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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Today I visited Rubashkin’s meat store in Brooklyn, NY and spoke with Aron Rubashkin himself, he told me that all workers started with $8.75 per hour and all workers got medical insurance (including dental) for the whole family. So where is the mistreatment???
So you would rather take the word of the employers who are trying to cover up their tracks than the workers who have repeatedly have told of the mistreatment they have received at the plant. I guess the government wouldn’t have fined them all those times if everything was great there
The president of the US also said that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction......
What is your proof – employees did not have medical insurance? Show it to me and I will make further investigation.
Regarding your statement about our president, it makes me to say there is something wrong with your memory, read this http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Gulf_War.html , Saddam Hussein was greatest enemy of Israel and Jewish people, he sent missiles into Israel, as a Jew you should be thankful to our president for exterminating this evil man and great enemy of Israel! It makes me to say again - you are acting like a prosecutor against Jews!
As stated before, Bush said that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. And as we look into recent news not from 1990, more than 10 years before the war, US soldiers in Iraq found 0, yes 0, weapons of mass destruction
And refering to the proof of lack of health insurance or health insurance that is to costly and the low wages given out, you can look at the jewish newspaper, The Forward, article on the agriprocessors http://www.forward.com/articles/in-iowa-meat-plant-kosher-‘jungle’-breeds-fea/
Just because 0 weapons was found, does not mean Saddam Hussein did not have it, it might be well hidden somewhere in Syria. There were a lot of evidence he had it or might have it. It is better safe, then sorry! I just do not understand, why are you defending enemies of Israel? Is it what you have done all your life?
Regarding this woman “Juana” mentioned in the article, who had no medical insurance, can you contact the author and find out from the writer of this article how did he find her? If he himself spoke to her? Or he is using data from another article? Do some foot work, like I did.
First off, why should bbyo be ashamed? We’re taking a stand as young jewish teens who are becoming involved in a serious topic involving their religious social community. Even though it hasnt actually been proved to be a true argument there is as much evidence I as a human being with strong beliefs needed. If you would hear some of the workers stories you would be repulsed. ACTUALLY being a participant in this at Beber Camp in Mukwonago, Wisconsin I got to hear first hand from many sources about the story of Agriprocessors. One instance there was a 15 year old boy from Guatemala who immigrated to the U.S. to work at Agriproccesors promised citizen papers for a slight cost and a job. What he ended up with you may ask? A sexual abused sister by the workers there, a mother in trouble with the government, thousands of dollars due to the company for papers, & no home to be able to go home to back in Guatemala. To a roomfull of Jew’s this was disgusting to hear such a person that shared the same religious views as us would do this & on top of that the Agriproccesor owner is a Rabbi. To hear a Rabbi was allowing child labor, teens loosing limbs, rape of young girls, and such go on in a Kosher meat packing industry is nauseating. The Holocaust happened to us and to think that a Rabbi would let this type of hurting go on with other humans is sickening. Even though people may say that yeah they’re immigrants...THEY"RE HUMAN TOO. Even though they arent legal U.S. citizens they still have all the same functions as you and me. And I think BBYO teens should be applauded for actually becoming involved in a serious subject, because frankly I’m sure most of you haven’t been reported on by the Wall Street Journal for becoming involved in something you believe in.
To Brittany
I know Aron Rubashkin personally for last 15 years, and to show you what kind of people he and his wife are I just show you a few samples. On Shabos, when he goes home from Shul, he picks people from the street to feed them and celebrate Shabos with him, I personally observed about 20 guest at his Shabos table. People in need are getting room and board at his home constantly. His wife runs a small restaurant in Boro Park, where about half of its customers (regardless of race and religion) get food for free. They do not mistreat anybody, even a cat. It is just against their nature!
Next I want to bring two examples from my experience with Mexican workers. On one occasion we negotiated one price, but when we arrived at a job location, the price just went up, and on the other occasion they just aborted work in the middle of a job, because they had to go a second job. This people simply have different work ethic.
You are bringing very serious allegations, which you do not have any proof. Why do not you just wait and see the end of investigation (what a Jew should do!) and then make any conclusion.
To Brittany and Zack http://www.jewishpress.com/displaycontent_new.cfm?contentid=34817&contentname=My Machberes§ionid=20&mode=a&recnum=0
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Moses
07/14/08 07:55 PM
It looks from our entire discussion, the only wrong thing they did to its employees – did not provide them with health insurance! But that should be addressed to your local politician in Washington!