Rabbi David Eliezrie, President of the Rabbinical Council of Orange County, writes:
Sadly, Rabbi Dennis Sasso has transgressed one of the most important and basic principles of Jewish Law, that you cannot judge an issue unless you have heard both sides and heard firsthand testimony ("A moral standard for eating kosher," Aug. 5).
I have just returned from a fact-finding mission of more than 25 rabbis to the Postville, Iowa, meatpacking plant. The reality we discovered was far different from the one that the rabbi claimed. We found a state-of-the-art plant; workers receiving fair wage and benefits such has health, dental and vacation pay; great attention to worker safety; and the use of the e-Verification system to ensure all workers are legal.
Apparently, the rabbi has relied on statements of the union that has a clear agenda and is trying to take over the plant.
The reality today in Pottsville is dramatically different from what he asserted. He has made accusations based on rumor instead of fact.
Did R. Eliezrie speak to any of the accusers of Agriprocessors or did his first-hand research consist only of the tour given him by the plant?
