Postville, IA – OU President: Agriprocessors Is Kosher, But Plant Managers That Do Not Obey Laws, Raises Issues If The Meat They Process Is To Be Trusted

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    Postville, IA – Is it OK to eat meat from a processing plant that mistreats workers, even if the meat has your religion’s official stamp of approval for physical and spiritual cleanliness?

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    Should a religious organization even give its stamp of approval to food from a plant facing allegations of violating labor laws, including employing teenagers younger than 16 to handle dangerous slaughterhouse equipment?

    Those are questions that have been discussed by many American Jews in the wake of a federal immigration raid on the Agriprocessors Inc. kosher meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa.

    Not just for Jews Jews observing their religious dietary laws aren’t the only consumers affected. Many Muslims buy kosher meat and products when halal products (those that comply with Islam’s dietary laws) are unavailable. Vegetarians and vegans often look for the kosher designation.
    The debate has reached synagogues, supermarket shelves and kitchens in Omaha, where hundreds of Jews observe kosher, a set of Jewish dietary laws.

    Last week, the ante went up after Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller filed thousands of criminal child labor charges against Agriprocessors’ owner and managers. Then the Orthodox Union threatened to withdraw its certification, and its familiar circled-U seal, from Agriprocessors’ products — a move that would be devastating to the Iowa plant and could make it harder for consumers to find kosher meat. Agriprocessors had been the nation’s largest kosher meatpacker.

    “We feel at this point they’ve lost a lot of credibility,” Orthodox Union President Steve Savitsky said Friday in Omaha, where he was visiting a growing Orthodox synagogue, Beth Israel. “We want them to bring in new management, even bring in new equity partners.”

    The Agriprocessors controversy might seem like an internal Jewish debate. But it strikes universal chords that are growing louder, said William O. Stephens, a Creighton University professor of philosophy and classical and Near Eastern studies. He also teaches ethics.

    It’s like not buying clothes manufactured in a sweat shop, Stephens said, or trying to buy food from farms that pollute less than others.

    “That’s how people try to make their dollars speak in terms of ethical judgments,” he said.

    Under the moral concept of taint, products created unethically are tainted, regardless of how pure they are physically, Stephens said.

    “Spiritually, you want it to be pure meat — it’s safe, it’s wholesome, it’s been killed humanely, and then you can feel good about ingesting it,” he said.

    Savitsky traveled to Omaha from Orthodox Union headquarters in New York to visit Beth Israel Synagogue. Beth Israel is a growing congregation in the Orthodox movement, the most traditional branch of Judaism.

    The Agriprocessors controversy wasn’t on Savitsky’s official Omaha agenda. But it was an unavoidable topic. Beth Israel Rabbi Jonathon Gross welcomed news of the ultimatum from the Orthodox Union. He said it was consistent with Jewish religious law and with the Orthodox Union position on Agriprocessors all along.

    “I am incredibly proud as a rabbi to be a member of the Orthodox Union because I think they handled this perfectly,” Gross said. “They did not act in a frenzy. They said they would take their leads from the authorities. They waited for the authorities, and then they took decisive action.”

    Gross said he has had no qualms, so far, buying meat from the plant. But now, Gross said, issues of trust have arisen. If the plant managers can’t be trusted to obey state and federal laws, can they be trusted to process the meat correctly? Beyond that, he said, potential mistreatment of workers is an ethical problem in itself.

    “Jewish law is not only relegated to the kitchen,” Gross said. “It also regulates how we conduct ourselves in business. . . . If a company violates these laws and mistreats people, that’s equally if not more egregious” than violating kosher processing laws.

    While creating a dilemma for many individual Jews, the issue has also been a controversy between branches of Judaism.

    Some leaders reacted quickly after allegations of labor abuse in the wake of a May 12 immigration raid that netted nearly 400 illegal immigrants at Agriprocessors.

    A group of Conservative rabbis called for a boycott of products from Agriprocessors, which are sold as Aaron’s Best and Rubashkin’s, among other brands. Another group of Conservative rabbis launched an effort to create an additional ethical certification, heksher tzedek, for kosher food based on standards for wages and worker safety.

    Rabbi Mordechai Levin, who heads the Conservative Beth El congregation in Omaha, said the reports of what he called unacceptable worker conditions at the Agriprocessors plant are “disturbing.”

