New York – One year after revelations of exploitative and abusive work practices at the nation’s largest kosher meatpacking plant made national headlines and shook the consciousness of the Jewish community, Uri L’Tzedek (Awaken to Justice), an Orthodox social justice movement, is publicly launching an ethical seal for kosher eating establishments.
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“After seeing the pain and suffering inflicted by our own kosher industry on the stranger and the poor, the very people the Torah demands we protect, we realized we needed to be proactive and make a change,” said Shmuly Yanklowitz, founder and co-director of Uri L’Tzedek. “We asked ourselves how we, as Orthodox Jews, could create a system to protect the standards that Jewish law and ethics demand.”
According to Yanklowitz, recent studies of New York City food establishments have revealed that thousands of restaurant workers are denied minimum wage, overtime and withstand abuse and harassment.
“We believed the Tav HaYosher would be a concrete, strategic way to make postivie change in the lives of the strangers within our gates — something demanded by Jewish Law,” he said.
In order to receive the Tav HaYosher, kosher restaurants must meet specific guidelines designed to protect fair pay, fair time and a safe work environment. The standards include pay at or above minimum wage for tipped and non-tipped employees, overtime and break time allowance. Display of the seal will also inducate a work environment free of abuse, harassment and discrimination.
“Our campaign is a postive one,” said Ari Hart, co-director of Uri L’Tzedek. “We’re looking to offer the carrot, not the stick.”
The American ethical seal developed by Uri L’Tzedek mirrors a similar campaign in Israel, known there as Tav Chevrati. The Israeli campaign has awarded its seal to more than 350 restaurants, and has trained compliance monitors to inspect restaurants every four to six weeks.
A similar U.S. movement — known as Hekhsher Tzedek — is a shared effort between the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and specifically targets kosher food manufacturers. The seal would be placed on manufactured kosher food products, along with the traditional kosher certification seal, as proof that the food was manufactured with ethical standards. The Hekhsher Tzedek anticipates a formal launch in either late summer or early fall.
Why do you give publicity to these nudniks? Let their effort die in obscurity.
What are the guidelines based on? Sounds like it is an arbitrary set of items or secular laws that this organization feels is important. That has nothing to with yiddishkeit, rather this groups beliefs and is likely apikorsus.
its about time .
That means its a Jewish union. In a way its good but on the other hand its a free country. I think its the ball machshirs problem
Sounds like they will have the power of extortion once they are accepted widely. I can just see their “modest” fee structure. Try to run a store with out hashgocha for kashrus. Now another bill will come every month for ethics.
this is somewhat misleading because they are basing their standards on law, not ethics. if a restuarant does not qualify for this seal, they are doing something illegal, not just unethical. its like giving a prize for not breaking the law
Let it be known . that I will bedavkae not eat in an establishment that has this simble .. It is naroshkiet way of another CLUB to gain and extort money out of these restauraunts and they no doubt pass it on to us the consumer.. And being a 300 pounder I eat out and take out clients alot.
I will boycott any establishment which posts this socialist seal and urge others to do the same.
I find it sad that anytime a young jewish leader seeks to find ways of improving the quality of life for both yidden and goyim using torah-based principles, the response is so overwhelmingly negative from the regular basher who scream that its “apikorsus” because it did not originate from someone with payos wearing a bekesheand streimel. The values and principles of this organization are 100 percent daas torah and should be commended. Compared with the drech like the Rubashkin affair, this is a real kiddush hashem.
It is capitalism at its best! What is different form this “hechsher” than the OU or the OK which are officially “Non-Profit” organizations that supervise and let people put their stamp on their product as long as they pay-up…
Ultimately it is us the consumer who benefits from hechsherim so you can eat everything in sight and not really research the particular restaurant or product that has a hechsher.
In other countries like Australia and France not everything has a hechsher on it there is a book of sorts that is recommended with products that people can eat that has been checked out by Rav Hamachshir so it is truly about bringing kosher food to the consumer…
But do I care? So these non-for-profits are making a profit… But now I can buy plenty of certified kosher food in my local walmart!
This Tav hayashar nonsense is basically another extortion organization…. but this one does me no service.
if I saw this joke on any place under reliable hashgocha, I would NOT patronize the place.
