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Just a few observed them [the commandments]in a religious way. A few elder persons – my grandmother and about two other persons – had the poultry cut by the shochet, because they said that was the religious way. All the other[Jews]ate pork, observed nothing. Then there were Jewish families, who had the poultry, the goose cut by the shochet, but they also ate pork.
This was a kind of ritual, the shochet. He cut the poultry, and there was sand, they always had sand brought, and he threw it there [the killed animal], so that all its blood would flow out until the last drop.
Because they considered blood to be unclean. I think in villages there weren’t families who had the poultry cut [by the shochet]. There wasn’t any shochet in the villages, and they cut the animals themselves. And it’s not kosher anymore, well, they [religious Jews] considered it treyf.
This was a kind of ritual, the shochet. He cut the poultry, and there was sand, they always had sand brought, and he threw it there [the killed animal], so that all its blood would flow out until the last drop.
Because they considered blood to be unclean. I think in villages there weren’t families who had the poultry cut [by the shochet]. There wasn’t any shochet in the villages, and they cut the animals themselves. And it’s not kosher anymore, well, they [religious Jews] considered it treyf.
Period
Location
Romania
Interview
Alice Kosa