On January 28, the rabbis from the three largest Modern Orthodox shuls in Pico/Robertson sent out this release:
Dear friends,
As you may remember, a question arose a couple of months ago concerning the status of the non-glatt kosher meats being produced by the Rubashkin company. (These are available in our community at Doheny Kosher, at Eilat Market, and at Trader Joe’s.) The supervision of non-glatt meat is actually more complicated than the supervision of glatt meat, (as discerning between acceptable and unacceptable imperfections in the animal is more difficult than simply rejecting all imperfections) and at this time we have some questions as to the status of the supervision. We have been working with the RCC to try to resolve these questions, and hope that the situation will clarify in the near future.
For the time being, and until clarity about the supervision can be attained, we believe that our communities should refrain from using the non-glatt meat. THERE IS NO NEED TO KASHER ANYTHING, OR TO DISPOSE OF MEAT YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE PURCHASED, rather to hold off on purchasing and eating it pending the conclusion of the inquiry.
Rabbi Elazar Muskin – Young Israel of Century City
Rabbi Steven Weil – Beth Jacob Congregation
Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky – B’nai David-Judea Congregation
This press release set off protests. Many Modern Orthodox were disappointed with their rabbis. They said that Doheny Kosher was being unfairly singled out. That the Modern Orthodox shuls were bowing to right-wing stringencies.
Also in January, Agriprocessors in Postville sent out this press release about their meat.
For years, the RCC (Rabbinical Council of California, the most powerful group of Orthodox rabbis in LA) has tried to ensure that there were no women’s prayer groups in LA and no non-glatt kosher meat. They’ve failed on the women’s prayer groups but succeeded with the meat.
On Feb. 4, there was this follow-up email from one of the rabbis:
Just to clarify: the only products at Doheny Kosher that I’ve advised you not purchase, are the non-glatt beef products. Glatt beef, and all poultry are not part of this concern at all, and may be purchased as usual.
Since the email of last week, we have met with Yossi Rubashkin, explained our concerns regarding who is ultimately taking responsibility for the kashrut of their non-glatt production, and there is commitment on all sides to solve this problem. Hopefully this will result in a satisfactory resolution before too long.
I believe this matter will be resolved soon.
What interests me is not the meat but how Orthodoxy’s shift to the right affects Los Angeles Jewry, even the Modern Orthodox who are losing the strength to build their own identity.
In the past five years, only glatt kosher meat has been allowed in L.A. The only hold-outs to this are a few places in the Valley and Doheny Kosher, Eilat Markets and Trader Joes.
