A New Hechsher and Unreasonable Demands, The Story Of The CHK Dropping Shor Habor
by CrownHeights.info
The entire Lubavitch world was surprised and confused Thursday morning after news broke that the CHK had suddenly dropped their Hechsher from the famous Shor Habor Meat, a staple of Lubavitch Shchita for many years.
As confused and surprised as anyone else, CrownHeights.info delved into the story to discover the ins and outs of what took place, and how CHK and AgriStar, the company that owns the Shor Habor brand, came to such an intractable disagreement.
This is the story.
The saga traces its origins back to a Kinus Hashluchim Haolami that left a strong impression on the owner of AgriStar Meat and Poultry. Clearly seeing the extensive reach and influence of the Shluchim and Lubavitch community, he recognized how underutilized the Shor Habor brand was, having previously regarded it as a local entity instead of a nationwide brand. Discussions soon began between AgriStar and prominent Chabad Rabbanim for a new hechsher that would help expand the market to more Shluchim and Lubavitch communities.
The new Hechsher put together was to be called “Lamed-K”, which would be under a three-person Vaad including Rabbi Shlomo Segal of Crown Heights, Rabbi Gedalia Oberlander, previously of Monsey, NY and presently of Kingston, PA, and Rabbi Aaron Lieberman of Lauderhill, FL. Other well-respected people were also to be involved, but despite the advanced stages in planning, it remained confidential, with few people in the know. The Crown Heights Bais Din, along with almost everyone else, remained in the dark.
Approximately five months ago, at the same time as the new Hechser was coming together, the CHK, led by Rabbi Braun, made certain requests of the AgriStar plant on points of Kashrus. Although these requests were considered Chumros never before requested by any Rov, including Rabbi Marlow A”H, AgriStar immediately incorporated some of the requests. Other requests concerned AgriStar greatly as they would increase the cost of meat by around 20%, according to someone familiar with the request.
Faced with a 20% increase in the cost of meat over Chumros considered by all past Lubavitch Rabbonim to be unnecessary, AgriStar pushed back, working on devising a different plan that would accommodate everyone while keeping the prices low nationwide. The plan would have been simple and would have made everyone happy. The plant would continue to provide the meats as they always have without the requested new Chumros, and AgriStar would make a special run for Crown Heights with the additional Chumros incorporated. The special meat run would have the CHK Hechsher, while all others would have the new Lubavitch “Lamed-K” Hechsher. This way, only those who needed the Chumros, namely those under the CHK, would carry the extra cost.
Unfortunately, though, this plan was derailed as the Bais Din discovered that AgriStar was working with the other Lubavitch Rabbonim to create the “Lamed-K” Hechsher. At approximately midnight last night, the CHK released the widely disseminated letter revoking their Hechsher from AgriStar and Shor Habor.
Since then, the new “Lamed-K” has released a rundown of who will be running their new Hechsher, and AgriStar has welcomed the new Hechsher with a letter of support. Rabbi Weismandel, one of the most well-respected names in Kashrus today, and fellow machshir on AgriStar meats, published a letter lambasting the Crown Heights Bais Din revocation letter, doubling down on the high Kashrus standards at the AgriStar plant and pointing out that the drama was purely internal, without any issues of Kashrus.
What remains to be seen is how the Crown Heights community, and the Lubavitch community at large, will handle this change. Will the Crown Heights Bais Din demand all meats sold in Crown Heights be under the CHK? Will the new “Lamed-K” Hechsher hold strong and become the dominant Lubavitch Shchita?
Time will tell.
OK
This is all extremely vague and hard to believe. What sort of request would increase costs by 20%?
Yehoshua
This smells fishy, it’s not commone practice to make new hechsherik for something as niche as meat production…especially for the cause of “spreading the meat to a nationwide market”. Also please specify which chumros…this article is too vague and I’m not sure this is all lshem shomayim
Memke
If there is a fishy smell at the meat factory, than that is a serious kashrus and health concern
Uncle Johnny poopenstien
Thank you crown heights info for posting the full story and all of the important details! Please keep us updated!
