New York – Report: Kosher Restaurants Threatened Because Of Ethical Certification

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    Uri L’Tzedek leaders, from left, Ari Hart, Shmuly Yanklowitz, and Ari Weiss are at work on the Tav HaYosher campaign in a New York restaurant Photo: URI L’TZEDEKNew York – A certification meant to designate kosher eateries as establishments that treat their workers with dignity and respect has become a controversial issue, with many of the participating businesses reportedly receiving threats, not accolades for their involvement in the program.

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    Tav HaYosher, launched three years ago as a free certification, is described as an “ethical seal” indicating that workers receive at least a minimum wage, overtime pay when working more than forty hours per week, a minimum or one day off per week, regular breaks and a safe, sanitary and non-discriminatory workplace. A grass roots program staffed by volunteers who frequent certified restaurants and speak with both owners and workers, it is a project of Uri L’Tzedek a social justice organization that fights prevent suffering and oppression.

    But according to reports on the Jewish Journal’s website, there are those who take issue with Uri L’Tzedek, which launched a two month long consumer boycott against the Agriprocessor meat processing plant in Iowa following the massive immigration raid that closed down the plant and sent Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin to jail. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, founder and president of Uri L’Tzedek who received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, has been an outspoken voice condemning Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin for labor conditions at the Agriprocessors plant.

    According to the report, a threatening email sent by a person identified as Menachem Cohen to establishments bearing the Tav HaYosher designation warned business owners that they faced a potential boycott because of Rabbi Yanklowitz’s involvement in the Rubashkin case, accusing him of making false claims against Rubashkin.

    “Until you remove Tav HaYosher, you will find an increasing number of people boycotting your business,” warned Cohen in the email.

    “We received a second email from them,” Avi, a manager at The Kosher Experience in Teaneck, New Jersey, told VIN News. “They told us that the boycott will continue until we remove all association with the Tav HaYosher.”

    Although Tav HaYosher certifies over 90 restaurants in the United States and Canada, much of the activity against the certification seems to be centered in the Los Angeles area, according to the Jewish Journal, which found that four local restaurants, Mexikosher, Schnitzly, Nut House, and Café of Paris had removed their Tav HaYosher certification because of the threats. Restaurants owners reported getting mixed reviews for their participation in the Tav HaYosher program, with some patrons applauding their decision and others walking out when they saw the certificate.

    While it appears that the backlash against the Tav HaYosher seems to be coming from the Chabad community, Rabbi Chaim Cunin, CEO of Chabad California said he had no knowledge of any activity against the Tav HaYosher.


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    80 Comments
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    11 years ago

    I thought PETA was behind the raid against Rubashkin. Now that I know it is a musmach of Chovevei Torah, I will boycott any establishment that displays anything from him or them. I was already against them, but now I am against the people behind it. And I am in Monsey not Los Angeles. I used to live in Manhattan, so I know many of these people, and thought they were just confused, but this is being moser, and that is beyond anything I thought of them.

    yaakov doe
    Member
    yaakov doe
    11 years ago

    I assume that this movement under the leadership of one of Avi Weiss’ “rabbi” in the “open orthodox” answer to the new conservative ethical certification. They are too insignificant for anytone to threaten them.

    Looking over the list it seems some of these places have questionable kashrus certification.

    11 years ago

    Nothing against him but I wouldn’t eat anything who’s “Rav Hamachshir” is Mr. Shmuly Yanklowitz.

    Smicha? from where?!

    This person either doesn’t know well understood Halachos or chooses not to follow them (I’m not basing it on this article). Neither of those are anything i’m comfortable with.

    If I see “Tav HaYosher” on a store/restaurant i’m doing a quick 360.

    No, i’m not Chabad.

    my4amos
    my4amos
    11 years ago

    I wouldn’t be caught under general anesthesia at any place sporting this unjewish “ethical seal.”

    REALIST
    REALIST
    11 years ago

    Why would I want to eat in a place that allowed a person that has a very left wing agenda (at best!) and is cosidered a moser, a rodef, and a rosho inspect and post his opinion in the window! It’s the equivalent of a halachic imbecile saying that he too agrees with a psak from Ravv Elyashiv, ZT”L!

