World news-roundup: Chicken-waving ritual blocked by court

Country: United States

A Los Angeles court ordered an injunction against kapparot, a pre-Yom Kippur ritual in which a chicken is swung around by its feet before being killed. By doing so, the person’s sins are said to be symbolically transferred to the bird. The lawsuit was initiated by U.S. campaign group United Poultry Concerns.

Country: Ukraine

A Chabad rabbi was airlifted to Israel for treatment after being badly beaten in a mugging in western Ukraine. The attack on Rabbi Mendel Deitsch took place in the city of Zhitomir. Chabad-Lubavitch stressed that it was a criminal, rather than anti-Semitic attack, after drunken youths decided to rob him.

Country: Poland

Senior politicians are to have Shabbat dinner with Polish Jews in an innovative example of communal outreach. A total of 12 cabinet ministers will be hosted on a Friday night in Warsaw by members of Jewish cultural group TSKZ. Organisers said it would be a new experience for most of the parliamentarians.

Country: Sweden

A Swedish nationalist lawmaker has been disowned by her own party after suggesting that Jews control the country’s media. Anna Hagwall of Sweden Democrats, referring to a Jewish family, said: ‘Let the Bonnier papers go under. No family, ethnic group or company should be allowed to control more than 5 percent.’

Country: Ethiopia

An Ethiopian Jewish man was reportedly killed in a temporary camp while waiting to immigrate to Israel. Weta Chekla died after riots broke out in Gondar. In April, the Israeli government said it would bring 9,000 Ethiopian Jews over by 2020, but human rights groups say it is delaying implementation unfairly.