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Kashrut must also apply to ethics, insist local rabbis
BY: Douglas J. Guth Senior Staff Reporter
Ethical kashrut may be a “Jewish issue” rather than a denominational issue, but Rabbi Stephen Weiss of B’nai Jeshurun Congregation (Conservative) is still happy about a recent announcement of support made by the Reform movement’s major rabbinical group.
The Board of Trustees of the Central Conference of American Rabbis resolved last month to explore ways to cooperate with the Conservative initiative, known as heksher tzedek (certificate of righteousness), which aims to protect workers and the environment in the kosher food industry.
In practice, heksher tzedek would be awarded to companies that pay fair wages, ensure workplace safety, follow government environmental rules and treat animals humanely, among other criteria.
“We’re excited (the Reform movement) has joined forces with us,” remarks Weiss. Kashrut should not just be a part of Jewish law, adds the spiritual leader. “It has to apply to ethics as well.”
Kashrut states that the slaying of an animal should be humane and painless, notes Rabbi Richard A. Block of The Temple-Tifereth Israel (Reform). Those who support the initiative believe that the concept of kashrut should be extended to protecting workers who prepare the animals for human consumption.
The Reform rabbinical group’s endorsement of ethical kashrut “is a wonderful show of support to those in the Reform community” who keep kosher, says Suburban Temple-Kol Ami spiritual leader Rabbi Eric Bram. (The stated goal of Conservative Judaism is to keep kosher, while in the Reform movement the practice is considered a personal choice.)
According to JTA, the August Reform conference urged producers of kosher meat to adhere to the highest ethical standards. It applauded the Conservative movement for integrating ethical concerns into kashrut and encouraged Reform Jews to consider the initiative’s guidelines in making dietary choices.
The movement was spurred in large measure by the scandal over Agriprocessors, the Iowa meat and poultry producer that was the target of a massive immigration raid in May. State officials claim, among other charges, that dozens of underage workers were employed there in violation of child labor laws.
In response, Conservative Rabbi Morris Allen of Minnesota has pushed heksher tzedek as a supplementary certification attesting that kosher foods were processed or produced in an ethical manner. In recent weeks, Allen has reached out to other Conservative rabbis to seek their endorsement of the initiative, which is a joint project of the movement’s rabbinical and congregational arms.
Ultimately, heksher tzedek’s “mechanism of enforcement” will be the consumers, insists Block.
People must demand that food companies be judged not just by the purity of their products but also by their business conduct, he maintains. Possible loss of business will be incentive enough for savvy companies, he believes.
Among the Orthodox, the movement has provoked unease from those who believe it modifies the notion of kashrut. Agudath Israel of America, an umbrella group of Orthodox Jews, is expected to release a statement criticizing the initiative.
In addition, Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of the Orthodox Union’s kosher division (the main kosher certifier of the Chasidic-owned Agriprocessors), refers to the OU policy of leaving work conditions, environmental concerns, and animal welfare issues in the hands of appropriate governmental agencies.
Rabbi Avraham Bensoussan of Oheb Zedek-Taylor Road Synagogue (Orthodox) does not agree with those decrying the Conservative initiative. While the rabbi believes the halachic ideals of heksher tzedek need to be studied further, he asserts that the high kosher standards applied to meat should also be applied to its production.
“When people hear the word ‘kosher,’ they assume it means ‘cleanliness,’” Bensoussan says. “That should mean ‘clean’ through and through, including (the realm of) morals and ethics.”
Orthodox backing of heksher tzedek would only help the cause, says Weiss of B’nai Jeshurun. Ethical kashrut is supported in Israel by Bemaaglei Tzedek (Circles of Justice), a Jerusalem-based nonprofit organization that awards a kosher “social seal” to Israeli eateries that pledge to treat in an ethical way those preparing and serving the food. This means paying overtime, providing health insurance, and ensuring the equal treatment of minorities.
While Israel’s traditional religious establishment does not recognize the social seal, the growing popularity of the movement (nearly one-third of Jerusalem’s restaurants carry the seal) cannot be ignored. Weiss hopes Jews all over the world can get together on the matter.
“This is about workplace ethics,” notes Weiss. “It does not negate the observance of ritual kashrut.”
with JTA reports
No ethics, no heksher
Following the filing of criminal charges against owners of the kosher meat producer Agriprocessors, the Orthodox Union says it will withdraw its kosher certification of the company within two weeks unless new management is hired.
