Inspection of the Postville 'Shlachthoise'
It was late night on a Sunday, when members of the Beth Din of Crown Heights suddenly appeared at the Rubashkin family’s huge meat plant complex in Postville, Iowa, for a surprise inspection. Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba, long-standing Halachic authority of Crown Heights, was accompanied by two of the Beth Din’s newly elected members, Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda HaLevi Segal and Rabbi Yitzchok Zirkind, together with representatives of the Crown Heights Vaad Hakashrus, Yossi Brook and Rabbi Shneur Zalman Osdoba.
More Pictures in the Extended Article!
When they arrived at 11:00 p.m., the guests immediately visited the turkey slaughterhouse, where they watched how mashgichim (kashrus inspectors) check the birds’ innards for any defects that might render them non-kosher. Then they inspected the koshering process, which includes rinsing and salting. In both areas, they were pleased with the way the mashgichim carefully discharge their holy responsibilities.
Early next morning, at 6:00 a.m., the Rabbonim visited the slaughterhouse for large animals. They inspected the entire process of slaughtering, checking carcasses for disqualifying defects, deveining, and koshering the meat. The Rabbonim observed the special stringencies established at the plant for all these processes. After the slaughter of each animal and before the next, Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba carefully checked the absolute sharpness and smoothness of the slaughtering knives used by every shochet (ritual slaughterer).
In the area where carcasses are deveined, rinsed and salted, they observed how, at every key point, a special mashgiach fully supervises the process to ensure it is accomplished perfectly according to every detail of halacha (Jewish law). As required by halacha, the livers are roasted, which is done by a mashgiach using a roasting machine specially built for this plant under the guidance of Rabbinic experts.
They continued to the chicken slaughterhouse, where Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba again checked every shochet’s slaughtering knife and was most satisfied. The guests inspected how the birds’ innards are checked by mashgichim for possible defects, and they inspected the koshering process. They also inspected the area, supervised by another mashgiach, where the chickens and parts are packaged, using state-of-the-art machinery to ensure the highest level of hygiene and quality. At each key point, the Rabbonim spoke with the mashgichim and heard about the various stringencies established for every step of the process from slaughtering to final packaging.
Next they inspected the meat processing plant, which has lately expanded dramatically, with an impressive financial investment and installation of the most advanced state-of-the-art machinery. Its internationally acclaimed quality, superlative standards of kashrus and wide range of products have increased demand for these products throughout the United States and beyond. The Rabbonim were interested primarily in the details of kashrus, of course, and were pleased to see how everything was meticulously supervised by the mashgichim.
All shoch’tim and mashgichim in Postville are pious Hassidic Jews who are most meticulous in their work, and the Rabbonim were impressed by how the entire process is accomplished in the best possible manner according to every nuance of halacha.
After inspecting the entire Postville complex, the Rabbonim met with the head kashrus workers and supervisors – head shoch’tim, those who check the slaughtering knives, head mashgichim and bod’kim (who check carcasses for defects) etc. – to listen to their comments and suggestions for further improvement of standards. Some had important ideas, including proposals to ensure that certain kashrus workers not work such long hours that could fatigue them and affect the quality of their work and supervision. The Rabbonim promised to examine these ideas and whether they can be implemented in practice. They gave great encouragement to all the kashrus workers, thanking them for their faithful devotion to the task of ensuring that the greater Jewish public can eat meat products at the very highest standards of kashrus.
Later the Rabbonim met with the Rubashkin brothers R’ Sholom Mordechai and R’ Hershi which are running the operation in Postville, in addition, the Rabbonim thanked the owners, Mr. Avraham Aharon Rubashkin and his sons, Yosef Yitzchok, Sholom mordechai and Heshy, for their efforts to maintain high kashrus standards and its full cooperation with the team of kashrus workers. The Rubashkins in turn thanked the Rabbonim for their visit, telling them what an honor it was for them that members of the Beth Din of Crown Heights were visiting their little town. The Rabbonim, especially the newly elected members, Rabbi Zirkind and Rabbi Segal, gave the family their comments and suggestions for certain improvements that could raise kashrus standards even further.
The Rabbonim took the opportunity to visit Postville’s Torah schools, which they found most impressive. They were particularly impressed by the towns’ new Jewish library, operated by one of the shoch’tim, Rabbi Aron Schimmel, whom they praised for his dedication to this project.
Finally, the Rabbonim met with Rabbi Chaim Eliezer Meizlish, who serves as head of the shoch’tim in Postville and is responsible for all the kashrus arrangements. A close disciple of the late Rabbi Shlomo Lipschitz of Kfar Chabad, Rabbi Meisels previously served in the same capacity for the Badatz of the Eidah Hachareidis of Jerusalem, and is known as a great expert on all aspects of shechita (Jewish ritual slaughter). They reviewed with him all details of the shechita and kashrus processes at the plant, gave him their directives for the kashrus standards they demand for meat and products bearing Crown Heights Kosher certification, and which shoch’tim may be employed for this certification.
The visiting Rabbonim concluded their tour of duty by expressing their deep satisfaction with the commitment to high kashrus standards prevailing in Postville and with the owners’ close cooperation to ensure that the Jewish public everywhere can enjoy these high standards.