    He said by e-mail that Jewish dietary teachings, originating in the Hebrew Bible, “teach reverence for life and humane treatment of animals.”

    “Judaism teaches — among other things — about the importance of social justice, the rights and responsibilities of every human being, and the importance of business ethics,” Levin said. “If those reports (of labor violations) are accurate, they are in contradiction with the teachings of Judaism.”

    If the reports of labor violations are true, Levin said, he and his members would have to evaluate whether to buy Agriprocessors products.

    A local Reform rabbi, Aryeh Azriel, said he has members who carefully observe kosher laws, even though the Reform movement generally does not adhere to kosher dietary restrictions. But he said his main interest in this matter is not the religious debate, but the question of justice.

    “The concern really is seeing that the work is done with dignity, not just for the animals, but for the workers, that there is no abuse of the workers in your plant,” Azriel said.

    The Iowa Attorney General’s Office on Wednesday filed thousands of misdemeanor child labor charges against the Agriprocessors plant’s owner, Abraham Aaron Rubashkin, and some of its managers.

    Miller accused the plant of hiring 32 illegal immigrant children under age 18, including seven who were under 16. The number of charges is so high because Miller filed a charge for each day that a violation was alleged for each worker.

    Chaim Abrams, a manager at the Agriprocessors plant, said in a statement that the company “vehemently denies” the Iowa attorney general’s allegations. Abrams said the underage workers — not the company — are to blame for lying about their age.

    Agriprocessors also operates a plant near Gordon, Neb. The Nebraska Department of Labor has said state regulators have checked on the Gordon plant and found no indication of problems with labor laws.

    Production problems at the Iowa plant since the raid have led to many bare racks in supermarket kosher aisles, including at the Bag ‘N Save at 76th and Dodge Streets, the main place to buy kosher in Omaha. Smaller producers such as Noah’s Ark in Minnesota haven’t been able to pick up the slack, leading to limited choices for consumers. Bag ‘N Save Vice President Leon Shrago said he hopes Agriprocessors can resolve its problems soon.

    The Orthodox Union’s Savitsky said Friday that the Postville plant’s meat still qualifies as kosher. But he said the mounting legal troubles have led to concerns about current managers of the family-owned plant’s ability to perform up to standards.

    The charges still haven’t been proved, he said. But he said it would be in the Agriprocessors owners’ interests, as well as the Jewish community’s interest, for them to put someone else in charge and let the plant get back to providing kosher meat for the country.


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    121 Comments
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    anon
    anon
    15 years ago

    I know that most will say that the meat is kosher. However, think about the situation where the owners are doing other illegal activities. Would you say that the meat is kosher? I think not (I hope). Where do we draw the line? You have to be consistent and righteous.

    I strongly feel that RUBASHkin is not kosher. The place there is not in the spirit of Torah.

    The 5 town vaad removed their hechsher from gourment glatt because of business practices there (2 yeard ago). They also told us NOT TO SHOP there, even for soda.

    Where is the 5 town vaad now?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    what will the ou do if the rubashkin’s are acquitted of the charges?

    could they fire the new management and take back their equity?

    rabbi gross and the ou need to be reminded about the presumptuion of innocence before forcing such a drastic measure on a family business

    simcha
    simcha
    15 years ago

    I’m going the new square way-no meat for me. Only home slaughtered chikens!!!!

    Oh vey!
    Oh vey!
    15 years ago

    Oh vey!

    Yonason
    Yonason
    15 years ago

    Everyone here, I hope, agrees that we would not trust a butcher who is not shomer Shabbos, because we would not trust that he would respect hilchos kashrus sufficiently to trust his meat . . . if, and I repeat if, Agriprocessors has abused workers and taken safety short cuts in the name of the “all mighty dollar” – then is it really only left-wing union-organizing antisemetic jew-hating shtus to question if they might take short cuts on kashrus?

    AMG
    AMG
    15 years ago

    until threre is a court case or an admision of guilt these actions and statements are not called for and they are wrong and a presumstion of innocents should be assumed until proven otherwise beyond reasonable doubt

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    The OU is right. Hechsher Zedek, although not legitement, did have a legitament cause and by ruling that non-ethical practices should not get a hechsher is in a way taking the wind out of hechsher zedeks sails.

