< yudaron@... > inquired

Has anybody ever encountered a family tradition not to
eat turkey ?

The earliest source I found was that of: Rabbi M.Y. Wigoder of Dublin in
the Introduction to the book "Divrei Zikaron" Lieds 1931. reporting the
custom of the Horovitz Family descendants of The Sh"lah hakadosh. [in
reference to his mothers family Horovitz
in Shkud and Zager. his uncle being Rabbi Simon Horovitz of Leipzig]

I would be grateful for any information on the matter.

I am not quite sure what this has to do with Genealogy but since it's almost
Purim, I trust the Moderator will let me briefy talk turkey.

There is an halachic problem regarding Turkey consumption. Since the Torah
only lists "unclean" birds, we need to be able to identify *all* of them in
order to exclude the unlisted when presented with a fowl of unknown
provenance. There are certain physical attributes listed in the Talmud to
distinguish between the Kosher and non-Kosher, but these are not easy to
determine.

Turkeys (a name once used for guinea-fowl) arrived in Europe >from the
Western Hemisphere (possibly by way of the Country) only a few centuries ago
(but after the times of the Shelah). Although they are clearly not birds of
prey (one of the listed requirements for Kashrus) they arrived without
tradition or provenance.

The rabbinic literature, which referes to them as Tarnegol Hodu - Indian
rooster, discusses the topic and not all authorities (see Darkay Tshuva on
Yoreh Deah) were prepared to add this creature to the approved ro(o)ster.
Some frum people manage without.

Leslie Reich Manchester