Comments on: Blogging the Omer, Day 38: Starting to Feel Obsessed or Obsessive… http://jewschool.com/2008/05/27/13503/blogging-the-omer-day-38-starting-to-feel-obsessed-or-obsessive/ Progressive Jews & Judaism Thu, 23 May 2013 16:06:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: adam davis http://jewschool.com/2008/05/27/13503/blogging-the-omer-day-38-starting-to-feel-obsessed-or-obsessive/comment-page-1/#comment-305441 adam davis Sun, 01 Jun 2008 02:36:59 +0000 http://jewschool.com/?p=13503#comment-305441 Removing Sholom Rubashkin and replacing him with a different Sholom Rubashkin is akin to treating an aggressive internal cancer with a salve. It may make things look a little better, but something nasty is at work beneath. The problems at Agriprocessors are pervasive. When those who police kashrut in our name allow producers to violate other elements of Jewish law to maintain the bare minimum standards of kashrut (and even that is in doubt) the people are within their right to demand more stringency. This is in keeping with tradition. When it comes to the food that nourishes our bodies and our minds, can we truly be content and satisfied if it comes at the price of excesses (and clear torah violations) against both animals and workers? I want to vomit just thinking about it. Has anyone posted the Uri LTzedek letter and petition link? Removing Sholom Rubashkin and replacing him with a different Sholom Rubashkin is akin to treating an aggressive internal cancer with a salve. It may make things look a little better, but something nasty is at work beneath. The problems at Agriprocessors are pervasive.

When those who police kashrut in our name allow producers to violate other elements of Jewish law to maintain the bare minimum standards of kashrut (and even that is in doubt) the people are within their right to demand more stringency. This is in keeping with tradition.

When it comes to the food that nourishes our bodies and our minds, can we truly be content and satisfied if it comes at the price of excesses (and clear torah violations) against both animals and workers? I want to vomit just thinking about it.

Has anyone posted the Uri LTzedek letter and petition link?

]]> By: David G. http://jewschool.com/2008/05/27/13503/blogging-the-omer-day-38-starting-to-feel-obsessed-or-obsessive/comment-page-1/#comment-305223 David G. Thu, 29 May 2008 16:22:06 +0000 http://jewschool.com/?p=13503#comment-305223 @Kishman Short of a Bet Din or Civil court ruling, an allegation is just words. That they appear on the Internet gives them no greater (or lesser!) standing, that there are multiple allegations likewise does not affect standing. If I asserted your "mother wears army boots" (to quote the children's taunt of years ago), would that automatically make her a soldier? If a 100 people did so? Again, innocent until proven otherwise. Related to this however is an article in the Jewish Star this week asserting that the Orthodox Union had a role in the recent announcement that Sholom Rubashkin will step (has stepped?) down from his leadership of Agriprocessors. The Jewish Telegraph Agency appears to affirm this in an article today http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/news/article/20080529rubashkinou.html Regardless of the recent events at Agriprocessors, I believe bringing in "professional" management (i.e. executives specifically familiar with the meat packing industry) and having open management is a good thing for Agriprocessors. They fulfill a critical need in the Jewish community and there is no harm and much good in their practices being above reproach. @Kishman Short of a Bet Din or Civil court ruling, an allegation is just words. That they appear on the Internet gives them no greater (or lesser!) standing, that there are multiple allegations likewise does not affect standing. If I asserted your “mother wears army boots” (to quote the children’s taunt of years ago), would that automatically make her a soldier? If a 100 people did so? Again, innocent until proven otherwise.

Related to this however is an article in the Jewish Star this week asserting that the Orthodox Union had a role in the recent announcement that Sholom Rubashkin will step (has stepped?) down from his leadership of Agriprocessors. The Jewish Telegraph Agency appears to affirm this in an article today www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/news/article/20080529rubashkinou.html

Regardless of the recent events at Agriprocessors, I believe bringing in “professional” management (i.e. executives specifically familiar with the meat packing industry) and having open management is a good thing for Agriprocessors. They fulfill a critical need in the Jewish community and there is no harm and much good in their practices being above reproach.