Is this a method to start a union or union like organization under the guise of “ethics”? Business conditions are tough enough now. Do you want kosher restaurants that are just barely hanging on now to be forced out of business by having external constraints forced on them? At first this may sound like it is just a matter of ethics and fairness, just making sure that laws already in place for worker salaries and safety are enforced, however it could easily evolve into a union like organization that might force many marginal restaurants out of business by reducing their ability to adapt to business conditions.
“It is capitalism at its best! What is different form this “hechsher” than the OU or the OK which are officially “Non-Profit” organizations that supervise and let people put their stamp on their product as long as they pay-up…”
The difference is that if a kashrut supervision organization has rules that are too restrictive, one can always choose a different one. Imagine if there was a law that in a certain area there could be only one hechsher organization operating, and if you wanted your restaurant to be called kosher then you must do everything they want, otherwise you could not call your restaurant kosher.
what does this have to do with food? why doesn’t my local furniture store, mover, construction company etc. get a chance at receiving this approval?
There is nothing ethical about paying people more than you have to! An ethical wage is a wage that is freely negotiated between employer and employee. Whatever someone is willing to work for, and someone else is willing to pay, is by definition ethical. Would you pay the supermarket more than they ask for groceries? Would you pay the restaurant owner more than the price for a meal? So why do you expect him to pay his workers more than they ask?
Baruch Hashem! Now we will know for certain if the products are produced by yidden who are truly known to be erliche, yaduadike, shomrei torah umitzvos, mentchen – who are ethical in business, treat their employess respecfully and with dignity and fairly, engage in sound business practices, and arent the slime we know so many to be for so many reasons. Yashar Koach! (and this isnt new, this is part of a current trend to enlighten the consumer who is making their producst and who and what they are coming from. who wants to weaar a shoe made by a 12 yr old girl in a sweathsop in indonesia???)
If this new “certification” is not based 100% in halacha it is worthless. It seems to me that it is an attempt to take whatever is the popular “tikkun olam” “social justice” meme and make a “protection racket” out of it. I wonder if they will give their “hechsher” to ACORN and these other “social activism” thugs.
Just yesterday while shopping I told my husband how we really need higher prices on kosher food items. At the current rate our community has just thirty percent or so of families which struggle to put food on the table, and this severely limits our options on whom we can feel more entitled than. Hopefully with this new initiative I can boost my smugness exponentially, by being both more socially conscious than my barbaric neighbors, as well as being one of those special few who will be able to afford Kosher food.
You have my whole-hearted support!
I don’t buy it.
Employment is a two-way street. No one is forced to work under conditions they don’t like.
Excellent ! Let all the treif kosher style restaurants pay for this “neb-heksher” and enforce their socialist rules on those restrateurs. I bet they won’t last one year.
If these ‘tzedek and yosher’ attention seekers really want to be useful, they should produce a seal called ‘makkos b’tzedek’. It would be used to certify any saudi arabian man who only slaps his wife when she overspends by $36 and up. Any miserly slapper who potches one of his wives for less than $36, would be branded ‘a makeh and a hoikeh’ and would be avoided by shadchanim. At least this would help with the shidduch crisis
Finally! Count me and my family in – any place that can display this seal (along with a reliable hasgacha, obviously) will get my dining-out business, hands down.
I would gladly go out to eat more than I do now, just to support those businesses and individuals that have the courage to be early adopters of what is simply the right thing.
VIN – please keep us updated on this issue, and publicize those establishments that publicly adopt the ways of kashrus AND yashrus, so that we can demonstrate our support with our appetites and our dollars.
It is about time that Choshen Mishpat are taken as seriously as Yoreh Deah!
What is another alternative? If we know that owners are abusing their workers what else can we do besides set up accountability. I hope they’ll get this thing outside of new york as well. I’ll see how my Rav feels about this.
Stop making such a big deal about this thing.
It is supposed to be like a Jewish “Better Business Bureau”. There is nothing WRONG with doing it… I don’t think that it would make me buy or not buy something, but more power to them.
