Unkosher Meat, Unkosher Politics

Off-hand, one might think problems at a kosher meatpacking house are the concern of the Jewish community alone. But in a current case, not so.

The Rubashkin meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa, which has been the biggest supplier of allegedly kosher meat in America, has violated many moral, ethical, and legal codes of conduct -- American and Jewish. It has tortured the animals it is supposed to kill painlessly. It has exploited its workers, many of whom are undocumented immigrants who were fearful of complaining. It has even had the chutzpah to collect union dues from some workers and then pocket the money instead of passing it on to the unions.

How should Jews, Americans of other ethical and religious communities, and the American government respond?

Looking first at the Jewish community: Rubashkin is under serious criticism, and some have called for a boycott of this unkosher meat, both because of the way the company treated the animals it slaughtered and the way it treated its workers.

But for two reasons, this is not just a Jewish issue. For one thing, some non-Jewish customers buy kosher meat because they think it less likely to be contaminated by sloppy slaughtering. And for another, there are laws at stake here – laws of the American government as well as Jewish tradition.

Indeed, finally the federal government decided that laws were being violated in Postville. It took vigorous action.
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To do what? To imprison hundreds of allegedly undocumented workers and –- with rare if any precedent –- to charge hundreds with criminal offenses while deporting hundreds of others. (Many of those criminally charged pleaded guilty under threat of even worse treatment for them and their families if they did not.)

Ironically, the federal search warrants specified as evidence of probable cause an article in the Forward, a leading Jewish newspaper, which pointed out that many of the Postville workers were undocumented Central Americans.

As for the owners – so far, no action at all by the federal authorities against them.

Perhaps this failure of the federal government to act against the wealthy violators while destroying the lives of the powerless workers is rooted in the conventional deference to the rich. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the Rubashkin family has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to political candidates – especially, though not exclusively, to the party that happens to be running the federal government at the moment.

What to do about this whole mess? Some usually progressive organizations have reported that many workers and labor organizers in Postville have wanted to keep the issues quiet, for fear that a successful boycott would bring the business to collapse and disemploy even more workers. Perhaps the owners would do their slaughtering elsewhere –- even in another country.

But since The Washington Post covered the story of anti-immigrant raids on its front page (May 18 ), this strategy would seem pretty unworkable. And even if it had been feasible, it raises a further ethical question.

There is an old Yiddish satirical song, "Sha shtill, mach nisht kein gevalt!" – "Be quiet, don’t make any trouble." Some “activists” are recommending “sha shtill” for the sake of those workers still employed, even though they are underpaid, denied health and safety protections, and prevented from union organizing. But we must ask whether it is wise to support or condone criminal behavior, including the oppression of workers, in order to preserve the jobs of oppressed workers.

On somewhat the same principle, some people argued that boycotts of apartheid South Africa would further damage the livelihoods of poor South Africans. Some pastors of some black churches in the South warned against “racial agitation” because it might incite more repression against blacks. Some have argued that pressing “no sweat” campaigns against child labor and slavery may result in no jobs at all for the desperately oppressed workers in the sweat shops of some countries.

The “sha shtill” approach invokes one aspect of religion: It treats compassion as a private, personal emotion toward a small group of people caught in a single narrow bind. But it misses the broader question of justice and compassion for much larger numbers. For if company after company, industry after industry, is allowed to violate morals, ethics, and law –- then the downward slide into oppression gets worse. "Sha shtill" makes a bitter kind of sense only if progressives feel helpless to bring about broader change.

How then can we build a broader movement for the protection of animals, workers (immigrant and otherwise) , and consumers (these last at least from fraudulent claims of kashrut and possibly also from health-endangerment)?

Only by addressing whatever is going on in meatpacking plants generally. Only by supporting union organizing and enforcement of fair labor standards, of health and safety and wage protections. Only by demanding that both religious communities and governmental authorities enforce these standards.

The clearer it becomes that these standards will be applied nationally and internationally, the clearer it will be to would-be oppressive owners that there is no point to moving their operations somewhere else.

It is an important step forward that some members of the Jewish community have called for a boycott of the meat supplied through such vile violations of Jewish standards. But it can’t stop there.

Many many of us, of all religious and ethical traditions and beliefs, should be making a stink far greater than the smell that surrounds a meatpacking plant.

We should be demanding immigration laws and treaties that treat border-crossing and the oppression of labor and the torture of animals as not merely a "domestic" issue, but a matter of international concern. Our trade agreements should insist on decent labor and environmental standards in Mexico and Central as well as North America, so that Hispanic workers are not forced to choose between watching their families go hungry and get sick, or daring an illegal and life-endangering dash across the Rio Grande.

Not only should we support a boycott of this meat –- unkosher in every sense –- but we should also press federal authorities to take vigorous action against the owners to the full extent of the law, while dropping criminal charges against workers caught in this oppressive bind.

