Amid ongoing security tensions and major disruptions to international air travel, a dramatic logistical operation was launched to bring dozens of kosher slaughter teams back to Israel from South America in time for Pesach, following a directive from a leading rabbinic authority.

The decision was made by Rav Shlomo Machpud, a member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah and head of the Badatz Yoreh De’ah kashrus organization, who ordered the creation of a special airlift to ensure that no member of the shechitah teams would be left stranded abroad for the Yom Tov.

Under normal circumstances, the weeks leading up to Nissan represent the busiest period in the kosher meat industry, with large quantities of meat prepared for distribution to hundreds of thousands of families in Israel. Shechitah operations typically run around the clock in South America to meet the demand.

This year, however, the war and widespread flight disruptions turned routine operations into a complex logistical challenge. Dozens of kashrus personnel working across Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile faced growing uncertainty about how they would return home as Pesach approached, with flights being canceled and air travel systems under heavy strain.

Faced with this dilemma, Badatz leadership considered two difficult options: either halt shechitah operations early and attempt to return the teams via indirect routes—risking shortages in meat supply—or continue working and risk leaving dozens of staff members overseas for Pesach, separated from their families.

The matter was brought before Rav Machpud, who, after reviewing the situation, rejected both options and instead charted a third course. He instructed that a dedicated aircraft be chartered to collect all team members and transport them safely back to Israel.

The initiative, which carries a cost estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, was accompanied by a clear directive that the expense should not be passed on to the public and that the Yom Tov of the workers must not be compromised. “The responsibility is to bring each person home,” the rav emphasized.

Once the decision was made, the Badatz headquarters effectively became a command center coordinating the operation. A plane was secured and positioned in Madrid, chosen as a central hub for connecting flights from South America. Teams began making their way there via complex travel routes, with careful coordination to ensure timing and logistics aligned. Accommodations were arranged in nearby hotels to allow the workers to rest while awaiting departure.

In a further step reflecting responsibility toward the broader kashrus world, instructions were given that if space remained on the flight, priority would be extended to kashrus personnel from other organizations who were also stranded abroad. In addition, contingency plans were put in place for those unable to reach Madrid in time, arranging for them to spend Pesach within the Jewish community of Gibraltar under proper conditions.

Overseeing the operation on the ground is Dayan Rav Binayahu Machpud, son of the Gaavad and head of overseas shechitah operations, who is personally managing the coordination to ensure that each team member’s needs are addressed swiftly and efficiently.