BBYO to steer clear of Rubashkin’s
B'nai Brith Youth Organization will abstain from Agriprocessors meat this summer. Here's their statement:
Camp Food is No Joking Matter BBYO Teens Demand Agriprocessor-Free Camp ProgramsAs a result of the allegations of intolerable injustices at Agriprocessors, the largest producer of kosher meat and poultry in the U.S., BBYO takes major stand by asking its various camp partners to avoid serving Agriprocessor products, to which they comply.
Nine hundred teens participating in BBYO's summer leadership experiences at Perlman Camp, PA; Beber Camp, WI; and American Hebrew Academy, CA, over the course of this summer, will eat meals free of Agriprocessor products, showing a unified commitment to social justice and Jewish values.
Teens make concerted effort to expand summer program curricula to address the Agriprocessor issue from variety of angles, including the ritual and ethical implications of kashrut, worker's rights, immigration reform and Jewish values.
The first program will take place on Thursday, June 26, 11:45 am – 1:15 pm, when nearly 100 Jewish teens will gather at Beber Camp in Mukwonago, Wisconson (suburban Milwaukee) to make their voices heard against the intolerable injustices at Agriprocessors. Confirmed speakers include Rabbi Morris Allen, a Minneapolis-based leader of the Heksher Tzedek campaign for kosher foods to be produced ethically, who has been to Postville multiple times and will share first-hand accounts from factory workers. Lauren Shenfeld, BBYO's International Teen Co-President, will also address the group, to raise awareness among her peers and encourage action when teens return home to their local communities.
"If anyone is going to make their opinion on this problem matter to the Jewish community and communities at large, and ultimately stand up against an issue in which human rights and Jewish values are demeaned, it's BBYO teens." – Lauren Shenfeld, BBYO International Teen Co-President
"The reason this issue has struck such a deep chord with BBYO teens is because it's the story of their grandparents and great grandparents – the story of immigrating to find a better life, fighting oppression and standing up for social justice." – Marilyn Sneiderman, BBYO Deputy Director and former Director of Field Mobilization for the National AFL-CIO
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To Zack
People get injured at the Agri not because of mistreatment, but because of the nature of the business, I have a friend who works in a big carpentry shop (Unionized with all safety procedures!!) and still people get hurt.
To Moses
but does your friend receive health benefits and get paid above minimum wage?
The people at this plant are injured and can’t go see a doctor
Oh and in response to your boycott question:
First as you have noticed from the BBYO statement, this is not a boycott
Second, I dont go to big box stores such as Wal-Mart because of the terrible effects they have on society, or clothes stores such as H&M who are responsible for using child labor to produce their clothing overseas
To Daniel:
As I stated before, this is not about the citizenship status of the workers at the plant but the way they are being treated, that is why BBYO is not buying from them. It is because their workers are undocumented
To Zack,
Yes, my friend has medical insurance and can see a doctor, but what about 47 million Americans, who are here legally and do not have medical insurance? (http://www.mcclatchydc.com/100/story/19319.html) Who should you be boycotting in this case? About you boycotting stores, who use child labor, what do you think these poor kids will do if not working? Go to school? I wish they could, but read this http://www.freeessays.cc/db/43/sxg181.shtml. Do not make thing worse then they are!!!
To Moses,
Does it make it right because so many don’t have insurance that the workers at this plant shouldn’t be provided with it. It is very bad logic to think that because alot of businesses are bad that we should do nothing about it.
It is our duty to make sure that in the jewish community that we make sure our people are not the ones committing these evils. Also that is interesting that you are supporting child labor with that statement you made. You realize that this is not the industrial age in this country anymore.
Does the PR firm you work for know you are making that comment? That’s not very good public relations skills
To Zack,
Step down to earth and embrace the reality, the word you are describing will exist only after Machiach will come (people will not get sick at all!), let’s pray it will be soon!
I am not working for any PR firm (I am just a programmer by trade), I just always say what is right and do not care if it is politically correct, but I take it as a compliment.
Its kind of ironic that your name is moses because if you were actually back in that time period you would probably be defending pharaoh explaining that the Jews could be worse off. The original Moses could not stand the oppression the jewish people were under and had them rise up and fight back. But your entire arguement is that while these people are being mistreated in the plant, it is alright because they have a job and aren’t back in their own country. Changes in society only occur from action, so hoping that businesses will change health care or waiting on someone else to create a change is not a good philosophy.
If we want health care for everyone, we have to force politicians and government to do it.
To Zack,
I agree with you, everyone needs a healthcare coverage and should have one, lets all of us talk to our local politicians, but what it has to do with boycotting Agriprocessor?? It looks like Agri has become an “escape goat” for all political failures in Washington.
Regarding comparison between me and biblical Moses, since I am not well versed in biblical text, all I can say that Moses was a Jewish Advocate (he was defending Jews before God, Pharaoh, Egyptians etc) and that is what I am trying to do on this forum, defend the Jewish company (which has not done anything illegal!!!), but you are acting like a prosecutor against Jews!
To Moses,
Well they have done many illegal things and have actually received citations for it and fines.
Do not call me anything against jews because i have practiced my entire life.
Just because a company is owned by jews doesn’t give it a right to continue to practice wrongs against its employees. Don’t you think that if a fellow Jew is committing wrongs that it is our duty as his brothers and sisters to steer that group on the right path. We should not support a group that is committing sins just because their jewish. We should force them to change their ways so that we can buy from them in the future.
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Moses
07/09/08 10:45 AM
To Zack
And how many businesses have you boycotted so far(besides Agri)? Or it is hard to find?