Deep beneath the decent laws that decent folk have struggled to be enacted by our official governments, there still sprout the biblical seeds of compassion: "Do not oppress your fellow; I am YHWH, the Interbreathing of all life." (Lev. 19:13-14) "You shall love the stranger as yourself; for you were strangers in the Tight and Narrow Place." (Lev. 19:33) "You shall not turn over to his master a runaway slave who seeks refuge with you. He shall live with you in any place that he may choose, among the settlements in your midst; you must not oppress him." (Deut. 23: 16-17)

Apply these teachings to our industries, and not just the meat will be meeting kosher standards; our politics will come much closer to deserving the Kosher stamp that only God can apply.

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Un-Kosher Labor Practices

(07/27/08) By this point, many of you must be very much aware of the subject matter in today's NY Times’ article, pertaining to Agriprocessors Inc, owned and operated by Aaron Rubashkin and family. The article confirms the nation’s largest kosher plant in Potsville, Iowa, and violations it has perpetrated, is now, without question, clearly public knowledge. Now, compound it with this latest scandal, as it pertains to labor practices, on top of prior, and existing violations, pertaining to the laws of Kashrut, and perhaps, like me, you must be being to question almost everything, related to, and supposedly being, kosher.

The question arrises, how could Rabbi Menachem Meir Weissmandel's organization and other’s assigned to monitor and certify such a facilities, operate without explicitly understanding its operations and violations, to both man and animal?

‘The immigrant saw “a rabbi who was calling employees derogatory names and throwing meat at employees.” NY Times July 27, 2008

I now must question Rabbi Menachem Meir Weissmandel, and anyone associated with the certification process, on every product, at every level, the organizations presently/previously endorsing and certifying. The rabbinical relationship with Agriprocessors Inc, and the family which owns it, the Rubashkin’s, has brought into question, what is it, to be a Jew, and exactly, what is kosher? Furthermore, what of the abuses, made in God's name, under Jewish ownership, and formal supervision?

One, a Guatemalan named Elmer L. who said he was 16 when he started working on the plant’s killing floors, said he worked 17-hour shifts, six days a week. In an affidavit, he said he was constantly tired and did not have time to do anything but work and sleep. “I was very sad,” he said, “and I felt like I was a slave.” Elmer L. said that he regularly worked 17 hours a day at the plant and was paid $7.25 an hour. He said he was not paid overtime consistently. “My work was very hard, because they didn’t give me my breaks, and I wasn’t getting very much sleep,” he said. “They told us they were going to call immigration if we complained.” NY Times July 27, 2008

Such actions, are not kosher, by any means! It disgusts me, embarrasses beyond words, making my family, and I, as well as friends wonder... why does God allows such behavior (yet does), with all this akin to the recent Catholic Church and abuses pretreated upon children, as it is, without question, no different! With all this, seriously challenging my faith, makes me question, as a father, as a parent, who can we trust? Not even a rabbi’s, assigned to guide and protect us? I am noway perfect, without sin. But what of gentiles... are they simply fodder? If we have no conscious, as we treat people here, in the States, just imagine how inhumane we are to Palestinians and Arabs, in and out of Israel? How are we ever to be seen as respectful, law abiding people, when even under the strictness of observances, we not only cheat ourselves, but humanity, as well.

Have we learned absolutely nothing?!!

There are no excuses, no way one may excuse oneself from the deception, irresponsibility, and shame brought upon the entire community, through such irrehensible actions.

Sonia Parras Konrad, an immigration lawyer in private practice in Des Moines, is representing many of the young workers. She said she had so far identified 27 workers under 18 who were employed in the packing areas of the plant, most of them illegal immigrants from Guatemala, including some who were not arrested in the raid.’ NY Times July 27, 2008

Why be kosher, when it is apparent, for the most part, is simply a sham? Gentile or Jew, what is more of a sin, not being kosher, while respecting both animal and humanity, or... being Kosher, with the complete knowledge, both people and animals a like, are being exploited? Agriprocessors Inc, Aaron Rubashkin and family, nor the rabbinical supervision it employs, does not respect the law, the Torah, nor children, adults, and animals alike... it is a completely illegal operation under the laws of Kashrut, the United States, the State of Iowa, as well as humanity itself, thereby disrespecting God's will, law and commandments... period. No excuses. They are not kosher, and they must be shut down immediately, never to open again, as a kosher facility, with the family, shunned for crimes against humanity. The law is the law... no one is above it, not even rabbis.

Agriprocessors executives said they had begun an overhaul of hiring and labor practices, starting with hiring a compliance officer, James G. Martin, a former United States attorney in Missouri. In an interview, Mr. Martin said the company had contracted with an outside firm, the Jacobson Staffing Company, to handle its hiring, and new safety officers, including one former federal work safety inspector.’ NY Times July 27, 2008
I'm not interested in spin control, as what is obviously being employed, within the community. Any rabbi or group that defends Agriprocessors Inc, actions, past or present, in any way, shape, or form, are simply as guilty, as the perpetrator.

