How Farmer's Keep Up With The Western World's Turkey Demand: An Explanation

I realized that England and America consume turkey differently only within the last few days. This is likely because I haven't been in my home country around Thanksgiving in several years. But now after spending that holiday in America, and now Christmas in England, I see one very big difference.

We eat turkey at different times. It explains how the bird farmers manage to keep up with the demand of all the Western countries turkey needs. American consume the largest amount of turkey at Thanksgiving, the last Thursday of November. There goes several million (a guesstimate) of the world's turkey's all in one day. We need our turkey because it is bonded with the Thanksgiving tale of the pilgrims and Indians (which is false, but tradition holds), we have to maintain our yearly Presidential turkey pardon, and it goes so perfectly with sweet potato casserole and pie.

But in England, they don't have a Thanksgiving. What would they be thankful for in November? Thank you Americans for leaving us, and lighting the spark that led to the separation of the UK and USA? Not likely. So instead, the Brits get their gobbler cravings satisfied on Christmas, or Christmas Eve. For the English, it isn't a Christmas feast without their giant bird. In America, the Christmas meat might be a big chicken, a honey baked ham (my personal favourite) or maybe a turkey. But one meat doesn't define the holiday meal for us Yanks.

Canadians eat their turkey on a different day from Americans as well. They have their Thanksgiving several weeks before America, and months before the Christmas turkey England indulges in.

By having these three turkey feasts weeks or months apart, farmers can breed different aged groups of turkey to keep up with the demand. For a good turkey it has to grow to 25 weeks. With the separation, this allows farmers to begin prep for the Canadians early, then start a new flock for the Americans, and a final flock for the Brits. All the turkey the world needs, meeting the demand, all thanks to a difference in holiday traditions.

Merry Christmas everyone, and enjoy your turkey!!

You Can Now Rent-a-Jew, Who Knew?

Image from Wikipedia Commons

By far the oddest thing I have read in the news in the last few days is the programme out of Germany that allows people to "Rent-a-Jew". It isn't as bad as it sounds, this education outreach programme aims to teach people about what it is like to be a modern Jewish person living in Germany. The ultimate goal is to show that Jewish people are no different from anyone else in the country.

Anti-Semitism has a long history in Germany. After all, it is was the capital and founder of the Holocaust, it played host to the most vicious and murderous dictator in recent world history. At one point Germany was responsible for the mass genocide of most of Europe's Jewish population. So the need to educate the German people about how its Jewish citizens are more than the victims of the Holocaust is not surprising.

What does come as a shock is that anti-Semitism sentiments has tripled in recent years. That is both sad and astounding. To combat the racism, the German government came up with the rent-a-jew programme. The Jewish people participating are from all walks of life, they are not professional speakers, and they simply want to show who they are. They are more than just their religion. 

Image from Wikipedia Commons

It is this connection that people often miss. That while religion can be important, even defining to who a person is, it is not the entirety of that person. Jewish people in Germany are more than who/where they worship. They have jobs, they have relationships, their religion is only one piece of their puzzle. 

While I hate the name of the programme, I like what it is doing. (And it is worth noting that the name is what has gotten it so much attention in the media) I think that America, England and other nations could do with this sort of thing. Maybe not geared towards education about the Jewish population, but about the Muslim religion. With ISIS constantly making the news, people are growing more distrustful and hateful towards Muslims and people from the Middle East in general. America especially, so Rent-a-Muslim might be something that could do a lot of good in schools, the workplace, etc. Just something to consider.

If you want to read more about this rental program, here are some links

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/12/rent-a-jew-service-now-available-germany/

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/germany-rent-jew-program-hopes-combat-anti-semitism-article-1.2914344

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/221876