L.A. Kosher Food Fights

From my live cam chat:

YourMoralLeader: do you know much about gabe elias at mogen david?
PicoJoe: ha ha
PicoJoe: another winner
PicoJoe: he has smicha
PicoJoe: this is the story as i know it. there was a yeshiva set up in la during vietnam to get kids out of the draft
PicoJoe: he was one of the members and got smicha from there
PicoJoe: i believe it was rabbi ribiat – i think that was the name i heard years ago

PicoJoe: gabe is a smart guy – he is holding on for dear life, he knows if he gets canned, he will NEVER get a job anywhere else
PicoJoe: u would do the same
YourMoralLeader: yes
PicoJoe: he gets his house paid for, new lexus every few years, life is good
PicoJoe: that shul has TONS of money
YourMoralLeader: gabe seems like a snake
PicoJoe: he is not a snake, put urself in his shoes
PicoJoe: he will do whatever it takes to survive
YourMoralLeader: how do the other shul rabbis in the hood relate to gabe?
PicoJoe: i guess that is the definition of a snake
PicoJoe: everyone views the place as a joke
PicoJoe: but he does know his stuff, he is very learned, i wouldnt have thought so, but he knows his torah
YourMoralLeader: how’s the kollel working out at BJ?
PicoJoe: it has nothing to do with bj
YourMoralLeader: ok
PicoJoe: it is independent, they just use the space
PicoJoe: they are actively looking for a building
PicoJoe: money is there apparently
YourMoralLeader: money from who?
YourMoralLeader: what do you think of rabbi david rue?
PicoJoe: when yummi pita had there hashgacha taken away he came in and certified them
YourMoralLeader: what’s the least corrupt beit din/kosher certifying agency in LA?
PicoJoe: who knows
PicoJoe: i dont follow them that closely
PicoJoe: how can people still support weiss in comments?
PicoJoe: i find that to be very distressing
PicoJoe: he married his wifes best friend
YourMoralLeader: i thought they met at grad psychology school?
PicoJoe: lol
PicoJoe: u thought wrong
PicoJoe: yoli was his wifes friend
PicoJoe: she was congregant for years
PicoJoe: he has huge balls to come back around
PicoJoe: aranowitz
PicoJoe: they must have known each other for 15-20 years
PicoJoe: regarding this curent food fight
PicoJoe: is it city glatt suing shalom and sons?
PicoJoe: shalom and sons and city glatt are the two big wholesalers in la
PicoJoe: first was shalom, then came city
PicoJoe: city used to only do meat and was the biggest meat importer in town
PicoJoe: then his son tzali had more ambition and started whole selling food products as well
PicoJoe: then the war began
PicoJoe: ever seen a "tzalis" truck drive by?
PicoJoe: well tzali muscled in on shalom
PicoJoe: i would be interested to know if they are suing eachother
PicoJoe: and over what
PicoJoe: also, shalom has a sad story, 2 of his sons died in their 20s
PicoJoe: one had lukemia, was the next in line for the business, and the other died mysteriously on the side of the freeway
PicoJoe: rumors were going around about the freeway one, but i think it is still open
PicoJoe: shady stuff kosher food in la
PicoJoe: there is only one son left
YourMoralLeader: glad i’m a vegetarian
PicoJoe: a bit of advice with kashrus in general – only eat at a restaurant if u would eat at the owners own home
PicoJoe: mamash closed down because markowitz didnt put up the money
PicoJoe: poor guys
PicoJoe: these south africans lost like a million bux and markowitz ends up with a free newly built restaurant to lease out
YourMoralLeader: I don’t understand about markowitz, i thought he owned mamash?
PicoJoe: markowitz=owner of property=owner of factors
PicoJoe: he was a partner
PicoJoe: apparently nothing was in writing
PicoJoe: markowitz owns all the properties that have a "managed by landmark realty" sign in front
PicoJoe: and also everything being built with a "funding provided by china trust bank" sign
PicoJoe: he owns a lot of buildings west of la cienega
PicoJoe: if it is true, he really screwed over the mamash guys
PicoJoe: they couldnt stay open at $40000 a month in rent and 50 employees
PicoJoe: they burned through there capital staying closed for 6 months trying to certificate of occupancy