    Ben_Kol
    Ben_Kol
    11 years ago

    Once again, support for Rubashkin trumps respect for the law of the land (dina demalchusa) and basic decency.

    pinay
    pinay
    11 years ago

    For the record I would boycott a restaurant with such a seal.

    11 years ago

    “Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, founder and president of Uri L’Tzedek who received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah…”

    He’s from YCT. That explains it. More about social activism than following halacha. By the way, the certification that they are giving out is merely that the restaurant is following normal labor laws. That’s the city’s job. These guys should have not wasted their time at YCT and gone to gov’t jobs. At least their inspections and certificates would mean something.

    misslydia128
    misslydia128
    11 years ago

    Minimum wage and overtime for illegal aliens?

    11 years ago

    Our Kosher establishments have a responsibility to treat workers well and follow the law. Why would anybody but a bully and a thug oppose that?

    Pint12
    Pint12
    11 years ago

    I applaud the boycott. I wouldn’t eat in establishment that has that certification.

    It was only established to diminish the need of a regular hechsher and to spill blood of the orthodox kosher business owners.

    DovidT
    DovidT
    11 years ago

    Even if their certification is a “kosher” concept, still their agenda reeks of hidden and not so kosher intentions. The fact that they were so critical of Rabbi Sholom Mordechai, to highlight all the lies and rumors told about agri, makes me not want to have anything to do which supports them in anyway, including partaking in eateries carrying their “hechsher”.

    Canadian
    Canadian
    11 years ago

    Don’t understand why this Hechsher is necessary. From a Kashrus perspective we need the Rabbinic supervision & approval. From a human rights aspect we have the US government & unions.
    Not necessary for Yidden to certify eateries in this manner.
    If this “Ethical Hechsher” was involved in any way in publicly shaming the Iowa meat plant (adding to the Chilul Hashem in an equal manner IMHO) I will definitely NOT support any establishment bearing their symbol & will encourage my congregrants similarly.

    CountryYossi
    CountryYossi
    11 years ago

    If i had a restaurant i wouldn’ want any one talking to my workers how they get paid..i am wondering if any of the Tav Hayosher people would allow me to come in and audit their books in whatever business they own.i want to know as a citizen if they pay their taxes correctly ….

    MochinRechavim
    MochinRechavim
    11 years ago

    Honest Business is a Torah Law, not some liberal agenda to be pushed. If a frum Jew does not run his business proper, then it is on him. We do not need another way to politicize the Jewish community. Uri L’Tzedek does not represent Torah Judaism. They offer a “free” hekshur because not one single business would pay for such a silly thing since the Federal Government already regulates them. Just ask Walmart who forked out hundreds of millions of dollars this year in a class action lawsuit for not paying workers overtime.

    Reuvain
    Reuvain
    11 years ago

    Its time for the frum community to boycott an restaurant with this unethical Heksher. They acted unethically creating a boycott against Rubashkin without ever seeing the plant firsthand accepting the stories of he union. Halacha mandates that you can not judge something unless you have examined both sides. They acted without sanction of Rabbonim or a Beis Din.

    This is a list of restaurants that have this unethical herksher. Tell them that unless they remove it you will take your business elsewhere.
    http://www.utzedek.org/tavhayosher/restaurant-listmap.html

    5TResident
    Noble Member
    5TResident
    11 years ago

    Typical. Kashrus is a big money business and nobody wants any kind of free kashrus to be floating around.

    fachmuret
    fachmuret
    11 years ago

    If I am reading this article correctly all it dhows is we don’t care about ethics in the business world. Why boycott an idea which makes sense? Frum people that are against minimum wage and payment fro working over time are sick people and obviously treat their own workers like garbage.

    And the people that threatened them by email are beyond stupid because the police have ways of tracking the email.

