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The Role of the “Hechsher” in doing “Tzedek”

by · November 27th, 2007
Eco-Kashrut, Food Justice, Food Safety, Judaism, Kosher

Today JTA reported on the upcoming biennial meeting in Orlando, in which the Conservative movement is expected to pass a resolution on the new Hechsher Tzedek, ethical kashrut labeling program.

The article also interviewed other religious and lay sources on the merits of the Hechsher Tzeek program. Rabbi Menachem Genack, head of the Orthodox Union’s kashrut division raises an interesting question, mentioning that ensuring social justice in our food system is the responsibility of the government, not religious bodies.

I actually agree with Rabbi Genack– the government has a greater responsibility to do so, and a greater potential to create appropriate regulations….theoretically.

However, for a variety of reasons, the federal and state governmental bodies that would have a role in regulating, legislating, litigating and enforcing laws that ensure the safety and health of workers in the food industry, and ensure a safe and healthy food supply–including OSHA, the USDA, the WTO, those enforcing federal anti-trust laws– have been asleep at the wheel. In the absence of a more sustainable, ethical food system in which these externalities are appropriately regulated, civil society, including religious institutions have an obligation to work towards such a system, starting with the Jewish community’s Hechsher Tzedek.

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4 Responses to “The Role of the “Hechsher” in doing “Tzedek””

  1. Richard Schwartz Says:
    November 27th, 2007 at 10:56 pm

    PRESS RELEASE (For immediate release)

    JEWISH GROUP COMMENDS ‘HECHSHER TZEDEK’—URGES MORE STEPS

    For Immediate Release:
    November 27, 2007
    Contact:
    Richard H. Schwartz, President of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA)
    President@JewishVeg.com Phone: (718) 761-5876

    Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA) today announced that it strongly commends the Conservative Movement for instituting a ‘hechsher tzedek’ to ensure that workers at kosher slaughterhouses and other food producing facilities are treated properly. However, JVNA feels that far more must be done to address other diet-related moral issues, because the mass production and widespread consumption of meat conflict with Judaism in at least six important areas:

    1. While Judaism mandates that people should be very careful about preserving their health and their lives, numerous scientific studies have linked animal-based diets directly to heart disease, stroke, many forms of cancer, and other chronic degenerative diseases.

    2. While Judaism forbids tsa’ar ba’alei chayim, inflicting unnecessary pain on animals, most farm animals — including those raised for kosher consumers — are raised on “factory farms” where they live in cramped, confined spaces, and are often drugged, mutilated, and denied fresh air, sunlight, exercise, and any enjoyment of life, before they are slaughtered and eaten.

    3. While Judaism teaches that “the earth is the Lord’s” (Psalm 24:1) and that we are to be God’s partners and co-workers in preserving the world, modern intensive livestock agriculture contributes substantially to soil erosion and depletion, air and water pollution, overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the destruction of tropical rain forests and other habitats, global warming, and other environmental damage.

    4 While Judaism mandates bal tashchit, that we are not to waste or unnecessarily destroy anything of value, and that we are not to use more than is needed to accomplish a purpose, animal agriculture requires the wasteful use of grain, land, water, energy, and other resources.

    5. While Judaism stresses that we are to assist the poor and share our bread with hungry people, over 70% of the grain grown in the United States is fed to animals destined for slaughter, while an estimated 20 million people worldwide die because of hunger and its effects each year.

    6. While Judaism stresses that we must seek and pursue peace and that violence results from unjust conditions, animal-centered diets, by wasting valuable resources, help to perpetuate the widespread hunger and poverty that eventually lead to instability and war.

    In view of these important Jewish mandates to preserve human health, attend to the welfare of animals, protect the environment, conserve resources, help feed hungry people, and pursue peace, and since animal-centered diets violate and contradict each of these responsibilities, JVNA believes that committed Jews (and others) should sharply reduce or eliminate their consumption of animal products.

    “One could say “dayenu” (it would be enough) after any of the arguments above,” stated JVNA president Richard Schwartz, “ because each one constitutes by itself a serious conflict between Jewish values and current practice that should impel Jews to seriously consider a plant-based diet. Combined, they make an urgently compelling case for the Jewish community to address these issues.”

    To increase consideration of such issues in the Jewish community and other communities, JVNA has just released a one-hour documentary A SACRED DUTY: APPLYING JEWISH VALUES TO HELP HEAL THE WORLD (www.JewishVeg.com/asacredduty). They will send a free DVD to anyone who contacts them (president@JewishVeg.com) and indicates plans to consider using the movie to help increase awareness of environmental and food-related issues.

    Further information about these issues can be found at http://www.JewishVeg.com. JVNA welcomes opportunities to dialogue and work with others to increase awareness of Jewish teachings on dietary concerns.

    ———————————————

  2. Chana Brock Says:
    November 28th, 2007 at 1:46 pm

    I am infuriated that Hazon is planning to shecht a goat. I saw footage of slaughterhouse two decades ago on PBS. That is what turned me vegetarian. Plenty of video footage exists (of REAL slaughterhouses … the way it REALLY is in the REAL world … crowded, filthy, painful, terrifying) to use at the event. Killing a goat is absolutely horrifying and pointless.

  3. Gersh Says:
    November 28th, 2007 at 3:19 pm

    I’m infuriated that Richard Schwartz thinks that it’s appropriate to crap up the comments section with a press release…that’s already a top-level post on this site.

    I’m also infuriated that Chana can’t figure out where to post.

    Third, as a good libertarian AND a hater of the US government’s Soviet-style farm subsidies, I’m infuriated that Aliza doesn’t realize that relying on the government to provide social justice for food, much less hechshered food, is completely ridiculous.

    I’m also infuriated that I wrote such a long sentence, but I’ll get over it.

  4. Tzimmes-Maker Says:
    November 28th, 2007 at 6:23 pm

    Chana, see the more recent post on Jcarrot, responding to your comment.

    Gershon, as a student of food POLICY, I’m infuriated (not really) that you are conflating regulations of food safety and labor law with farm subsidies, which fall far from each other on the spectrum of public policies. Even free-market’ers would agree that food safety is an area where the government should step in, because it is in everyone’s best interest and it is a “credence good,” an area where consumers can’t tell the quality of the good until after they’ve consumed it.

    With regards to environmental degradation and worker health and safety, these are two areas where most Americans agree, it is in the public interest to maintain and enforce standards, especially as we are in an age where corporations have increasing power- what is needed are global standards, to prevent outsourcing abroad, etc.

    If you think the government shouldn’t regulate our food supply, do you think there should be no system set up to mandate standards for food safety? Should food have ingredients listed? Should drugs be labeled with their ingredients? Should pesticides be regulated? Or should we just let producers use as much as they want, whenever the want, of whatever they want, and not inform workers?

    The government already provides a more just food supply than we could have (i.e. it could be worse.) It is all a matter of degree.

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