New York City police are investigating a rabbi's complaint that threatening e-mails were sent to try to stop a ritual involving the slaughter of chickens before a Jewish holy day.

Rabbi Shea Hecht of the National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education says the e-mails were sent by supporters of a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals campaign opposing the ritual, known as Kapparot.

He says some people added threatening and anti-Semitic comments to an online PETA form letter.

The ritual involves the slaughter of a chicken to atone for one's sins before Yom Kippur, which begins Wednesday.

The Brooklyn-based organization slaughters about 4,000 chickens.

A PETA spokesman says the ritual is abusive and unnecessary.

The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating.

http://www.amny.com/news/local/am-hate1008,0,5830175.story