    DovidTheK
    DovidTheK
    11 years ago

    First of all the smicha these men have is not even recognized by the MO organization RCA. The rules they are requiring are already required by state and local government like safe working conditions, overtime. The main issue is that many kosher restaurants have illegals working for them or have off the books workers so the rules for overtime pay are not enforced and the illegals can’t complain to the authorities if they’re getting messed with.

    honestbroker
    honestbroker
    11 years ago

    OWS with a hechsher.
    Boytchiklach:
    It’s easy to be a critic when you are ignorant of the facts. Get a real job, with real responsibilities, where you actually have to produce a product or provide a real service. Meet a payroll, finish a project on time and under budget, deal with an irate customer or two, handle overwhelming, conflicting ,and impossible to understand gov’t regulations, meet with ignorant gov’t employees, that don’t even have a working knowledge of the regulations they are enforcing, and then you’ve earned the right to dictate to me and others that have invested inordinate amounts of time and risked Large sums of working capital, whome to hire, for how much and what perks I need to give them. Until then, put your diapers back on and go back to playing in the sandbox.

    11 years ago

    I for one will not eat in any restaurant that has the tav hayashar. I have not been to shellys, noa’s ark or kosher experience in quite some time because of this. My Rabbi will not let any food bought at these establishments into our shul, this in spite of the fact that these eateries all are under the rcbc as well.

    Babishka
    Member
    Babishka
    11 years ago

    There is a conservative rabbi where I live who is handing out his fauxsher certification to restaurants and bakeries. If I don’t purchase their products because I don’t think his certification is valid, does that make it a “boycott” or just a consumer choice?

    Brian
    Brian
    11 years ago

    I just read their list of restaurants. There were several of the featured restaurants that I’ve been to in the past (and enjoyed), but I’ll never step foot into there again, unless they remove their restaurant from the tav hayosher website database. Even if they pull down the certificate, I wouldn’t step foot into there unless they get that website to remove them. True I’m no huge spender to begin with, but there are many who hold my sentiments who are.

    Lodzker
    Lodzker
    11 years ago

    these clowns… i know first hand of businesses that hire illegal imigrants and whose mashgichim tell me that they withhold wages… yet theyre certified by the “tav”.

    the tav is meaningless. ignore it. it will disappear soon because it holds no halachik or significant purpose.

    Babishka
    Member
    Babishka
    11 years ago

    If they are only about “fairness to workers” then why did they tell the unsuspecting non-Jewish restaurant owner that they “only wanted to talk about food”? If these guys are so frum, do they totally avoid Walmart, which treat their workers like **** and sell all sweatshop goods from China? Do they or any of their families wear clothes from Gap or H&M? No one can claim to be an activist for “social justice” and wear sweatshop goods.

    Or are they just wannabees who want to “crack open the monopoly” that they imagine “The ultra-Orthodox” have on the “lucrative kosher market.” That makes them total frauds.

    11 years ago

    Thanks to VIN for bringing this important action against this fraudulent “hechsher” to our attention. I will now check carefully to make sure that my favorite joints do not carry their phony certification; if they do, I’ll be sure to take my palette and wallet elsewhere.
    The regular Jew out there is so tired of these know-it-alls; their certification is a slap in the face of all decent, law abiding Jews. We don’t need Yankelovitch to tell us if we are kosher or not.

    11 years ago

    The few market surveys done of the kosher restaurant business in the NYC metro area show that the majority of business at the more upscale restaurants comes from the Manhattan/5T/ etc. MO community and not the Brooklyn chassidishe or Lakewood Litvashe/Yeshivish community so I wouldn’t be too worried about the loss of business from the Rubashkin groupies such as the postings above.

    11 years ago

    CALIFORNIA

    12 Tribes – JCC of San Francisco at 3200 California Street, San Francisco 94118 – 415.800.8594

    Amba – 6464 Moraga Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611, (510) 339-8000

    Bibi’s Bakery & Cafe – 8928 West Pico Blvd., LA, CA 90035, (310) 246-1788

    Cafe of Paris – 6399 Wilshire Blvd., LA, CA 90043, (323) 653 -0513

    Catering by Brenda – 1467 South Durange Avenue, LA, CA 90035, (310) 203-8365

    Grand Bakery – 3264 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA 94610-2739, (510) 465-1110

    Le Shack Bistro at UCLA Hillel – 574 Hilgard Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90024 (310) 208-3081

    Milky’s Frozen Yogurt – 1429 South Robertson Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90035, (424) 354-3197

    Oakland Kosher Foods – 3419 Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610-2307, (510) 839-0177

    Pico Kosher Cafe – 8944 W Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, 90035 CA (310) 385-9592

    Sweet E’s Bakeshop – 1417 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90035, (323) 422-8885

    The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: Hillel at UCLA – 574 Hilgard Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90024

    The Nut House – 8664 W Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90035 (310) 869-3124

    CONNECTICUT:

    Kosh – 108 Prospect Street, Stamford, CT 06901 (203) 614-8777

    Slifka Dining – 80 Wall Street, New Haven, CT 06511 – (203) 432

    OscarMadison
    OscarMadison
    11 years ago

    The East Bay boycotts will be hilarious in their inffectiveness. Nobody is fooled by the obvious cronyism.

