Conservatives And Kashrut,Editorial Board

The Conservative movement has long proclaimed its fealty to Torah and mitzvot and the authenticity of Conservative dogma as an expression of halacha. Yet its wanton revisionism has been such that the Conservative claim to halachic legitimacy has been recognized only within its own ranks - and even then not universally. And movement leaders have long chafed at the rejection.

So it should not come as a surprise that the Conservative movement would try to burnish its credentials by establishing a halachicniche of its own by way of a "hechsher tzedek." That is, purportedly pursuant to Judaism's concern for social justice, the movement would provide certification of food products in terms of whether or not they were produced, as the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly officially put it, "in a socially just way," particularly "with regard to safe, fair working conditions."

The principal advocate for this effort is Rabbi Morris Allen of Beth Jacob Congregation in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. Rabbi Allen told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency last December that "As Jews, we need to understand our responsibility to the people who produce the food we eat. I believe most Jews who are serious about kashrut as a means for sanctifying the world in which we live are concerned that both the product and the means by which it is produced" are in keeping with Jewish values.

To Rabbi Allen, wrote JTA's Sue Fishkoff, this means "paying attention not only to what kinds of foods are consumed and how the food is preparedbut also but also how those who produce the food are treated: Are they paid appropriately? Are their working conditions safe? Is their dignity as human beings respected?"

"The new label," wrote Ms. Fishkoff, "isn't intended to replace existing kosher certification, which is under Orthodox supervision, but it constitutes a broader definition of kosher food that incorporates ideas of social justice from the Torah and Talmud."

In other words, according to Rabbi Allen it is no longer sufficient for kosher certification to be granted solely on the basis of proper Jewish methods of inspecting and slaughtering animals.

Several weeks ago the hechsher tzedek initiative received formal endorsement from the Rabbinical Assembly. In voting its support, the assembly invoked the biblical admonition "You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, whether a fellow countryman or a stranger." Predictably, The New York Times cast the story as an economic dispute:

While the catalyst for Rabbi Allen's action was a series of articles in The Forward weekly newspaper about accusations that workers at a large slaughterhouse in Iowa are exploited, the resulting conflict has far wider import. The kosher-food industry accounts for annual sales of $11.5 billion, much of it to 1.1 million steady consumers, according to the Lubicom marketing firm. By religious tradition, and in some cases state law as well, kosher certification generally rests with Orthodox boards. So the entrance of the Conservative movement into the field represents a challenge to the Orthodox authorities not only on ethical grounds but also on market share.

Since even Rabbi Allen himself said that the new standard would focus on working conditions, it is hard to understand the emphasis on economic competition. But the problem is not with the way the Times tried to spin the story; rather, it's with the Conservative movement's attempt to identify itself in the public mind with a serious and fundamental religious matter on which it has no credibility.

Moreover, this effort will serve to dilute the place of halacha. Working conditions are fundamentally matters of economics, sociology and labor negotiations. Are issues such as minimum wage, vacation, sick leave and health coverage properly viewed as matters of halacha? Are they on the same level of halachic application as shechita, mixing meat and dairy, soaking and salting, etc.?

Further, the scriptural reference of concern for one's workers is certainly not limited to food production. By focusing so narrowly on this one area, however, Conservative spokesmen give every appearance of seeking to use the issue as a way to insinuate themselves into the area of kosher food certification.

Read Comments (2)

Conservatives And Kashrut , Editorial Board

On the Credibility ...
Date 01:06, 06-11, 07

I have a question: Is there a need for a Religious Certification on safe, fair working conditions when there are Governmental Agencies such as the Department of Labor and OSHA that oversee employers in this area?

My understanding is that in the USA employers are required to give benefits to employees to a level never before seen in the History of Mankind. The Government of the USA has established enforcement offices that strictly regulate all laws in the matters of labor. Can't we rely in our government to take care of these issues?

I have a second set of questions: how does Rabbi Morris Allen intend on "supervising" companies on labor issues? Are he and his group qualified to perform such supervision? Are they going to be working for the Unions?

Website
Date 10:07, 07-11, 07

Try visiting their website for their answers to your questions.
http://rabbimorrisallen2.blogspot.com/