Why do I care if they want to advertise that they adhere to a certain set of ethical standards? Businesses make all kinds of “associations” in order to further their business. The popular “in” thing for many people right now is “ethical business practices”… if this makes people buy that wouldn’t buy before, that is a good thing. If there is money for them in doing it , they will do it… if there is no benefit to them, they will not participate. THAT my friends is the FREE market.
There are a number of misinformed comments here. First, Uri L’Tzedek does not charge restaurants for the Tav ha Yosher. Second, the halacho requires that we insist that our businesses adhere to the legal requirements of the state. That is all that is being attested to by the Tav ha Yosher. Some of us would appreciate assurances that the businesses we patronize are following the law. If you feel you would prefer to eat at restaurants that do not comply with the law’s requirements maybe you can organize a list of those places for publication. Better yet, if you want to opt out of U.S. laws, be it worker protection or otherwise, maybe you should opt out of this country. Third, it does make sense to start with restaurants. Kashrus is integral to our identity and it reminds is that our very sustenance is governed by the Torah.
I’m not too worried about it becoming mainstream…there’s a reason it was only reported in some hick newspaper in Iowa.
for people who are obsess with toeive / abomination people seem to be unaware that bad business ethics is also referred to by the torah as toeirvah – abomination
if anyone would spend some time they would see that they are doing this all for free. enough with the negativity always. its not healthy.
Prediction:
It will fail soon and miserably.
Yes we can!
Making your own laws of kashrus is apikurses I would never eat anything with that stamp on it even if it had a Satmereh hechsher!
I don’t understand all the hostility on this thread. Uri L’tzedek standards are law, nothing more nothing less. Shouldn’t we follow dina demachlusa dina? It will not lead to higher kosher prices. I try to do what is right based on the torah and chazal. I think not abusing workers is the right thing to do.
The tav is long overdue. restaurants often subject their workers to conditions that are abusive.
to clarify:
-the tav merely ensures that a restaurant is following US law – no higher standards of practice are required
– the tav is free
– they do not report restaurants who decline tav certification
surely we should all support this, if for no other reason than it enforces dina d’malchusa dina. If you live in the US, you gotta follow the law. and it jews should serve in our proper role as an Or l’goyim, and set an example for what it means to live a life of yosher.
Its about time! I will 100% go to restaurants that have the Tav HaYosher. My Rebbe told me that what happened at Rubishkens is a big chillul hashem. It is very important to show the world that Jews are ethical also!
The Tav is the best way that we can ensure that kosher establishments are abiding by Jewish law. We cannot oppress our workers, underpay our workers, or abuse our workers. I am utterly confused by those people who oppose the Tav. Do you oppose a workers right to fair pay? fair working hours? and a safe working environment?
The Tav HaYosher is a Kiddush Hashem and should be embraced by the Jewish community. We have seen corrupt and abusive practices in the kosher industry and we rise above this corruption to create a system of accountability.
I am a strong supporter of the Tav HaYosher, if you are a Jewish person committed to halacha How can you deny the kedusha this seal brings to our corrupt food industry?
***For the many misinformed individuals who posted about how the Tav will raise food prices you should know that the Tav is FREE. Restaurants are awarded the Tav for adhering to ethical standards not for paying up.
The Tav is FREE of CHARGE, and FULL of ETHICS.
In Israel the Tav Chavrati is in over 350 restaurants. Many prominent Rabbannim publicly support it. It is about time that a group is importing this successful model to the United States. From now on, I will be sure to ask the restaurants that I go to “when will you be getting the Tav?”
Just another way of getting attention, making money, and bashing real frum Jews.
Why didn’t they defend the amazing family who are so erlich and give so much Tzedukah. Keep in mind none of the workers were held against their will.
Which frum Jew comes out against another frum Jew the way they did.
What a Chillul Hashem, and those who bear your symbol will be known for drinking the kool aid
Question to those that oppose the Tav HaYosher: what is your source of information? It will not increase the price of Kosher food, it is based on New York State law, it is not redefining what “kosher” is, it is definitely not apikursus, it is a free service, it will increase torah observance, it is a kiddush hashem, it will help ensure that people who serve us are treated b’tzelem elokyim, etc. Are you willing to eat food that was made by someone that was exploited or abused? It is well known that Rabbi Yisroel Salanter Z”TL would not give a hescher to a matzah factory that exploited their workforce and that in the early ’70s the Boston Beis Din assurred grapes that were picked by migrant workers.