    Barzilai
    Active Member
    Barzilai
    11 years ago

    Dina de’Malchusa does not mandate compliance. It means that transferal of ownership pursuant to secular law is not gneiva. I wouldn’t expect these people to know that. After all, if one is a Moser, then he’s got much, much more serious trouble on his soul than misunderstanding the rule of dina de’malchusa. Feh. Disgusting people. Let’s hope they outgrow it and realize what a bunch of twits they were and the destruction and ruination of families that they wreaked in their youthful/useful idiot phase.

    11 years ago

    So much unnecessary unpleasantness and slander (lashon hara) on this thread.

    Why?

    longtimelongislander
    longtimelongislander
    11 years ago

    There was a Glatt Kosher restaurant on Long Island (Five Towns) we frequented often. On one visit, our waitress asked us if we could leave some of the tip on the table, and discretely give her the rest. When asked why, she said the owner does not pay them any income, only the tips, and she needed more money this week to buy groceries for her children; she could not afford to share tips with other workers. We confirmed her accusations with another employee. We were outraged by this revelation. The owner and operator – he was in the restaurant everyday preparing food – was a respected member of the frum community. Within 4 weeks, the establishment was closed down by the DOL. I am sorry these innocent workers were out of jobs, yet such behavior can not be allowed within the frum Jewish community. He could have raised the prices by 10% to be sure he could cover his payroll requirements. Instead, he chose to abuse, cheat and steal from his employees (jews and non-jews).
    And no one can tell me that no one else besides him and his employees knew about this scam – obviously, someone complained to the DOL. We do not need certificates or hechsherim; we need to remind jews what morals are!

    Miami
    Miami
    11 years ago

    what a shame that some self proclaimed “righteous people” take a term from chazal of “dina demalchusa” and twist it around to be oiver on major “isurai d’oireysa”, they prove to be very far from righteous, rather close to be sonei yisroel.

    11 years ago

    I own a kosher take- out place. I find this whole “tzedek hechsher” or whatever they Yankelovitch group call themselves very insulting to the average, extremely hardworking food establishment owner.
    The very creation of this so-called hechsher assumes that most kosher food establishments are somehow unethical or treat their workers poorly. I consider that libelous. In other words, unless an establishment has THEIR silly sign in the window, we don’t know that the owner is decent?
    These clowns are basically insulting all Jewish establishments: guilty, unless proven ethical by Yankelovich & company. What hubris! What arrogance! Their contempt for the frum community is beyond contempt.

    ilovefood
    ilovefood
    11 years ago

    I would much rather eat at a restaurant WITH the seal. I don’t see where there is any problem with knowing an establishment follows basic labor laws, especially as a Jew.

    Erlich
    Erlich
    11 years ago

    I support Rabbi Avi Weiss shlita, who is a wonderful rabbi and mentsch. Those attacking him are guilty of Loshoin Hora and sinat chinom.
    I support Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.
    I support Tav Hayosher.

    Yawvous
    Yawvous
    11 years ago

    Why don’t they make efforts to promote their Tav Yosher to restaurants in the S Bronx or Bedford-Stuyvesant areas?

    ActualJew
    ActualJew
    11 years ago

    I will go out of my way to make sure that i patronize these restaurants. any gangsters who try to boycott them should be reported to the authorities immediately. they are trying to get revenge bc their benefactor, Rubashkin, sits in a jail cell (Thank G-d). He is a shining symbol to everyone in kashrus and the overall community that if you break the law and act like a lowlife and allow terrible things to happen in your establishment, you will be punished.
    Were it not for deep ties to my local Chabads, I would consider tearing up my checks to them over this.