Vegetarian Terrorists Attack Kosher Giant
Face it folks, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), like everyone else, has an agenda. They use shock footage to make unassuming folks lose their lunches in the hopes we’ll disavow the consumption of animal products and cast snide stares at the barbarians who insist on eating charred carcasses. And to pursue that agenda, they’ll cross any line: PETA’s recent use of Holocaust imagery to shame the public into forgoing meat was not merely disrespectful; it added whole universes to the word “disrespectful” (to borrow a wording of Andrew Sullivan). In case you missed it last year, PETA displayed their distinctly unethical “Holocaust on Your Plate” exhibit — likening victims of the Shoah to supermarket-destined chickens and cows — not a stone’s-throw away from the New England Holocaust Memorial. According to a Globe editorial at the time, “PETA says it seeks to be a source of conscience regarding the abuse of animals. Yet its arguments and its preposterous exhibit collapse when their members think nothing of inflicting suffering on human beings.” These folks have zero credibility in my eyes.
Right up front, that’s where I stand. So I took PETA’s accusations of “Slaughter Horrors” at Agriprocessors’ Postville, Iowa facility with a large grain of kosher salt. I choose not to give in to horror footage (Iraqi hostages, US Marines in Faluja, or otherwise), so I have not viewed the video itself, but I have read PETA’s description of conditions at the plant, and plenty of news articles. So far, I’ve found the article at the Jerusalem Post to be the most comprehensive.
I have also fully read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, a gripping narrative about fast food and related industries (meat, potatoes, synthetic flavors), a book which I respect and recommend. So, to show a bit of pseudo-journalistic objectivity: I similarly have very little respect for massive meat processors. Their goal is to slaughter and butcher as many animals as physically possible at the absolute least cost.
That said, if PETA’s footage is legitimate, and their accusations are verifiable, I would fully support the five, resonable recommendations outlined in PETA’s surprisingly respectable letter to the Orthodox Union to ameliorate the accused inhumane practices.
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Unfortunately, I’ve learned over my several years of keeping kosher that “kosher” only means “ritually fit” — it does not mean “clean,” and it does not mean “friendly,” and it does not mean “pleasant.” That can probably be said of the rest of halachah, in that one may succeed in strictly following the letter of the Torah, but end up a spiritual failure due to a lack of derech eretz.
Similarly, we must consider kosher slaughter with such terms as derech eretz and hiddur mitzvah (enhancing the commandment). The Agriprocessors folks may insist they’re operating within the letter of the law — in fact, they claim to also be operating within the spirit of the law — but that should not preclude us from continually improving our shechita technology and processes whenever possible, from going beyond the call of moral duty, even if the suggestions come from such a morally-questionable group as PETA.
Kashrut has historically been at the forefront of animal humaneness. Agriprocessors states proudly:
Long before the rest of the world showed any “common decency” to animals or had the slightest concern for the treatment of animals, the laws of the Torah and rabbinic teachings command the Jewish people to treat all living creatures humanely. Secular society — including [PETA] — has still not caught up with the precepts of Jewish law in this regard.
Even with this in mind, we can’t rest on our communal laurels. We must use our law and our history as a guide to further our commitment to humane treatment of animals, to serve as an ever greater example to others in that regard, and to make us the ones who tell PETA how to operate.
My problem is that based on their track record I am not inclined to trust PETA, and I would prefer independant confirmation that what we see on their web site is what actually goes on at that plant. Based on the inconsistencies between what we can see and what commentators and parties to this (including Rabbi Genack and Rabbi Belsky) have said they have seen, I wonder if what was shown to those people is same video that they have on their web site.
the video was confirmed by rabbi weinreb of the ou to be legitimate. its pretty gross but what do you expect when you slaughter a 1000+ pound animal. i had two major problems with what i saw. 1. the trachea and esophegous are ripped out immediately after the animal is slaughtered. about 5 seconds after the neck is cut, a non-jewish worker removes these organs. i cannot see how this is good practice. while i am not an expert, it does seem very dubious to do this. 2. after a brief 10-20 second delay, the animal is dumped out of the holding machine (machine that holds animal upside down while shochet does his job). several of the animals seem to make noises as if they are in pain. this is a bit troubling. many of the animals are able to get up and even walk a short distance. one animal seems as if it is trying to hide or get away from his “attackers”. also very troubling. many of the movements do not appear to be involuntary, signaling the animal is still somewhat conscious and able to feel pain. it made me feel sad if the animal did in fact suffer.
i do not plan on giving up meat. animals are there for our use and benefit. but with this g-d given gift does come responsibilty. animals need to be killed as painlessly and respectfully as possible. everything must be done to ensure this. what i saw on the video was not respectful or painless. more could have been done and needs to be done immediately. may g-d continue to bless us with delicious steak and burgers and may we merit g-d’s gifts by practicing careful and responsible shechita.