]]> By: Kisheman http://jewschool.com/2008/05/27/13503/blogging-the-omer-day-38-starting-to-feel-obsessed-or-obsessive/comment-page-1/#comment-305203 Kisheman Thu, 29 May 2008 12:05:55 +0000 http://jewschool.com/?p=13503#comment-305203 David G. When you have the time and you will need time because the laundry list of problems is so extensive Go to www.failedmessiah.com - Click on the Rubashkins tab and you will read about a plethora of reasons why there was a need to boycott Rubashkins well before the ICE raid this month. David G. When you have the time and you will need time because the laundry list of problems is so extensive Go to www.failedmessiah.com – Click on the Rubashkins tab and you will read about a plethora of reasons why there was a need to boycott Rubashkins well before the ICE raid this month.

]]> By: David G. http://jewschool.com/2008/05/27/13503/blogging-the-omer-day-38-starting-to-feel-obsessed-or-obsessive/comment-page-1/#comment-305169 David G. Thu, 29 May 2008 01:04:44 +0000 http://jewschool.com/?p=13503#comment-305169 First and formost, let me say the I in no way condone withholding proper wages from a worker. Torah is very explicit about this -- Devarim ch 24:14 and 15 state that wages must be paid and paid on time, while ch 12 implies additional stringcies. And R. Herzfeld is to be commended for reviving Orthodox Judaism in his neighborhood of NW 16th Street in Washington. That being said, a boycott of Rubashkin's is hasty in my view. The charges against Agriprocessor's are only that -- allegations. They will be investigated, and if found credible, prosecuted. Only afterwards should we consider boycotts. Until then, "innocent until proven otherwise" is sage advice. First and formost, let me say the I in no way condone withholding proper wages from a worker. Torah is very explicit about this — Devarim ch 24:14 and 15 state that wages must be paid and paid on time, while ch 12 implies additional stringcies. And R. Herzfeld is to be commended for reviving Orthodox Judaism in his neighborhood of NW 16th Street in Washington.

That being said, a boycott of Rubashkin’s is hasty in my view. The charges against Agriprocessor’s are only that — allegations. They will be investigated, and if found credible, prosecuted. Only afterwards should we consider boycotts. Until then, “innocent until proven otherwise” is sage advice.

]]> By: Kishkeman http://jewschool.com/2008/05/27/13503/blogging-the-omer-day-38-starting-to-feel-obsessed-or-obsessive/comment-page-1/#comment-305137 Kishkeman Wed, 28 May 2008 16:38:45 +0000 http://jewschool.com/?p=13503#comment-305137 I'd like to advise everyone that at www.thejewishpress.com they are taking a yes/no online poll asking "Should a company's kashruth supervision be removed if it is found to have violated laws and ethical standards having nothing to do with kashruth?" While I don't totally like the way they phrased the question, we are indeed demanding the OU to revoke its hechser on Rubashkins. So far yes is winning 67/33. I say we continue to stuff the ballot box. Voting on the issue there seems to me a good way to get our voice heard over at a segment of the Jewish community who usually has a different haskafa on many things then we do. With a bit of sarcasm, its nice to see that The Jewish Press is finally recognizing the latest Agriprocessors issues and the grass roots boycotts with a reprinted JTA article on what happened even if they aren't providing any editioral piece saying if they see things like we do or not. I’d like to advise everyone that at www.thejewishpress.com they are taking a yes/no online poll asking “Should a company’s kashruth supervision be removed if it is found to have violated laws and ethical standards having nothing to do with kashruth?” While I don’t totally like the way they phrased the question, we are indeed demanding the OU to revoke its hechser on Rubashkins. So far yes is winning 67/33. I say we continue to stuff the ballot box.

Voting on the issue there seems to me a good way to get our voice heard over at a segment of the Jewish community who usually has a different haskafa on many things then we do.

With a bit of sarcasm, its nice to see that The Jewish Press is finally recognizing the latest Agriprocessors issues and the grass roots boycotts with a reprinted JTA article on what happened even if they aren’t providing any editioral piece saying if they see things like we do or not.

]]> By: rebecca m http://jewschool.com/2008/05/27/13503/blogging-the-omer-day-38-starting-to-feel-obsessed-or-obsessive/comment-page-1/#comment-305127 rebecca m Wed, 28 May 2008 13:22:40 +0000 http://jewschool.com/?p=13503#comment-305127 My understanding of the vaad harabanim of washington is that they will act when it's in their interest to act. So I'm not holding my breath. My understanding of the vaad harabanim of washington is that they will act when it’s in their interest to act. So I’m not holding my breath.

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