    Hopefully hechsher zedek will lose its popularity and will be forgotten. The good part of all this is that Conservative jews are for the first time actually looking for a hechsher on packages and they’re becoming more aware of kosher practices.

    Taking a hechsher off an establishment for issues not directly related to kashrus is no different than the badatz not giving a hechsher to a resturant or wedding with mixed seating.

    moek
    moek
    15 years ago

    The OU hypocrites are ar it again i wonder if it were an israeli company if they would be jumping to the forefront and condeming halacha is halacha is it kosher or not you dont agree with their alleged unlawful ethics withdraw your hecsher i guess the hecsher is too much of a moneymaker to forefit. Growing up i remeber the raging autopsy issue in israel the holy OU really dragged their feet when it came to condem the israeli goverment.

    DOUBLE STANDARD????

    postville
    postville
    15 years ago

    What about the products made in china, an other nations,

    The ou will pull the eksher?

    The reform & all the good samaritan jews will stop going to shop in stores with hispanic , indu , israelis *nd others non union ilegas?

    R u goung to stop using the cleaning lady ?

    R u only having union cleaning ladys in your house?

    R u pay insurance for your cleaning lady?

    Its the local kosher supermarket only have legal union workers? & only human factory products?

    Do u check if you pants are made in the usa or china?

    No! Only the orthodox , chasid lubavitcher plant must be 100%

    Pure

    yoine
    yoine
    15 years ago

    i don’t think anyone needs to resign from management, because someone throws accusation’s at you, we live in a democracy, where innocents until proven guilty, I don’t won’t to trust a hechsher like the ou that is political correct, lets figure it out if anyone will come up with some bogus charges: that the ou committed wrong doings, do you honestly believe that rabbi stavitzky or anyone else for that matter would resign? The answer is no!

    yossele
    yossele
    15 years ago

    OU is wrong (and foolish).

    The 9000 “child labor offenses” were from 11 teenagers who had documentation stating that they were 18.

    The illegal immigrants who worked there had documentation, SSNs etc. AND IT IS ILLEGAL TO INQUIRE AFTER THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS.

    This was a very smooth assasination from beginning to end. We are kleinkepeldik, but we think we’re as clever as the unions or PETA.

    Congratulations on hurting one of the BEST in the kosher industry (who even today has one of the best industry standings) and a big baal tzedaka who helped hundreds of yeshivas, camps etc.

    If agri goes down, ultimately the OU will pay…

    ano
    ano
    15 years ago

    OU hypocrisy at its best

    why is the OU so concerned about agri and the sensitivity of the animals and of the underage workers

    they were not concerned about boruch lanner their employee who spent 27 years molesting boys and girls and was covered up by the OU every step of the way

    Where is the OU who gives a hechser on chines products produced by political prisoners in jails under torture

    Nice to see the OU ios concerned about the animals not the molesters

    way to go OU

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Since when do yidden care about workers rights? safety? For that matter where would be if we were all ethical? And if we start worrying about these goyesha concepts, do you know what the price of meat would be?

    If this stuff is important that it will be dealt with when we get to go before the beis din shel malah.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    OU is 100% right!

    You are allowed to take a hechsher off a place even if the kashrus is good. Look at the Askonim that want to take the hechsher off a wedding hallif it plays goyish music.

    Whether or not Rubashkin is right they definitly made one of the biggest chillul hashems in the last 50 years and OU is right for distancing itself from it to show that frum yidden aren’t cruel and above the law.

    Hechsher Zedek will no longer be able to claim that they’re more ethical than the frumme and they will fall apart IY”H.

