafel, but not the passage of a bill. In the interim we can focus on bigger issues, like who will pay to replace Tiger Woods’ fire hydrant.
