I received today two e-mails regarding the Postville situation.
One from Rabbi Solomon Ryback who is the Rav of Cong. Adas Israel in Passaic N J .He is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America's kashruth Commission ( of the OU ) ,as well as President of the Rabbinic Alumni of Yeshiva University.I know him very well as an honest and sincere individual.
He returned from a 36 hour inspection of the Rubashkin (Agri-processors)plant.He had free rein of the plant,workers,supervisors and local townspeople as well as officials.
HIS REPORT INDICATES A MASSIVE TURNAROUND WITH ONLY POSITIVE FEELINGS FOR THE HEALTH,SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS of the workers and the process.
His strong feeling is that the OU should continue to monitor the situation,but continue its supervision.
The second was a letter sent by Rabbi Menachem Genack to the NY Times.
Rabbi Genack is CEO of kashruth at the OU.He is a worldly wise and sophisicated leader in the kashruth field as well as a torah scholar.He documented all the changes that have taken place at the Postville plant,including the hiring of a former US attorney to supervise enforcement.There are other OSHA related changes of top personel and administrators.
I have urged him and the President of the OU to take that letter and use it as an ad,to clearly document the fact that the OU takes the situation seriously,and would not hesitate to remove its hashgacha if the changes are not maintained.
None of this negates the alleged crimes that took place,and the need for local,state and federal agencies to carry out their responsibilities in this regard.