Mark Lauritsen, a vice president for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which has tried to organize the plant, said he remained skeptical. “They are the poster child for how a rogue company can exploit a broken immigration system,” Mr. Lauritsen said. NY Times July 27, 2008

I would rather be unkosher, than have such known behavior, lurking in both my families' body and soul. To the rest of you... you want to live that way, be my guest, but I can’t justify the cost, both human and monetarily, nor the deception, nor the guilt by association.

Would you want your child or family member treated in such a manner?

It has come to the point, we appear, all of us, can trust absolutely no one, anymore... as our faith clearly appears to be as corrupt, as the rest of the world, in which we live...

(RMMW stamp)
Rabbi Menachem Meir Weissmandel's Certification

This certification, is now meaningless, to me, and millions of others... as it symbolizes hypocrisy - ‘unkosher.’

Posted by: Kashrut54 | July 27, 2008 4:52 PM
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Rabbi said “Off-hand, one might think problems at a kosher meatpacking house are the concern of the Jewish community alone. But in a current case, not so.” I think it may come to who is thy neighbour.

Moses wrote

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;
Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:
Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,

Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord.
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

This is what God creates
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

“God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him”

These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,

“the generations of the heavens and of the earth” “earth and the heavens”

This is what the LORD forms
But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

“there went up a mist from the earth”
“watered the whole face of the ground”
“Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground”
“breathed into his nostrils the breath of life”
“man became a living soul”

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.
Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.
Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God.
And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord, ye shall offer it at your own will.

And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

“he will also bless the fruit of thy womb”
“the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed”
“Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul”

LOOK
“the generations of the heavens and of the earth”

And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.

LOOK
“earth and the heavens”

“there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.”

“he will also bless the fruit of thy womb”
“the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed”
“Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul”

Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

“Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel”
“anointed him in the midst”
“and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward”

And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

“his brother Benjamin, his mother's son”
“for his bowels did yearn upon his brother”

And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

“the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David”

And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the Lord be between thee and me for ever.

“the Lord be between thee and me for ever”

And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

“The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever.”

The Words of David

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.
I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.
I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.

Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

The Words of Job

Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

The Words of Moses

And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.
Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.
Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.

And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

“he will also bless the fruit of thy womb”
“the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed”
“Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul”

Moses wrote
“The Lord” “he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.”

And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?

“They have ascribed unto David ten thousands”

David said
“Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints”

Moses wrote
“Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.”

LOOK
“the generations of the heavens and of the earth” “earth and the heavens”
“the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David”
“anointed him in the midst”
“and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward”
“he will also bless the fruit of thy womb”
“The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever.”

The Words of Solomon

I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.

Solomon said
“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”
“Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.”

And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.
And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.

Do you see what Job said
“With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.”

Look at the words of Solomon
“Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.”

Posted by: harold | June 24, 2008 11:20 PM
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As if "EDUCATiON DAY" was not enough.. Ha!

Please, as if 'KiNG Mashiach' [pbuh] was not enough though;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_Day

--- On "KOSHER-POLiCE" in U.S.A., et al;

Please Also see "KOSHER ENFORCEMENT" (Division Of New York State, U.S.A.), yes, going to a non-'KOSHER' (in Arabic is 'Hallal') JAiL & Fined, in Sweet Sweet America from Abroad @

http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/KO/kosherbrochure.pdf

---

What ever happened to 'S-E-P-E-R-A-T-i-o-N of

C-H-U-R-C-H and State (in ALL 50 States?)in Sweet Sweet (about to be Souired) U.S. of A.(s)!????

---

Wow!

The "JUDEO"-JU's" via the "Crustatian-Eating' JUDEO-CHRIST's and thus JUDEO-iSLAMiCs hath influenced ANERiCA's Food Chain & into our Prison Systems (Public & Private, infringly)??

Posted by: ON: the "Kosher-Question" not on the 'Jewish-Question, in america, this time around | June 24, 2008 9:34 PM
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I applaud Rabbi Waskow principalled stand. The Jewish tradition of "kashrut" (which includes laws regarding kosher slaughtering of animals for food) is designed to reduce pain and suffering of the animal; news reports indicate that the Rubashkin firm (which holds itself out as a purveyor of the highest standards of kashrut) has in fact violated these traditional standards.

Just as importantly, the narrow definition of kashrut must be expanded to include a larger framework of ethical consideration. Just as meat slaughtered on the sabbath is not "kosher," animals slaughtered by abused laborers should not be considered "kosher."

Some in various streams of Judaism, for example, have considered whether veal should be considered kosher, given the often inhumane ways in which the animals are raised. Others have suggested that cigarettes should be deemed "non-kosher" because they cause harm to creatures (men and women) created in God's image.

Finally, the traditional ethical mandates of Jewish law to treat employees fairly and equitably seem to have been ignored in this case. Thank you, Rabbi Waskow, for bringing additional lighht on this American problem from a Jewish point of view.

Gary D. Simms

Posted by: Gary D. Simms | June 24, 2008 1:49 PM
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