Challenge To Kaporos Ritual Fails

According to the New York Post, on Monday a New York state trial court judge ruled against activists challenging the Jewish pre-Yom Kippur ritual of kaporos, which involves use of a live chicken in a ceremony to symbolically atone for the past year's sins.  The chicken is then slaughtered and donated to the needy.  The lawsuit (see prior posting) claimed the practice violates various health and animal cruelty laws.  The court found that challengers had not shown that the ritual was a public nuisance, avoiding the need to rule on defendants' free exercise defenses.