No one is likely to quote me on halacha but if they were, my words might read: “The first salt on the animal should be the tear of the shochet.”
I live about 70 miles from Postville and have occasional interaction with the community. Contrary to the image presented in Stephen Bloom’s nasty, petty expose, I have found the community, all the way up to the Rubashkins, singularly devoted to their mission. Periferally, they have brought hope and prosperity to a dying Iowa farm community.
Oddly, I am not angry with PETA (as I often am) for their expose and I found the letter to the Orthodox Union to be firm and respectful.
I have an upcoming celebration with the Postville community and I suspect there will be snarls of anger in the side conversations but I fully expect Agriprocessors to the the right thing and I will continue to buy my meat from them.
Steve Engber
The problems caused by this video and report will go far beyond impacting the Rubashkins; it will be used against kosher slaughter practices around the world, even if other slaughter is performed well and kosher.
One can choose not to accept and support the practices of Rubashkins; don’t purchase their products. One can go further still, if the video and reports are accurate, and publically distance oneself from Rubashkins. Already, we see those in the rabbinate with courage doing exactly those two things.
I have had friends in the Chabad community for several years now. My family has learned with them in school and shul, and they have in general been warm and caring. However, I haven’t hesitated to take them to task for the “Rebbe Issue”, and I won’t hesitiate to take them to task for the Rubashkins issue. The more of us that do so, the harder it will be for them to not make changes.
“Ethical Kosher” is not just some left-wing concept; those Rubashkins cows are treif, plain and simple.
bShalom,
-Nathan
I am not Jewish, although I greatly respect the Jewish faith.
I also greatly respect the lives of animals. I grew up in a farming community and was able to visit a pet cow regularly. Her name was Lapis, and when I was 6 years old, I would go to see her- give her apples, carrots, sugar cubes, etc… She was clearly excited when I came. Even if I didn’t have food, she would nuzzle up to me.
I truly believe this animal had a soul- much as I believe my dogs and cats have souls. Cattle have at least the intelligence of dogs, if not more. I find it very disturbing that the Jewish community would endorse such cruel treatment of animals as what goes on at AgriProcessors.
Frankly, it made me sick.
God does not advocate abusing the earth or his animals- which is unfortunately the case at AgriProcessors. Not only are they treating God’s creatures abominably, but they are polluting our water as well.
I hope you will take a stand and tell processors that this is completely unacceptable.
Sincerely,
Janet
Hi -
Putting the suffering of the animals aside for a moment (and I’m not so sure we can do that….)from what I understand - the problem that’s visible on the video is that a second person is tearing the esophagus & trachea out of the animal AFTER the shochet has done his cut…and before the animal stops moving/ dies. My understanding is that Halachically no one is permitted to touch the animal after the Shochet cuts until the animal stops moving/ has died…..Being that Agriprocessors has multiple Hashgachot supervising their facility, we should assume that the procedure was endorsed by Rabbonim….but, as this controversy so clearly has illuminated, there are obviously important opinions that would never allow such a thing - Rav Yosef Ovadia - Chief Rabbi of Israel, the British Rabbinate….My father, who was born in Germany, has much experience observing cows shecheted in Europe (No, he in not a Rav) since his father was a butcher….when he heard that a second person touches the animal he was quite upset…..the meat would not have been considered kosher back in the “old days” in Europe….food for thought…
Debbi S.
Janet:
I’m afraid I have to take issue with your suggestion that the Jewish community endorses the practices pictured in PETA’s video. I have not encountered a single Jewish voice in favor of what is depicted, and I sincerely doubt that you will, either.
The point of contention is not whether or not the video shows us something we want to see, but whether or not what it shows us is indicative of day-to-day operations at the Postville facility. The source of the video is an organization that is, to put it mildly, somewhat extreme in its views and methodology. Aside from its general vegan platform, PETA has a well-known agenda against kosher slaughter, despite the fact that impartial studies repeatedly show it to be as humane as other industrial methods, if not more so. (Studies commissioned to discredit kosher slaughter don’t usually show it in such a positive light, of course.)
The short of it is that people question the video’s message for the same reason they question political campaign ads. It is not an unbiased, in-case-you-were-wondering information source, but a piece of propaganda assembled with the intent of changing someone’s opinion.
If an internal investigation shows the video’s claims to be valid, changes will be made. Even were it not for concerns over the suffering of animals, none of the parties in question can afford for Postville meat to be declared non-kosher.