Jewish Scene  Rabbi Levi Brackman
Is new justice certification for food ethical?
Rabbi Levi Brackman
Published: 06.07.08, 08:28
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1. Not a new idea
Aaron ,   USA   (07.06.08)
This is clearly based on the Israeli Tav Chevrati, which has been around since 2004 and is not simply a reaction to an isolated incident as you suggest. The question you should be asking is not why the Conservative movement is trying to start this now, but rather why the OU or some other existing kashrut organization hasn't started it long ago in the US.
2. Hechsher Zedek
Keeping Kosher ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (07.06.08)
The Hechsher Zedek is not in fact based on the Israeli Tav Chevrati. They are actually processes that happened in parallel. While the issue of an Ethical Kashrut has been brough to light surrounding the Agriprocesorsplant, it is an issue we should all be thinking about in the rest of our lives. The larger question here, is how does my concept of Halacha and Derech Eretz Kadma L'torah inform my consumer habits. No one is arguing that the meat from Agriprocessors is not kosher, and not shechted correctly. They are demanding that the owners take responsibility for the people they have hired, and treat them ethically.
3. Tsedek Tsedek Tirdof?
arita ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (07.06.08)
It is funny that an Orthodox Rabbi is so critical of this Hechsher Tsedek and does not see it as a positive moce to connect the unaffiliated- In israel, those who initiated the Tav Chevrati were modern orthodox Jews and the tav continues to serve as a unifying force between all different kinds of Jews in Israel. Judaism has changed over time- Kashrut now, is different than it was 2000 years ago. We have microwaves, new foods and a new awareness that workers should not be exploited or treated like slaves. Rabbis need to move with the times. Levi Brackman, where are your clothes made?
4. mahadran buses
asa wittow ,   jerusalem   (07.06.08)
i live in a chride neiborhood. 90 % of the women do not like these buses. of those who do most take only taxi. it is a chelil hashem to see women squessed it the back abd teenagers sitting up front. old women and pregant women are yelled at , to the back, bni breaq doesnt have them..
5. Hekhsher Tzedek
Rabbi Morris Allen ,   Mendota Heights, MN   (07.06.08)
I will not respond to the personal attacks leveled at me or the religious commitments of the community I represent. Let me just say that I have spent an entire pulpit career promoting the observance of Kashrut. Every aspect of the Hekhser Tzedek is consistent with normative Jewish law. For too long we have allowed "Yore De'ah" (the section of the Shuclcan Arukh which deals with kashrut) to live in splendid isolation from "Choshen Mishpat"(the section of the Shuchan Arukh which deals with economic and labor laws). In addition, every item sold with a hekhsher will be investigated for a Hekhsher Tzedek. Consumer staples, no less than Kosher meat, will be eligible for our Hekhsher--which will supplement and not replace the pre-exisitng certification of the ritual acceptance for this food. Finally, how sad to read that as Jews the best argument against proper behavior is for other Jews to attack either our motives or our religious commitment. I would have hoped that Levi Brackman might have called and spoken with me, he might have found a very different rabbi than the one he depicted in his article.
6. Why? Because they reject traditional kashrut!
JMK ,   NYC   (07.06.08)
They worship themselves not Torah , they as rabbis and their members no longer practice judaism, there is no kashrut observed who would ever consider as kosher a certificate fom conservative or refom rabbi , they do not observe shabbat they even drive to their service, they completely and totaly have thrown away from their inception the Mikvah, their ideals are one that foster over everthing egalitarianism and relativism, at the JTS it is considered immoral to pray publicly with a separation of men and woman, while traditionally it is immoral and imodest to pray without such a separation.
7. Heksher Bli Tzedek
Jack ,   Minnesota   (07.06.08)
It is well known in Minnesota that Rabbi Allen eats in non kosher restaurants. It seems that being a veterinarians seems to exempt him of the Halachic requirements of Yoreh Deah that forbid this. Shulchan Aruch also does not have a vote in the fact that he does Gay Commitment Ceremonies." Allen is using a selective approach to Halacha to impose liberal social engineering into the Jewish community. Joining him have been the Jewish Progressive Alliance, the Jewish Labor Community and others of the Jewish Left. Groups with a long history of animus to traditional observance. He is also partnered with the Union that is attempting to break the meat plant. Allen agenda should be part of his Temple's Social Action Committee not a new Heksher.