I think that the Tav HaYosher is a step in the right direction!
I am proud that the Jewish community is taking responsibility for those who work for us. It is nothing short of a Kiddush Hashem. This is a trend that will not only sweep across to the Jewish world, but due to its inspiring sense of justice, will earn admiration from people of any faith.
I don’t understand some of the comments, why some people are against it ? I think it’s a great thing, and everybody deserves to be treated with respect, this isn’t because a kosher restaurant should only care about the supervision that they can do whatever they want… A restaurant could be the best hashgacha in the world if i knew that the employees would be treated really bad, I’d never go there…
it really sounds like if the workers were jewish everybody would agree with this organization but since they are non jews its less important, i hope i’m wrong that’s not what some people think…
In their own words…..
Jewish Leaders Support Uri L’Tzedek:-Rav Shlomo Riskin, Chief Rabbi of Efrat -Rabbi Avi Weiss, Founder and President of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and Rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale-Rabbi Asher Lopatin, Congregation Anshe Sholom B’nai Israel Congregation -Ruth W. Messinger, President of the American Jewish World Service-Rabbi Sid Schwarz , Founder/President, PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values-Rabbi David Rosenn, Founder and Executive Director, AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps-Nina Bruder, Executive Director, Bikkurim: An Incubator for New Jewish Ideas
1) Why only left wingers?
this new symbol is not meabt to replace heckshers. I am amazed that so many Torah observant jews are so afraid here and against this. Did I miss something about ethics, fair treatment of worker? I think that was in a recnt Torah parsha. did we foget that many foof
of our own bubbies and zaidies worked in sweat shops. I guess what is in the cholent pot or in your gut is higher than the value of being a light unto nations??
why are they only doing food related businesses. Why not everything and let them start in Brooklyn and Lakewood with all those illegal basement businesses.
maybe there wouldn’t be a need for this extra agency if the real kashrus agencies would withhold or remove hashgacha from places that do not follow business halacha or the law of the land
Notice that the logo for this has a handshake very similar in appearance to the handshake on the AFL-CIO logo. Could the AFL-CIO sue them for this? The reminder of unions wasn’t just a product of my imagination.
it’s possible that there are only “left-wingers” on uri l’tzedek’s list of supporters because the right wing leaders feel similarly to the many commenters here; that is to say that the right wing leaders are similarly concerned more about “what is in the cholent pot” than about “the value of being a light unto nations.” or maybe word hasn’t spread enough yet to the right wing camp, so the tav can get support from them, too!
Just a few parshas ago, the Torah says that you must not hold the wages of a day laborer overnight, nor should you keep the cloak of a poor person that is used as collateral, overnight. So what is wrong with making sure that businesses exhibit ethical behavior??
The problem, as mentioned, is what is deemed “ethical behavior?” Who makes up the rules? Is it based on Torah or the liberal flavor of the week? What is a fair or living wage? This is so subjective that it is worthless!
I don’t understand what the problem is here. It’s clearly a midah from the Torah that you should treat your workers ethically, as well as all people (remember-loving the ger occurs 36 times in chumash, much more than halachos such as kashrus). These Tav people aren’t charging anything, they’re not forcing anything on anyone-they’re just going and see how the restaurants treat their workers and then seeing whether or not to award their Tav. No one is making you pay anything-and don’t you feel guility for frequenting places where the workers are treated like slaves. Rember the Hagaddah-Avadim Hayinnu L’Pharoah B’Mitzrayim, V’Atah Bnei Chorin? Well, many of these folks are avadim achshav, and it’s time we stood up and said that we want them to be bnei chorin as well!
Again… this has nothing to do with actual “ethics”. This is a marketing ploy to market to people who are anti-business. This is about CAPITALISM. Businesses capitalizing on people’s emotions to drive up sales. If having this wothless symbol posted on their door/packaging makes people buy their product, GREAT! If it increases profits, GREAT! If it does not help their bottom line, they will drop it like a hot potato.
I LOVE CAPITALISM!