Animal Advocacy
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Cruelty-Free Kapparot
In this Facebook Livestream captured by Jane Unchained, I explain and lead the Pico-Robertson community in “Compassionate Kapparot,” an alternative to Kapparot performed with chickens.
The Jewish sin expiation ritual of Kapparot has existed for centuries, but even in its earliest days it was not universally accepted. My 501(c)3, Faith Action for Animals, has led the charge in the Jewish world to promote cruelty-free Kapparot using money donated to charities instead of live animals, a well-established kosher approach.
Faith Action For Animals
Faith Action for Animals is “a coalition of faith leaders and activists who advocate and take action on behalf of animals who are exploited, abused, tortured and slaughtered for food, research, fashion and entertainment, utilizing religious language for animal and vegan advocacy” (our mission statement). We have organized faith leaders to encourage policymakers to protect these defenseless animals.
We have contributed faith leader voices to many victories, including but not limited to:
— A ban on the sale of fur in West Hollywood (2011) and Los Angeles (2018), culminating in a California ban on sales in 2019.
— A ban on the use of bullhooks on circus elephants in Los Angeles and Oakland, ultimately leading to an end of their usage nationally by Ringling Bros.
— Statewide curbing of testing cosmetics on animals in California (2018), in which I personally testified in Sacramento.