On Sept. 9, Iowa’s attorney general filed criminal charges against Agriprocessors and its owner, Aaron Rubashkin, for child-labor and immigration violations. The attorney general’s office charged Rubashkin, his son Sholom, and three human resources employees with more than 9,000 violations of Iowa’s Child Labor law.
JTA
The Board of Trustees of the Central Conference of American Rabbis resolved last month to explore ways to cooperate with the Conservative initiative, known as heksher tzedek (certificate of righteousness), which aims to protect workers and the environment in the kosher food industry.
In practice, heksher tzedek would be awarded to companies that pay fair wages, ensure workplace safety, follow government environmental rules and treat animals humanely, among other criteria.
“We’re excited (the Reform movement) has joined forces with us,” remarks Weiss. Kashrut should not just be a part of Jewish law, adds the spiritual leader. “It has to apply to ethics as well.”
Kashrut states that the slaying of an animal should be humane and painless, notes Rabbi Richard A. Block of The Temple-Tifereth Israel (Reform). Those who support the initiative believe that the concept of kashrut should be extended to protecting workers who prepare the animals for human consumption.
The Reform rabbinical group’s endorsement of ethical kashrut “is a wonderful show of support to those in the Reform community” who keep kosher, says Suburban Temple-Kol Ami spiritual leader Rabbi Eric Bram. (The stated goal of Conservative Judaism is to keep kosher, while in the Reform movement the practice is considered a personal choice.)
According to JTA, the August Reform conference urged producers of kosher meat to adhere to the highest ethical standards. It applauded the Conservative movement for integrating ethical concerns into kashrut and encouraged Reform Jews to consider the initiative’s guidelines in making dietary choices.
The movement was spurred in large measure by the scandal over Agriprocessors, the Iowa meat and poultry producer that was the target of a massive immigration raid in May. State officials claim, among other charges, that dozens of underage workers were employed there in violation of child labor laws.
In response, Conservative Rabbi Morris Allen of Minnesota has pushed heksher tzedek as a supplementary certification attesting that kosher foods were processed or produced in an ethical manner. In recent weeks, Allen has reached out to other Conservative rabbis to seek their endorsement of the initiative, which is a joint project of the movement’s rabbinical and congregational arms.
Ultimately, heksher tzedek’s “mechanism of enforcement” will be the consumers, insists Block.
People must demand that food companies be judged not just by the purity of their products but also by their business conduct, he maintains. Possible loss of business will be incentive enough for savvy companies, he believes.
Among the Orthodox, the movement has provoked unease from those who believe it modifies the notion of kashrut. Agudath Israel of America, an umbrella group of Orthodox Jews, is expected to release a statement criticizing the initiative.
In addition, Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of the Orthodox Union’s kosher division (the main kosher certifier of the Chasidic-owned Agriprocessors), refers to the OU policy of leaving work conditions, environmental concerns, and animal welfare issues in the hands of appropriate governmental agencies.
Rabbi Avraham Bensoussan of Oheb Zedek-Taylor Road Synagogue (Orthodox) does not agree with those decrying the Conservative initiative. While the rabbi believes the halachic ideals of heksher tzedek need to be studied further, he asserts that the high kosher standards applied to meat should also be applied to its production.
“When people hear the word ‘kosher,’ they assume it means ‘cleanliness,’” Bensoussan says. “That should mean ‘clean’ through and through, including (the realm of) morals and ethics.”
Orthodox backing of heksher tzedek would only help the cause, says Weiss of B’nai Jeshurun. Ethical kashrut is supported in Israel by Bemaaglei Tzedek (Circles of Justice), a Jerusalem-based nonprofit organization that awards a kosher “social seal” to Israeli eateries that pledge to treat in an ethical way those preparing and serving the food. This means paying overtime, providing health insurance, and ensuring the equal treatment of minorities.
While Israel’s traditional religious establishment does not recognize the social seal, the growing popularity of the movement (nearly one-third of Jerusalem’s restaurants carry the seal) cannot be ignored. Weiss hopes Jews all over the world can get together on the matter.
“This is about workplace ethics,” notes Weiss. “It does not negate the observance of ritual kashrut.”
with JTA reports
No ethics, no heksher
Following the filing of criminal charges against owners of the kosher meat producer Agriprocessors, the Orthodox Union says it will withdraw its kosher certification of the company within two weeks unless new management is hired.
On Sept. 9, Iowa’s attorney general filed criminal charges against Agriprocessors and its owner, Aaron Rubashkin, for child-labor and immigration violations. The attorney general’s office charged Rubashkin, his son Sholom, and three human resources employees with more than 9,000 violations of Iowa’s Child Labor law.
JTA
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