8. Dina dmalchusa dina - Hillul HaShem hurts us all
Karen R ,   USA   (07.06.08)
When businessmen who advertise themselves as Orthodox Jews commit Hillul HaShem (desecration of the name of G-d) it hurts Orthodox Jews everywhere. The excuse that, "It's only civil law, not Torah law" not only overlooks the rabbinical Torah principle of "the law of the land is the law [except where it opposes Judaism] but leads inevitably to the situation where Torah laws themselves are called into question. Also, the yetzer ha'ra always starts with something small (why not employ those eager illegal immigrants at lower wages?) and moves on to bigger things - like cutting corners on the laws of kashrut itself. I, for one, no longer eat from Agriprocessors' products, because I don't know how far their "Let's see what we can get away with" attitude has gone - maybe into "leniencies" with the basics of kashrut itself.
9. hekhsher schmekhsher
eliyahu ,   crete   (07.06.08)
there were a lot of egregious abuses not just of the workers, but also the way in which the animals were slaughtered, contrary to shchita "al pei ha halacha" - there is recorded video if you can stomach watching a steer rolling around in his own blood and trying to stand up with its trachea and esophagus hanging out after the procedure called "throat ripping" - if this is not "torn flesh" then the word "treife" doesn't make much sense to me anymore. methinks that rabbi brackman is worried someone will break the orthodox monopoly on "kosher" meat, and furthermore in doing so provide meat which is actually kosher both the culinary sense and in that meaning clean, correctly done, straight! oh, pardon me though, orthodox get to decide what "is" and "isn't" "authentic judaism" for the majority, don't they? apparently so. oh, and as for the accusations and question "what about china?" this is just pathetic rabbi brackman, that is a 5 year old's argument. i would expect much better from a man who studied jewish law for many years and purports to lead the community.
10. THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT........
RACHAEL BLUM   (07.06.08)
IS A VEHICLE FOR FEMINISM, PERIOD !
11. Who do you think you are
Chaim Katz ,   Delton, USA   (07.06.08)
You call before you attack. You are the SUPPER attacker on fellow jews, Sham on you
12. Excellent article Rabbi
JMK ,   NYC   (07.06.08)
Remember NYS kosher laws (kosher law was orthodox) were declared unconstitutional in a case where a Commack LI meat market changed to a conservative standard, they won the case but lost their entire business, that's called a pyrrhic victory, because only orthodox observe, only the orthodox care, the one or two percent of any conservative congregation that actually attends services can remember that when they are driving to their Temple on Shabbat , and maybe ask themselves why are they driving to services, the same excuses for driving and desecrating shabbat is the same answer they will give for eating non kosher, for being non kosher but now they will not answer to an even higher standard than required even by the Torah and its observers for thousands of years, especially when evey single restaurant they eat in would close without its illegal workers.
13. Conservative=not Judaism=irrelevant
Antonio ,   Haifa   (07.06.08)
May as well listen to some street preacher on a corner. Judaism is Judaism, period. Conservative, Reform, etc, aren't it.
14. This would not be necessary if Rubashkin's followed the law
Abe Froman ,   NY, NY   (07.07.08)
It's a shonda that people like this rabbi run interference for Rubashkin's lawbreaking.
15. kashrut
taler ,   israel-usa   (07.06.08)
BS"D Lets clear the smokescreen and reveal the REAL TRUTH in this matter--and that is that the cons.movement and others who have been left out of the big millions coming in from kashrut etc. they are now in the process to develop a inroad and get a share of this business-thats all that there is to it
16. Defending the Indefensible
Avram Lyon ,   Morristown, USA   (07.06.08)
Rabbi Brackman deserves credit for attempting to defend the indefensible as Chabad continues to circle the wagons rather then face the ethical challenges posed by Agriprocessors. One cannot seperate ritual obervance from ethical observance. Such a compartmentalization of values inevitably leads to the kind of defense soldiers use who commit unspeakable crimes because they were only "following orders." What passed for ethical behavior at Agriprocessors was an abomination. As a result the Jewish community has lost confidence in Agriprocessors ability to produce meat and poultry that reflects the highest standards of Judaism.
