In the last weeks, we have been made more and more aware of a scandal involving the kosher meat plant in Postville, Iowa, called Agriprocessors. Agriprocessors dominates the kosher market locally and nationally – most kosher meat and poultry comes from their plant, even if processed in local butchers such as Sammy’s. Yet it has become increasingly clear that this kosher meat has been coming to our homes at the expense of simple folks who have been severely mistreated. The abuses committed against the workers at the plant are numerous. The allegations of a methamphetamine lab and weapons are still waiting to be substantiated.

Yet shechting (kosher slaughter) is a dirty business. One of my colleagues is now in Des Moines, Iowa, where she is able to be in the thick of the action, as it were. Rabbi Beryl Padorr pointed out that many kashrut organizations are vying for control of the plant, which has been made (in)famous by the expose of the vegetarian group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, 2004, go to http://www.goveg.com/feat/agriprocessors/ for the whole story) and the book Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America by Stephen G. Bloom (2001). PETA addressed the kashrut practices in the plant, which led to several reforms, whereas the book addressed the social tensions between the Chabad Chasidim that bought the plant and reawakened the economy of that dying town, and the all-American townspeople. Of course the control of the plant is an economic issue, but Rabbi Padorr affirms that’s where the yet to be confirmed allegations stemmed from.

It is clear that that corner of Iowa depends on the kosher meat plant for its well-being. Yet, what could have been a great story of revitalization of a small town became instead an embarrassment to the Jewish community and, in my opinion, a weakening of the institution of Kashrut as a whole. It is sad to hear people who already do not observe kashrut having more misgivings about beginning this path of spiritual growth – in part, due to this scandal.

The first Jewish group to speak against this was our Conservative Movement. In part, this is due to the fact that the Reform and Reconstructionist movements do not ask from their members kashrut standards, and that Orthodox Judaism, particularly in its right-wing groups, prefer to see the problem as yet another antisemitic persecution. I appreciate the statement that came out of our Conservative movement in December 2006 urging consumers to consider seriously whether to continue purchasing products that were processed by Agriprocessors. This statement was the first one of the Conservative movement’s Hechsher Tzedek, which is a kashrut certification that affirms not only the need for the observing of the ritual side of Kashrut laws, but also humane conditions for animals and decent working conditions. After visiting the plant, the Hechsher Tzedek committee issued that statement. We are printing a flyer from Hechsher Tzedek at the back of this issue of the Kayruv.

Until all the issues involving the plant are clarified, I would urge you, as members of the Conservative movement, to refrain from buying meat from Agriprocessors. Its brand names are: Aaron’s Choice, Rubashkin’s, European Glatt, Iowa Best Beef, Nevel, Shor Habor, Supreme Kosher and David’s. Some of those names are found both at Stop and Shop and Shaw’s. I called Sammy’s Kosher Market and they guaranteed that their meat does not come from Iowa, but from plants in New Jersey and the Bronx.

Alternatives to those are the well known Empire, and - I may hear some gasp - Hebrew National. There is nothing un-kosher about Hebrew National, despite the fact that the OU will not avow for its kashrut. This is due to the fact that Hebrew National is not GLATT kosher, which has become the OU standard since the 70’s. Another agency, Triangle K, supervises that meat and accepts its kosher standards.

If you want to find organic kosher alternatives, there are some such farms. Their meat can be purchased through the internet and is shipped fast, in approved food containers. One of them is http://www.wiseorganicpastures.com, which ships from Pennsylvania and New York states.

One idea which I’ll leave for the Sustainability Committee to pursue is to support groups that are advocates of eco-kashrut, a Jewish environmental consciousness movement. Two of these are Kosher Conscience (www.kosherconscience.com, in New York) and Hazon, (www.hazon.org, near DC). Both these organizations aim to create a healthier and more sustainable Jewish kosher community, since asking for all to become vegetarians is asking for too much for most people.

The situation in Postville is a complex one and we will continue to look to the Conservative movement’s Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism for guidance. Hebrew National advertises, "We answer to a Higher Authority." The plant, managed by the Rubashkin family, has badly damaged this claim of Kashrut. What has been happening in Postville is the very definition of Hillul HaShem, desecrating God’s name. Up to now, 16 Federal and State agencies are investigating Agriprocessors, and I do not think this stems, as some claim, from anti-semitism. Many non-kosher meat processing plants are also under investigation, since the practice of hiring illegal workers and giving them bad working conditions about which they cannot complain has been a common practice of the meat processing sector. It is unfortunate that the kosher sector has absorbed these practices, too.

There are numerous Kosher meat providers who do live up to standards of decency, both to animals, humans and the planet. We look forward to having Heksher Tzedek helping us to sort wheat from chaff, and helping consumers to determine if appropriate standards are being met.

Warmly,