    GO OU!

    ano
    ano
    15 years ago

    sorry folks forgot about this

    do you know the OU books are not public

    there behavior in the hechsher biz is so bad they put other companies out of work by using unfair labor practices

    the govt should take a long hard look in the secret books of the OU

    in addition the report about the true lanner story was sealed and never released to the public

    why doesnt the OU release the full story about the lanner coverup

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Why is everyone afraid to learn from Conservative Jews? And now that they have raised a valid issue that many people agree with, everyone wants to see them go away? I don’t get it.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    SHAME SHAME SHAME ON THE OU

    LETS LOOK IN TO ALL INDVIDUAL OF THE OU PERSONAL ASWELL SEE IF THEY ARE ALL SO KOSHER

    HOW CAN THEY TAKE SUCH MATTERS IN TO THERE OWN HANDS DONT WE ALL KNOW INNOCENT UNTILL PROVEN GUILTY

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    The whole Lanner story has be hung out and he went to jail. The house was cleaned at the OU and NCSY continues to do good work. You should be worrying about the perverts in the frum world.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Rabosai:

    May I remind you of the three greatest books ever published:

    1. Italian War Heros

    2. Polish Noble Laurates

    3. Jewish Business Ethics

    Oy Vey OU!
    Oy Vey OU!
    15 years ago

    QUESTION FOR OU:

    IF the situation at the PLANT was so bad…

    How could all this have happened UNDER YOUR NOSES???

    Weren’t you SUPPOSED to be watching???

    WHY did YOU – OU allow these alleged illegal (and now in the New OU Shulchan Orech) un-kosher activities to go on for so long….

    Weren’t you SUPPOSED to be watching???

    Why did it take a gov’t investigation and allegation to get you -OU to act?

    Weren’t you SUPPOSED to be watching???

    Since when do we pasken shilos of right or wrong

    and kashrus because of allegations and public opinions and PETA ?????

    And lastlly,

    IF YOU OU WEREN’T WATCHING???

    WHY SHOULD WE TRUST YOUR KOSHER CERTIFICATION ?????

    yoine
    yoine
    15 years ago

    the shchite is done by the best & most trusted shochtim and mashgichim yeraim veshlaimim, you can find. however day to day operation in any business with that size especially, is always in a turmoil and rubashkins plant I am sure is no different than any midsize American company, it’s clear to me that other people & interests, such as unions, competitors, etc. are involved , and for sure non of us trust them!

    I trust rubashkins shchite I think it’s the best we have in this country, so please enjoy the meat, especially now when they need our support more than ever, remember if you allow them to fall, anyone of us could be next in line. “Yisbeu anovim veyismochu”

    anonymous
    anonymous
    15 years ago

    moek Says:

    The OU hypocrites are ar it again

    **********************************

    If you blame one, you have to blame all.

    Rabbi Weismandl gave a hechsher to a NOODLE company and pulled the hechsher because of Jewish cartoon characters. What did that have to do with Kashrus??

    NY
    NY
    15 years ago

    R u goung to stop using the cleaning lady ?

    Yes, I did about 20 years ago rather than break the law.

    R u only having union cleaning ladys in your house?

    Yes, and I cannot afford to have a legal cleaning lady so I do it myself.

    I also do not want a criminal around my children.

    Do u check if you pants are made in the usa or china?

    Yes, I do not buy clothing, food, furniture or household goods from China.

    I am an Orthodox Jew BTW

    tsvika55
    tsvika55
    15 years ago

    OU is trying to get in bed with the unions at the expence of Rubashkins…..

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    I think that Rubashkin should take another hechsher like the Star-K just to learn these basterds a lesson!!!

    What has a hecher to do with a owner???

    Should the O-U hire the F.B.I. to check the owners all day long?? if the owner is a goy I think they should check out if he is cheating or doing immoral stuff??? will that not raise any questions about the kashrus???

    Meier
    Meier
    15 years ago

    Many years Rav Breuer zt”l said “Glatt Kosher also means Glatt Yosher”. If you are not honest in business your trustworthiness in Kashrus is suspect.

    Avraham Abba
    Avraham Abba
    15 years ago

    QUESTION: Why is it okay to put OU on candies that will acclimate children to ingesting and absorbing large amounts of sucrose, diglycerides,dyes, chemicals, prservatives, sugars, fats, artificial flavors, sodium bicarbonate, artificial flavors, carnuba wax, glazes, corn syrup, monoglycerides, salt ????

    ANSWER: There is no current political turmoil over candy, and children are not going to complain so it gives jobs to mashgichim and keeps more rabbis busy checking for tarfus. Besides it might only cause dumb kids to become overactive and trigger behavior disorders and hyperactivity.

    Besides, it has nothing to do with molesting which must not be mentioned and it has nothing to do with AGRI.