17. Misrepresentation
Lazer Gurkow ,   London Ontario   (07.07.08)
Many talkbacks accuse Brackman of suggesting that ethical infractions are not forbidden by Torah. This is plainly not true. Re-read the article and see what it says, not just what you want to read. He was clear about the prohibitions of ethical mistreatment. He went so far as to suggest a boycott against those who are guilty of this. He merely points out that this does not impact the kashrus of a product. Why is this so difficult to understand? Another point: Why is everyone jumping to accuse Runbashkin? These are unproven allegations! Would you treat your brother this way? Are Jews not one family? Wait till the verdict comes out and then decide whether to patronize Agriproccessors. Finally, What is Amram Lyon saying about Chabad circling wagons??? What has Agri to do with Chabad outside of the fact that Rubashkin is a Lubavitcher Chossid? He is in business for himself and does not, repeat not, represent Chabad. Of course, this is directed at level headed readers. Those who have made up their mind about this will not be convinced by such words.
18. the problem here is misrepresented
Eshkol Hakofer   (07.07.08)
1- mr brackman is deceitfully, slandering a legitimate kashrut organisation. 2- concerned jews have the right to inspect and 'reject' the product of swindlers that is produced inflicting suffering to animals and to humans alike passing it as kosher in flagrant defiance of the laws of kashrut . 3- rubashkin and chabad, have been peddling for years their meat as uber kosher, chssidische scheetoh, they would have everybody believe, refusing themselves to partake of other honest and legitimate scheetoh. 4- one would have expected mr brackman to disclose that he himself is a follower of the former menachem mendel schneerson of lubovitz. and that rubashkin company whose principals include many convicted felons that are dignitaries of this extremist sect in it's crown heights n.y. abode. 5- the rubashkins have brought shame on the jewish faith which us jews call chillul hashem by misrepresenting themselves as normative jews, which they clearly are not.
19. Justice Certification
Marilyn ,   USA   (07.07.08)
If I'd thought that this type of Kosher would be vastly more ethical than the regular meat supply, I'd give up being a vegetarian. However I have a hard time believing that it will be.
20. Seems like a dodge, Rabbi
David ,   Silver Spring, MD US   (07.07.08)
Why is the rabbi so frightened of this heckscher tzedek? OK, I agree, that, from a halakhic perspective, kashrus is not a question of how one treats one's workers. That said, I think the Conservative rabbinate's concern for how the people who produce our food conduct themselves is far more laudable than Rabbi Brackman's exalting of ritual over decency. Beyond that, I find his groundless attacks on the motives of the rabbis behind this somewhat reprehensible. Does Rabbi Brackman know how much Rabbi Weissmandl collected every year from Agriprocessors while their (alleged) abuses were going on? Alot more than the Conservatives stand to make. And, if there are problems at a plant in China, does that mean that we should ignore problems here until the Chinese straighten their act out? Seriously, rabbi, what kind of argument is that?
21. Kosher food served on Shabbat
Chaya ,   Bat Yam, Israel   (07.07.08)
So, by this rabbi's reasoning kosher food served in a restaurant that is open on Shabbat should be classified as kosher because these are two different sets of laws: kashrut and Shabbat. If rabbis withhold a kashrut certificate because a restaurant is open on Shabbat, they should also withhold a kashrut certificate if the food is processed in a non-ethical manner.
22. Read the article he agrees with you Chaya
Joe Cohen ,   NYC   (07.07.08)
From the article Brackman clearly agrees that we should not be giving patronizing unethical companies and in the article he said that "If these allegations are proven to be true the Chassidic owners of Agriprocessors Inc. will have much to answer for and none of us should patronize them until they change their practices." Note, however, that none of the abuse allegations have yet been proven. Whereas if a store is open on Shabbat there is no ambiguity it is either open or it is not. The point here is that this Heksher Zedek is suspect because it is only targeting foods and nothing else. Since ethics has is not only concerned with food products but with all consumer items this is where they lose their credibility.
23. Hechsher? Tzedek?
notme ,   where?   (07.07.08)
First let me say that my slide into vegetarianism started with my fears of Lubavitcher shochtim, corruptions of Judaiism, going messianic to corruptions of Christianity. I stopped eating Rubashkins, and stopped supporting Chabbad charities. I regard the whole movement as a tragic loss to the Jewish whole, as were the Sabbateans and the Frankists before them. Had I not had this history, I would still be bothered by the goings on at that plant. I do have a problem however with the Holy Man from Minnesota, as a flawed messenger. The conservative and the other ivs and isms have gutted Judaism and filled the gaps with feel good morality and their tikkun olam fantasy. They regard themselves as the infallible last word in social justice. Yes it is true that Yoreh Deah (kashrut among other laws) cannot be divorced from Hoshen Mishpat ( law of business etc), however a messenger that casts away Orach Hayyim ( everyday behavior, prayer, sabbath etc laws, the first part of Shulhan Aruch) is not trusted, and his motives are suspect.