Levi
It’s all fishy…what chumros…why change hechsherim before they demanded chumros…you generally don’t switch hechsherim and make a brand new one to.expand the brand…it’s all very odd.
Zack
So this lamed k hechsher was working behind the scenes to compete and snatch the CHK hechsher. Sounds pretty ethical to me.
Zerubavel
Don’t know the story, but it might be that they wanted a hechser not associated with the whole chk (past) politics, clean slate, new name, known respected rabbonim. Maybe that’s what it means but they wanted to be more globally, maybe it means more globally respected
Chaim
I don’t know where you get your information from by the Weissmandel hechsher has lost a lot of its respect in the Kashrus world once Rabbi Wiesmandels son effectively took it over and started running more as a money making business rather then a hechsher
Seriously
Not sure which world you live in but Which jewish business is not focusing mainly on money and only G-d fearing and following halacha for the sake of Hashems will? Haven’t seen it today!
meir
“Discussions soon began between AgriStar and prominent Chabad Rabbanim for a new hechsher that would help expand the market to more Shluchim and Lubavitch communities.”
Thanks for helping me decide if this new Hechsher is reliable
LR
“ for a new hechsher that would help expand the market to more Shluchim and Lubavitch communities.”. Why does the Hechsher make a difference how you can globally market something? Are there Lubavitchers who prefers something other than CHK?
moshe d golem
yes
unfortunately the CH beis din has been involved in many issues that many shluchim dont support .. and one of them is the support for the 770 crazies etc etc …
Yosef
Since it seems like you know the inside story maybe also share what these unreasonable demands were?
Also the fact that past Lubavitcher Rabbonim didn’t ask for certain chumras doesn’t mean that todays Rabbonim shouldn’t insist on them. For example in Russia most people weren’t makpid on glatt does that mean since it was ok for them therefore it’s ok now.
moshe d golem
the article was reffering to rabbi marlow ah didnt ask for them and recent chabad rabonim …. not from 100 years ago .cmon get with it
Yisrael moshe klimov
Are you kidding me? Orb Florida? Thats many steps down not upgrades.
Robert
Not enough information to comment on specifics of this case but generally the continuous out-chumrahing of each previous generation is becoming a problem.
Which prominent rabonim?
I’m wondering which prominent Lubavitch Rabonim are running the new Hechsher?
The only people I see running it are: 1) A former employee of the Crown Heights Bais Din 2) A Rov who until very recently didn’t deal with (his) local Lubavitchers, before his move to a Lubavitcher community 3) I don’t know the 3rd Rov :)
Shmiel Bernard
What are you Talking. 1) Rabbi Oberlander is in Lubavitch 40 years already.
2) he has Shalos from anash and shluchim from all around the world.
I sat by him for Shimush for about 8 weeks and constantly he was interrupted by phone call and wattsapps from the 4 corners of the world.
Yishaya
This new hechser at best is a total joke,!!I believe that the chk where right and have a point here
yamky
does anyone actually think this anything to do with kashrus?
i have a bridge…..
CHK 💯
CHK seems 💯 right.
Everyone else here has big💲to make.
Where did the leaked emails go?
What happened to the leaked emails article? It was up and then taken down?! Why?!
I think it’s extremely informative, and if you want to be an informative website, and it’s already out there, keep it up.
Let everyone draw their own conclusions.
Chaim Yosef
Baruch HaShem , I see from the comments that most people are in fact intelligent and “”aren’t falling for this propaganda BS either . “ “Wiesmendel a respected name in Kashrut “ ? Yeah I suppose he same people who “respect the OU” and yes thank you for helping me understand that in no way would I trust “ another Kosher “ certification “ Business . I’ll pass on the “Lamid Kay “ Thank you very much