    Meier
    Meier
    15 years ago

    Many years ago Rav Breuer zt”l said “Glatt Kosher alsom means Glatt Yosher”. If you are not honest in business your trustworthiness in Kashrus is suspect.

    deepthinker
    deepthinker
    15 years ago

    THIS IS A LOT OF BALONEY.

    LET’S NOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE MANIPULATED BY THE OVERWHELMINGLY ANTI-ORTHODOX MEDIA, WHO WANT TO DESTROY THE LARGEST KOSHER MEAT PROCESSOR IN THE WORLD.

    RUBASHKIN IS A DECENT MAN; A BAAL CHESED.

    LET’S NOT CUT AND RUN LIKE A BUNCH OF YELLOW COWARDS AS SOON AS HIS ENEMIES LOB A FEW GRENADES IN HIS DIRECTION.

    WHAT ARE WE? A BUNCH OF WEAK-0MINDED WIMPS?

    Charlie Hall
    Charlie Hall
    15 years ago

    1. Italian War Heros

    Try Giuseppe Garibaldi.

    2. Polish Noble Laurates

    Try Marie Skłodowska–Curie.

    3. Jewish Business Ethics

    Try Aaron Feuerstein.

    And lets try not to post motzi shem ra against ourselves or against others. It is, after all, Elul.

    Shikey
    Shikey
    15 years ago

    don’t say who’s right and who’s wrong until you ACTUALLY KNOW SOLID FACTS, which we will all know at the end of the court case. until then it is every yids DUTY to be both don l’kaf z’chus, and to assume that the Rubashkins are B’chezkas kashrus. my feelings about them are meaningless until backed by solid proof, especially that we all know there are people who are intentionally trying to destroy their business.

    anonymous
    anonymous
    15 years ago

    Shikey, well said.

    come on
    come on
    15 years ago

    leave the guy alone, he loves people and there for would not fight back the way every one fights him.

    does any body see the good that he does?

    agri supports 250 jewish family’s with very good pay checks i must say.

    he give beravach when giving charity.

    agri does not abuse there workers if you why would you believe that they do? do you speak to any of the people that work there or has worked there?

    why are people making things up?

    why do people hate this man?

    what is going on what is the agenda of these people?

    how many of these people are getting payed by PETA?

    how many self hating jew work for PETA? (i my self know of 8 YES they it KOSHER but they love the money or are just sick in the head).

    my brothers do not be quick to judge you’re fellow jew.

    he is a good man and keeps all the laws jewish and of the land we live in.

    re Steve Savitsky
    re Steve Savitsky
    15 years ago

    Steve Savitsky says “we feel like we have lost our credibility”. These are all allegations, Would they close down the OU or fire Steve Savitsky if they find that there allegations are unfounded?

    anon
    anon
    15 years ago

    I have a new found disgust for the OU. Whay hypocrits. All these posts have a very valid point – the OU certifies plants that use child slave labor in the thrid world – that means 1/2 the products they certify should be treife. They certify products from thousands of companies – without checking at all in to how they treat employees. This has nothing to do with any opinions they may or may not have abour how Agri treats workers and everything to do with pressure from PETA, Unions (who they actually admit to be in talks with) and G-d know who else. And if they feel so strongly why did it take them a year to do something about it.

    Conservative or Orthodox?
    Conservative or Orthodox?
    15 years ago

    In an earlier part, the article states “Friday in Omaha, where he was visiting a growing Orthodox synagogue, Beth Israel. “We want them to bring in new management, even bring in new equity partners.”

    I think he is talking to Orthodox people.

    Than the article states “Rabbi Mordechai Levin, who heads the Conservative Beth El congregation in Omaha”

    Who was he preaching or speaking to??????????

    Yakov Shloma
    Yakov Shloma
    15 years ago

    The PETA guys are anti semite,,,I wish they come into williamsburg we will make a special Chaptsam . special for PETA and knock the daylight out of theese chickens

    yid
    yid
    15 years ago

    to Meier

    but what hapened now? why did the ou let the children work there till now, they lost the trust!!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Charlie Hall, right, but how many more can you name?

    The truth, and nothing but the truth.
    The truth, and nothing but the truth.
    15 years ago

    Repeated often enough, every lie becomes accepted as truth.

    Rubashkins are Yosher. They are kosher. They have a Union problem, which the ou has bought into.

