*Faceplant*

[patgund]

Flu scourge has a pig of a name for Jewish state

"It may be called swine flu around the world, but a senior Israeli official on Monday changed the term in order not to pronounce the name of the animal whose meat is banned by Judaism.

"We will use the term Mexican flu in order not to have to pronounce the word swine," said Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman of the ultra-religious United Torah Judaism party.

Eating pork is prohibited by Judaism, the religion practised by the majority of Israelis. Islam, adhered to by most of Israel's Arab minority, likewise bans the consumption of pork.

Israel has yet to confirm a case of the swine flu epidemic that is believed to have killed more than 100 people in Mexico and has spread to the United States and Europe.

A 26-year-old Israeli man who returned from Mexico last Friday has been hospitalised and authorities are waiting for test results to determine whether he has contracted the potentially deadly strain that the World Health Organisation has warned could reach pandemic proportions.

Another man who had recently returned from Mexico was quarantined on Monday after checking himself into a hospital in the centre of the country complaining of a sore throat, officials said.

The World Organisation for Animal Health said on Monday that the name swine flu is a misnomer as the deadly virus has origins among birds and humans as well as pigs."

So you'll insult and offend the people in an entire country rather than have to say "swine". *headdesk*

Comments

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

I can imagine the profound humiliation of a devout Jew or Muslim who actually contracted the disease. NO, you can't get it from eating pork [see my post of today] but you know his family, friends and rabbi/imam would suspect him ever after of cheating.

Is it that insulting to use the geographical designation of the place where the epidemic has apparently started? Seems to me as better science than "Swine Flu".

What I want to know is why they are dying of it in Mexico but no place else. Are they not taking care of their flu patients?

[patgund.livejournal.com]

That's one of the things they're looking at. They suspect the viral load may be the cause.

[farmount.livejournal.com]

I also wonder how often people in Mexico get flu vaccines of any sort. Out here in the US it is pretty much a yearly ritual of "winter is here, if you are immunocompromised then get a flu vaccine."

[tepintzin.livejournal.com]

I think they'll call it Mexican flu to avoid offending the tiniest part of the Israeli population. I once read a Hasidic website that said it was fine to use pig leather--just don't eat it. So even a large number of the ultra orthodox are probably finding this ridiculous.

As a Mexican, I'm offended. ;)

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

?? I don't think observant Jews touch pig leather either, if they can help it. Sez here:

Lev. 11:6-8 "And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you."

I am not a rabbi, nor do I play one on TV, but skin being part of the carcase, I think that's pretty clearly specified.

[dieppe.livejournal.com]

"Look. I-- I'd had a lovely supper, and all I said to my wife was, 'That piece of halibut was good enough for Jehovah.'" ;)

[peaseblossom03.livejournal.com]

Fail.

[farmount.livejournal.com]

Hm. If there's a passage in the Torah (or other holy works) that says "Don't eat swine flesh" they're already uttering the abomination of a word.

Perhaps they could say it was "unclean flesh flu"