Training Program for Ritual Slaughterers and Inspectors

Year 1: Shechita of Fowl (עופות)

Academic Curriculum

Deep dive into the halachot (Jewish laws) of shechita for fowl

• Weekly 90-minute classes from Elul (September) to Iyyar (May)

• Classes are hybrid: join live or watch recorded sessions on Zoom

• Students study materials in advance, ideally in hevrutot (study pairs)

• Course materials include:

  • Volume I of Beit David by David Kamin (Revised by Chaim Yosef Waldman).

  • Source sheets provided throughout the course.

  • All texts are studied in original Rabbinic Hebrew/Aramaic.

  • English translations available after each class.

• Includes two written examinations

• A detailed syllabus is provided before the course begins

Practical Training

• Knife preparation, checking, and repair

• Hands-on shechita of chickens and other fowl

• Checking for treifot (non-kosher conditions)

• Kashering techniques: soaking and salting

• Students in begin knife work in the fall and slaughter practice in winter/spring

• Students participate in regional and national workshops and seminars

Certification

• Certification (kabbalah) granted upon:

  • Passing written exams.

  • Passing the “knife test”

  • Successfully slaughtering three consecutive fowl (though students will practice on many more)

Price

• We offer a sliding scale to keep this training accessible:

  • $1800 as the standard tuition

  • $1600 for students or those without steady income

  • $2000 for those who are able to help others access this sacred learning through tzedakah

  • Students can pay in full or in 2 installments, the first due upon enrollment

• Beyond tuition, students are responsible for the following costs:

  • Book and printed materials

  • Knife (13cm / 5 inches, approx. $140)

  • Sharpening stones (approx. $250)

Year 2: Treifot & Large Animals (בהמות)

Academic Curriculum

• Focus on treifot (defects rendering animals non-kosher) in kosher mammals (sheep, goats, cows)

• Structure mirrors Year 1, with three written exams
  Enhanced use of visual aids: images, diagrams, and videos

• Primary texts:

  • Volumes II & III of Beit David

  • Supplementary source sheets

Practical Training

• Handling and shechita of sheep, goats, and cows

• In-depth anatomical knowledge of the respiratory and digestive systems

• Extensive training in identifying treifot—especially in lungs

• Students begin knife work in the fall and slaughter practice in winter/spring

• Students participate in regional and national workshops and seminars

Certification

• Certification (kabbalah) granted upon:

  • Passing all written exams

  • Successfully slaughtering three consecutive animals.

  • Demonstrating expert-level proficiency in identifying treifot.

Price

• Please contact us for tuition pricing.

• Beyond tuition, students are responsible for the following costs:

  • Knife(s):

    • For behamot dakkot (sheep/goats): 25cm / 10 inches

    • For behamot gassot (cows): 42cm / 16.5 inches

• Animals used in practicum