Big Red emails:
A belated Chag Sameach.
I think this Kosher Business Ethics [certification] is for the birds. To me it seems like a reaction to a few recent events. First and foremost, the Rubashkin debacle. There is no question an array of laws were broken. I feel as if the Orhodox rabbis were embarrassed by the Conservative congregations reaction (Hechsher Tzedek), while at the same time the Orthodox knew their hands were tied. We rely so heavily on Rubashkin, that to decry you can’t buy from them, would basically be forcing people to become vegetarians. There would be a veritable riot with such a declaration.; Secondly, was the Spinka scam. Again, just Orthodox men involved. Third, Wall Street This is just the Orthodoxy’s ineffective answer to the Conservative’s chest thumping "Holier than thou" charade.
Let me just qualify my comments by stating that I am an Orthodox Jew. Who do these three rabbis think they are giving their own "Good Housekeeping Seal." I’ve said this before, "Let he who has never sinned cast out the first stone." If we were to judge these three rabbis as they judge us, I don’t think they would receive the coveted Peulat Sachir. For starters, how ethical was Rabbi Weil to you, or the two businessman, or the many others who he kicked out of the shul? Rabbi Muskin had many a rift with his members too, specifically when he fired two beloved hispanic employees for alleged sexual misconduct, and because of the unfairness of that event, approximately 20 members left the shul. Rabbi Kanefsky’s open dialogue with welcoming gays and women active in predominantly male roles also is questionable. They all have accepted donations from dirty money. True, usually they are not aware of this, but why not scrutinize your whole congregation? Won’t tainted money deem its use as unholy?
This whole thing just irks me. I could go on and on about the rabbis characters and missteps. My point is everybody does something wrong or unethical, so cool off and take it easy. If you want a perfect community move to an island and live by yourselves. But don’t put rabbis Muskin & Weil on the same island, because these perfect souls don’t really get along with each other.
Love you my moral leader,
Big Red