    NEVER have the Rubashkins behaved in a way that is not YOSHER.

    NEVER have they broken any laws.

    They are the victims of criminal elements in the Hispanic community who lied to get jobs.

    That’s all.

    Several dozen kids faked IDs and got jobs.

    They never mistreated workers.

    They never mistreated animals.

    They never payed below minimum wage, they always paid above.

    I spoke to Genack of the OU. He told me that the OU is doing this because they are AFRAID of the UNIONS who will make trouble for them.

    He reassured me that Rubashkins are the best people, never did anything wrong, but are sloppy and dont have good PR.

    So, stop the blood libels, and state it for what it is.

    INTIMIDATION.

    Intimidation by PETA and the UNIONS who are very well connected. And now OU is running scared, too.

    This has nothing to do with safety,treatment of workers, compliance with laws.

    This is a witch-hunt. Plain and simple.

    Let’s call a spade a spade. Once and for all!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Just BTW, its almost kapporos time, the peta LOVE kapporos, they came last year with cameras and video cameras… i think we should swing them around this year!!! (nah, it wouldn’t work the ou would give the shochet the boot, because “mah yoimru hagoyim…”)

    Lock & Load
    Lock & Load
    15 years ago

    All I want to know is

    Where is the BEEF

    Lock & Load

    Conservative or Orthodox?
    Conservative or Orthodox?
    15 years ago

    I later googles Beth E.l Synagogue to see what it is it is a self acclaimed conservative congregation, who features a cantor names Beth Schlossberg. I have a feeling that Beth isn’t a man (though could have once been a man – never know). I can’t believe that the president of the OU can consider them a legitimate congregation. Maybe the OU should bring in equity partners or change management.

    As I am readying myself to hit the submit button, a thought came to mind. Maybe he went to be mekarev them and teach them hilchos beis hakineses.

    Hashem Yerachem!

    anon
    anon
    15 years ago

    What a chutxpa for him to suggest that a company change its management. how would he like Rubashkin or any other company telling him how poorly the OOU is run and suggesting management changes. Who does he think he is a business consultant. Oh, and they should taka give away their company too. Please people – what did they do already. How many of you are reading these blogs on your employers time and that is stealing – a sin.

    anon
    anon
    15 years ago

    Actually, I have no problem with an organization that spends millions on making sure animals are well fed and well treated — once all the human beings in the world are taken care of.

    Orthodox Union and China (and thirld world countries)
    Orthodox Union and China (and thirld world countries)
    15 years ago

    I am quite sure that the Orthodox union only gives their kosher certificate if the Chinese Companies display the highest form of labor ethics.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    This WILL backfire on OU one of these days they will be scrutinized and we’ll see how clean they are and we’ll start hearing about their business

    practices.

    They are asking for it – they will get it.

    I am finished with these hypocrites – I will try to boycott them as much as possible I am disgusted

    at this back stabbing and them getting into bed with the unions.

    I am sure I am not alone in this and they will soon feel the painful impact of their treachery.

    Torah im Derech Eretz
    Torah im Derech Eretz
    15 years ago

    Deena d’Malchusa Deena. If one disobeys one set of laws,he is not trusted to obey other laws. If one does wrong acts in order to do good with it,it is all bad. Kind deeds with stolen money is still thievery,when it happens.Using other people’s identity is fraud and hurts the one whose ID was used.

    anonymous
    anonymous
    15 years ago

    The OU lied! By dragging this out and not being tough and bowing to political issues, they are weak and do not have credibility. The heads of the OU are just interested in your money and it is not Kosher to exploit people like this. You people have been fooled for many years. Let the fake concert ban rabbis be a lesson to you as well as this that these things are political and nobody is really in charge. This is just a farce and you a re the pawns in this silly game.

    smart
    smart
    15 years ago

    I don’t know why agriprocessors cant take off the ou,& put on the ok,? everone knows theyr kosher ,even the ou only has a problem with theyr physical and spiritual cleanliness but in actull kosher their is no problem ! so let the ok take over & everyone whe wants will eat arons meat ,those who really can’t sleep at night because they beleave all thies horable rumars won’t eat rubashkin meat ,agri will be happy that ou doesnt give a hecsher and the ou will be thrilled !!!!problem solved !!!