https://aleph-farms.com/journals/aleph-farms-and-the-technion-reveal-worlds-first-cultivated-ribeye-steak/ 3D bioprinting. Breaking: Aleph Farms nabs ‘world’s first’ pre-market approval for cultivated beef January 17, 2024 Jennifer Marston Israel’s Ministry of Health (MoH) agency has issued a “no questions” letter to Aleph Farms, granting the company pre-approval for its cultivated beef steaks. The pre-approval is the first-ever green light for a non-chicken cultivated meat product; it’s also the first approval for a cultivated meat company in the Middle East. Aleph Farms will first unveil its beefsteak analogues to restaurant diners before a wider release.
Yes. From Google: "In January, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau determined that the cultured meat produced by Aleph — though not necessarily all cultured meat — is kosher and “pareve,” designating a food that is neither meat (sometimes referred to as fleishig) nor dairy (milchig)."
...And I'd have been VERY surprised if an Israeli company with a name like "Aleph Farms" would have introduced a food product that pretty well their entire nation was ritually forbidden to eat. Far vos volt zey ton dos? (What would they do that for?)
Aleph - interesting name for a cultivated meat firm in Israel. Of course, Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, but there's something else. In its earliest form, the letter Aleph was a representation of the head of a cow. As seen here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/363736107385766269/ In my first-year Latin class (1955) before we learned any Latin, we spent a few weeks learning the language families of the world and the complete Phoenician, Hebrew and Greek Alphabets. That was a good year. I was 12 and I remember a LOT of stuff (like cow's head Aleph) from back then. Mr. J.A. Trussler - a teacher who really left a good imprint on my life. He also taught French and led me to love it at first sight - and to appreciate other languages as well.
Well, they raise swine in Israel, Johann. As for Chief Rabbi Lau I'd give something to be able to sniff and say that I don't accept his heksher because he isn't sufficiently strict in the matter of shomer shabbat but alas! I don't actually worry about anyone's hekshers. Tell you what though...Rabbi Lau is arguably incorrect and even I can make the argument.
I found it interesting that he said this 'cultivated meat' is pareve - i.e not meat or dairy. That seems odd. If the same definition would apply to cultivated pork (you mentioned swine) would it also be pareve - not meat? Is it even remotely possible that would make it allowable? This 'not meat' definition seems odd to me. Those who produce it call it meat -- yet it isn't? I think it is - I'm pretty sure it eould have the cellular structure of meat. DNA? But a heksher from me is worthless. Care to comment?
Question 2 - Swine in Israel. What happens to them? Do the farmers export these animals or their meat? If so where, for the most part? Most nearby countries are Muslim, no? Syria, Jordan, Egypt. Some Christians in Lebanon... about one in three.
Yes, so I'm told. Christians do. Atheist here. I don't. Why? Because I don't like it and don't think it's good for me. Strictly personal. No preaching. Not speaking for others of my um...faith. Apparently, Palestine(???) and Luxembourg are the major export destinations. Chart etc. here: https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-product/pig-meat/reporter/isr Here are the latest figures I could find on the number of Palestinian Christians. Not a huge market. Nevertheless, a market. From here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_Christians#: Modern day geographic distribution "In 2009, there were an estimated 50,000 Christians in the Palestinian territories, mostly in the West Bank, with about 3,000 in the Gaza Strip.[11] In 2022, about 1,100 Christians lived in the Gaza Strip – down from over 1300 in 2014.[12] About 80% of the Christian Palestinians live in an urban environment. In the West Bank, they are concentrated mostly in Jerusalem and its vicinity: Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour, Ramallah, Bir Zayt, Jifna, Ein Arik, Taybeh.[13]" Of the total Christian population of 185,000 in Israel, about 80% are designated as Arabs, many of whom self-identify as Palestinian.[14][11][15] The majority (56%) of Palestinian Christians live in the Palestinian diaspora
