After several years of study, when the boys got older, we suggested to them to learn the art of kosher slaughtering. Some of them responded enthusiastically to the idea, and carefully studied the laws and even learned to prepare a knife. They only lacked the practical training, and that was the real problem: where can students practice slaughtering poultry, without the fear of a tip off to the authorities?

R. Moshiach Chudaitov decided to involve his older brother Shem Tov, who worked as the manager of a farm that raised sheep. R. Shem Tov had business ties with poultry production, so he could find a place for the students to practice slaughtering chickens.

R. Shem Tov was happy to do something for the yeshiva boys, and he turned to one of his good friends from his studies at the University of Agriculture, a Muslim-Tajik by the name of Urgashev. Urgashev was the the manager of a poultry slaughterhouse, and Shem Tov asked if he could help, explaining that in our nation’s tradition, similar to that of the Muslims, we have specific rules concerning animal slaughter. If it was possible, he wanted to arrange for some young people to visit his slaughtering plant and practice slaughtering. The gentile was happy to do a favor for his friend, and he gave his consent. The delight of the boys had no end. At last, they would have a chance to work on their kosher slaughtering skills, and as much as they wanted to. Indeed, they came to the plant and practiced there for many hours, over several weeks.

After a while Urgashev asked to meet urgently with R. Shem Tov, and he said, “What have you done to me? I was called in to the KGB and they accused me of helping the Jews in religious matters. They warned me to stop these activities immediately!”

Of course, this put an end to that particular episode and the boys did not return to slaughter there. However, there were now enough students who gained experience over the weeks they had spent there. In principle they were capable of slaughtering, but in order to get the proper certification to become a ritual slaughterer—a shochet —they still needed an expert shochet to watch them slaughter. For that purpose, thirty chickens were brought to the yard of R. Raphael Chudaidatov, and in the presence of the shochtim Mula Yosef, R. Yaakov Notik and R. Yaakov Boroshansky, the students slaughtered the chickens in full accordance with all the laws and highest kosher standards. They were then formally approvedfor kosher poultry slaughter.