POSTVILLE, IA [JTA] — Agriprocessors has named a New York attorney as its new chief executive officer.
The hiring of Bernard Feldman of Long Island as the kosher meat producer's new chief executive keeps the company in the good graces of the Orthodox Union, which said last week it would withdraw its kosher supervision if new management wasn't hired within two weeks.
Agriprocessors Names New CEO
POSTVILLE, IA [JTA] — Agriprocessors has named a New York attorney as its new chief executive officer.
The hiring of Bernard Feldman of Long Island as the kosher meat producer’s new chief executive keeps the company in the good graces of the Orthodox Union, which said last week it would withdraw its kosher supervision if new management wasn’t hired within two weeks.
In an interview Thursday with JTA, Feldman said he had no experience in the meat industry, but was qualified for the position due to his “extensive experience in reorganizations and assisting companies who are experiencing financial difficulties.”
Feldman said he would spend “a major part” of his time at the Agriprocessors plant in Postville, Iowa, which was the site of a massive federal immigration raid on May 12, but would retain his New York residency.
“II believe that Agriprocessors serves a vital function to the Orthodox community and others who are in need of acquiring glatt kosher food,” Feldman said, explaining why he had decided to take the position.
The Orthodox Union threat by the Orthodox Union, the best known of the agencies providing kosher certification to Agriprocessors, came after a criminal complaint was filed against five company officials on more than 9,000 counts of child labor violations. Among those named was owner Aaron Rubashkin and his son Sholom, the former manager of the Postville plant.
On Thursday, two of the five individuals named in the complaint — both employees in the company’s human resources department — were indicted in U.S. District Court. Both face jail time if convicted.
Rabbi Menachem Genack, the O.U.’s head of kosher supervision, told JTA Thursday that he had met Sunday night with Feldman and was pleased with the decision, calling it “credible and wise.”
“We will continue to monitor the situation,” Genack said, “but we’re pleased by the turn of events.”
In the JTA interview, Feldman enumerated several goals he intends to pursue, including restoring Agriprocessors to “prominence,” ensuring good record keeping, complying with government regulations and resupplying the company with “qualified productive employees.” Feldman said he would stay “on board” as long as it takes to achieve those goals.
Bored of this whole thing
Get over it and leave all of them alone. RABOSAI it is Chodesh Elul enough of this snooping into others business.
cher
what the ou did is disgusting. It’s obvious that someone is out to get Rubahskin, Peta or the unions… we yidden need to stand by eachother, not threaten and take the other side…
A FRIEND
I wish the Rubashkin family the best of luck. our prayers are with you.
postville
The reform , peta ,union ,chabad lovers & all the others will not be happy.
They will not stop bashing the rubashkings
They are not only after Rubashking they are after any thing connected to our frum way of live.
Every body should respect the law of the land, but what happpen with rubashking , the way they come bashing & telling stories that are not trough or telling only healf of the story ( I know because I live in postville ) are not found in any other plant raided by the goverment.
My personal take, if the only thing coming out from the press, blogs etc.
Are only negative stories ( I didn see any thing good about rubashking coming out of the press ) and we don’t hear any thing good, that shows that they only agenda its to bash & destroy Agri & Rubashking
a friend
NOBODY should stop buying their meat because ppl are knee deep in Rub.’s business. If anything, continue buying even more – they’ll feel all the diff.
heeb_hammer
As Jews we need to distinguish ourselves as a people willing to confront our responsibilities. There were bad things going on at Agri, not only in the eyes of PETA, but in the eyes of the Torah. It would have been a terrible shame if the OU looked the other way.
We can’t brush injustice under the carpet. Yes, it’s Chodesh Elul but Elul is a time for tshuva not cover ups. What have we become if we’re a community that says “aye, he’s a child molester but don’t tell anyone because it’s Loshon Har”? The chofetz chaim must be rolling in his grave to hear that.
The Torah is a saifer that’s not afraid to be self critical of the Jews and neither should we.
Chabad is filled with BTs that come from mainstream America with modern sensibilities. We don’t have the excuse of the other Chasidim/Haraidim that don’t know how to behave.
disgusted meat eater
Genack can’t string a coherent sentence together (I’ve heard him speak in a public forum), yet all of a sudden he can pose thoughtful observations? Please!! The man is nothing more than a hired hand, but the OU itself should be boycotted by the Frum consumer for interfering in issues that are purely political & nothing to do with Kashrus.
dl
thank you
RUBASHKIN VERSUS ANTI SEMITES
HEEB HAMMER, GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. AS ONE WHO HAS HAD PERSONALLY TO DO WITH THE O U I CAN TELL YOU THEY ARE AS CROOKED AS THEY COME AND, DISLIKE LUBAVITCH WITH A PASSION. THAT IS FROM MY VERY OWN ACTUAL PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE HOLY O U. YES, I AGREE THE O U SHOULD BE BOYCOTTED. IT WOULD DO THEM ALOT OF GOOD. AND YES, I ALSO AGREE THAT THE RUBASHKINS ARE BEING SINGLED OUT FOR NO VALID REASON. I’D BE WILLING TO BET THAT EVERY MOMZER THAT IS INVOLVED IN THE RUBASHKIN CASE HAS ILLEGAL UNDERAGE PEOPLE WORKING FOR THEM IN THEIR HOMES AS MAIDS ETC. THIS IS A SICK COUNTRY WHERE THE WICKED PROSPER. THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR WHAT IS BEING DONE TO THE AGRI COMPANY. IT’S PURE ANTI SEMITSM AND ANTI LUBAVITCH AND, ANTI FRUM PEOPLE. YES, IT’S CHODESH ELUL, A PERFECT TIME FOR US TO SHOW AN “AGUDAH ACHAS” AND STICK TOGETHER WITH THE RUBASHKINS WHO HAVE ALWAYS LENT A HELPING HAND TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE IN NEED. WHICH IS A HECK OF ALOT MORE THAN COULD BE SAID FOR THE ENTIRE O U.!!!
RUBASHKIN VERSUS ANTI SEMITES
THE FACT THAT HUSSEIN OBAMA YIMACH SHMO IS QUOTED AS A PROOF BY THE O U OF THE TRUTH ABOUT THE RUBASHKIN SITUATION IS ENOUGH TO TELL ME I CAN’T TRUST THEM. BECAUSE WHILE OBAMA “IS NOT UNDERAGE” HE IS A SOINEH YISROEL. CERTAINLY A GOY NOT SOMEONE WHO I WOULD TRUST.
PEOPLE, IT’S TIME WE START STANDING UP FOR EACH OTHER AND NOT BE ASHAMED AND FEEL THE NEED TO EXCUSE OURSELVES.
Akiva
I read a response by OU to the whole affair and while I am no fan of OU the response was totally understandable. They have been very supportive from the get go. So my Yashar Koach that the plant can move forward.