24. #21 - Chaya, Kol haKavod!
Joe ,   Ramat Gan   (07.07.08)
Thank you for pointing out a fundamental flaw in Rabbi Brackman's logic, Chaya. If Kashrut didn't deal with more than just the food we put in our mouths, there wouldn't be restrictions against food establishments operating on Shabbat and Yom Tob. Then again, I personally dislike Rabbi Brackman's articles because, like this one, they appear to be more politically motivated than they are halachically thorough. Thanks again, Chaya!
25. To answer your question...
EH ,   NY USA   (07.08.08)
YES, maintenance workers at the Jewish Theological Seminary ARE unionized. Thanks for asking! Probably not the answer you were hoping for, eh?
26. Conflict of Interest?
Arieh Lebowitz ,   New York, USA   (07.08.08)
Rabbi Levi Brackman, identified as executive director of Judaism in the Foothills., should have had the disclaimer that JITF's website has a section "Buy Kosher Meat," and that one of the brands mentioned is Rubashkin's "Aaron's Best." I am nto saying that this is a conflict of interest, but it should have at least been noted, especially when others are accused of possible ulterior motives ...
27. Justice Seal meant for kosher food alone - for now
Arieh Lebowitz ,   New York, USA   (07.08.08)
Rabbi Brackman, you're just being silly. Why must the proposed Justice Certification to appear ethical and honest encompass all consumer products, "otherwise it remains suspect"? The RugMark seal that says that hand-weaved rugs in India and other countries is not suspect just ebcause it does not include all consumer products ... {for overview, see here: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Rugmark+Seal amd here http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ned=us&scoring=n&q=rugmark+children}
28. More on Certification
Marilyn ,   USA   (07.08.08)
The situation is bad at any of the slaughterhouses, not just Kosher. I can see where it's hard to get non-desparate people to work at them. One guy that I knew worked at one for a couple of days (not sure if kosher or non) described it as being in the lowest depths of hell. So it's going to take a whole lot to change something like that. However, If someone wants to try to make things better (not just words) and have a different grade of certification all the more power to them.
29. Morris Allen - Hekhsher Tzedek
Jonathan Gorn ,   Skokie, IL USA   (07.09.08)
Sorry that you feel attacked, but hey - you bring it on yourself when you go public against other public figures. It's like a political candidate getting upset at attacks on him/her. Grow up. You want to be in the big game, take the hits that come with it. As to your issue - it's a non issue. We as consumers can choose which companies suit our lifestyles and wallets; we don't need another oversight agency taking our money to tell me it's alright. You're just creating another layer and another group for Jews to further get jaded with. If you were genuinely in it for the Tzedek and not the control, you'd spend time and money lobbying the current dysfunctional kashrut agencies to adopt a Tzedek mantra with their current clients and requirements. That would be altruistic, and you can get support for that. No one wants another organization and no one is going to ever fully entrust their kashrut to a Conservative Jewish value system. Stop this war and target the ones you're really after - the kashrut societies who have the power to do what you hope becomes a standard. Attacking the one company, making it personal reeks of cynicism and opportunism. It's your call - your goal. Your reputatSorry that you feel attacked, but hey - you bring it on yourself when you go public against other public figures. It's like a political candidate getting upset at attacks on him/her. Grow up. You want to be in the big game, take the hits that come with it. As to your issue - it's a non issue. We as consumers can choose which companies suit our lifestyles and wallets, we don't need another oversight agency taking our money to tell me it's alright. You're just creating another layer and another group for Jews to further get jaded with. If you were genuinly in it for the Tzedek and not the control, you'd spend time and money lobbying the current dysfunctional kashrut agencies to adopt a Tzedek mantra with their current clients and requirements. That would be altruistic, and you can get support for that. No one wants another organization and no one is going to ever fully entrust their kashrut to a Conservative Jewish value system. Stop this war and target the ones you're really after - the kashrut societies who have the power to do what you hope becomes a standard. Attacking the one company, making it personal reeks of cynicism and opportunism. It's your call - your goal. Your reputation on the line.
30. Come Home
Choni Davidowitz   (07.09.08)
Would'nt it be nice if all Jews were in their own Home in Eretz Yisrael. Then we would have no need to worry about these "problems"
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