UPDATE: CHK Yanks Hechsher From AgriStar Meats, Puts Shor Habor In Limbo
by CrownHeights.info
In a surprise move Wednesday night, the CHK Hechsher – which has long certified AgriStar Meats and the Shor Habor brand – yanked their certification, leaving the leading Lubavitch Shchita brand in limbo.
The news was released in the form of a letter dated March 6th and signed by both Harav Osdoba and Harav Braun.
An email sent by CrownHeights.info requesting confirmation on the authenticity of the letter has not yet been responded to by the CHK.
This story is developing and will be updated as information becomes available.
Update 11:35am: A letter released by Rabbi Meir Weismandel, a well respected Halachic authority on Kashrus and another Hechsher on AgriStar, lambasted the letter released by the Crown Heights Beis Din and called the claim of Halachic issues at the plant a lie.
Update 11:30am: Responding to CrownHeights.info request for authentication, Rabbi Yosef Kirschenberg of the CHK confirmed the authenticity of the letter.
Read the complete letter below:
Public service announcement
For anyone who wants good quality lubavitch meat lchaim meats has 100% grass fed chk certified bison meat that customers can order online
yankel zuchmir
why dont you put a letter in igros kodesh and ask the rebbi if it is good or not
Random guy
Crown heights info please publish the amazing news that lchaim meats has 100% grass fed chk certified bison meat that people can order online
Froggy mcboomboom
Hopefully crown heights butcher and lchaim meats will fully takeover and start having retail and be available in the kosher stores around the world for customers to buy
Bob
Can the chk please publish an updated list of every food product and restaurant that has their chk certification?
Vegetarian
I have no worries.
Carnivore
I worry about all vegetarians.
Anonymous
This should surprise nobody. Even under the prior ownership the shechita, bedika and nikkur were done by professionals from a wide range of communities. There was never a system in place to assure a “lubavitcher shechita.” When asked about this a certain CHK representative retorted “and what’s in YOUR freezer, may we ask?”
The game is up. So-called “shechitas anash” has long been a fantasy.
Postville resident
CHK has been trying to make it real Lubavitcher Shechita but those with the real power resisted and that’s one of the reasons CHK took off their Hechsher
Yosef
1) Are you saying that the one who for years told Crown Heights residents to eat Satmar Schchita instead of the CHK, suddenly insists on Lubavitch Schchita?
2) If the meat already packaged is okay to eat, how is that fine? Is it it Lubavitch Schchita or not?
3) And, how does he plan to supply Crown Heights and Lubavitch with enough meat in time for Pesach?
Eli kosher
The whole letter is a political move,chabad rats anything that is chalav Yisroel and pas Yisroel.They know nothing about shecheta
yosef
Lubavitcher shechita means everybody involved must be Lubavitch?
I thought “chasidishe shechita” meant the knife used would be by the halachik standards of the Baal Hatanya, am i wrong?
Zerubavel
That was the original meaning of it, about the whole issue of סכינים מלוטשים…
But as far as I understand everybody does that now that’s not the issue, there is also an idea that the shochet a very god-fearing man, so some are stringent to only eat from someone who is known to study Chassidus, so it hopefully will have an impact on him in his avodahs hashem
A chosid
Segal?!? this must be a purim shpiel….
Anonymous
Non of Rabbi Oberlander”s daughters ever went to any Lubavich school or camp!
Boychik
So, you investigated them when you were considering them for a shidduch??!!!