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Kosher Nexus
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ME THINKS THEY DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH

The so called controversy caused by the Conservative movement’s announcement that they were going to create a Tzedek Hechsher has been way out of proportion. What does it say about us as Jews that we issue a huge “shrei” of “gevalt” at the thought that some agency might be looking over our collective shoulder at our moral practices?

Here is an article from this week’s Kosher Today. Our comments will follow”

“Tzedek Hechsher” Not a Kosher Issue, Many Rabbis Assert
New York… Reacting to an article in the weekly Forward, “Orthodox Slam Effort To Monitor Conditions at Kosher Factories” (February 9, 2007), many rabbis reached by KosherToday did not consider the new proposed Conservative “Tzedek Hekhsher” to be an issue for kashrus. The Forward piece turned the issue of a proposed new certification on the basis of social issues to be the latest spat between Conservative and Orthodox rabbis. But even the Conservatives said that their proposed new hechsher would not deal with kashrus but rather with working conditions at plants producing kosher. The Conservative position followed an earlier article in the Forward that reported on alleged unsafe working conditions at the Agriprocessors plant in Postville, Iowa, a fact that was later disputed by Rabbi Asher Zeilingold of Minneapolis who traveled to the plant with a Spanish speaking congregant of his. Rabbi Zeilingold certifies the non-glatt kosher meats at the plant.

“It’s not that we don’t care about those issues, but we rely on the federal government,” said Rabbi Menachem Genack, who heads the kashrus division at the Orthodox Union (OU). He noted that agencies such as the Department of Labor and Occupational Safety & Health Administration already keep watch on workers’ pay and working conditions. “We don’t want to impose more on those companies than is required by law,” Genack said. Other rabbis also saw the new certification as more of an oversight on the already considerable protection offered to workers by government.

Many of the kashrus officials felt that a new certification that broadened the definition of kashrus would only lead to more confusion in the marketplace. Rabbi Yosef Wikler, publisher of Kashrus Magazine, told KosherToday that the Tzedek Hekhsher “has nothing to do with kosher certification and standards,” which is why he would not include the certification on his widely heralded annual list of kosher symbols and certification that numbered nearly 750 in 2006. Rabbi Wikler, who lists Conservative and Reform certifications on his list, agreed that the Tzedek Hekhsher would only lead to more confusion for consumers. One rabbi complimented the concern of the Conservatives but suggested that they “first should have visited non-kosher plants “which are basically no different than kosher ones” and in any event should be issuing their hekhsher for any Jewish businessman who employs workers, and not just a meat plant in Iowa.”

Ok, let’s get this out of the way first: The Tzedek Hechsher is not a kosher certification. We get it. But it is a certification that workers are treated in a way consistent with halacha. It addresses the issue of proper working conditions. So what could be bad? Maybe they should have called it a Tzedek Certification and not a hechsher. In fact, upon reflection, we agree that calling it a hechsher will confuse people, but that in no way obviates the need for our community to improve itself in the realm of bein adam l’adam (between man and man).

We are not happy about the response from Rabbi Genack (of the OU). First of all, when halacha has a higher standard than Federal regs, halacha must be served! Second, what is so terrible about demanding that Jewish owned businesses operate on a higher moral level?

As for Rabbi Wikler’s comments, what can we say? Yes, he is technically correct. However, he could have suggested a different name for the idea (as we did above) and indicated his support for a proposal to bring another spot light on practices that might not be shining examples of halachic and moral integrity.

The anonymous rabbi quoted at the end of the Kosher Today story is on to something. We agree- the people on the Tzedek commission should indeed visit other kinds of plants, too. What goes on in other plants? And they certainly should not restrict themselves to the meat business- all Jewish businesses should be run in an ethical manner. After all, no one complains when certain segments of our community assert that a business is “heimishe,” implying a certain level of religious comittment and practice on the part of the owners.

Finally, we have to ask: why all the “shrei-ing?” Why is this not being welcomed? After all, who can be opposed to a righteousness rating? Hmm, could it be that “they” (who ever they are) are afraid of something?