Crown Heights, NY – Moshe Rubashkin, Rosh Hakohol of Crown Heights and a private businessman, [He is the son of Agriprocessors founder Aaron Rubashkin and brother of its former CEO, Sholom Rubashkin.] was sentenced today in Philadelphia with 16 months in prison by a federal judge.
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Rubashkin and his son Sholom Rubashkin were indicted in November 2007 on charges of illegal storage of hazardous waste in their now-closed textiles company in Allentown, PA.
The Judge sentenced Moshe for 16 months and a $70,000 bail. His son’s court case is postponed for another 6 months.
Friends and supporters who arrived this morning at the Edward N. Cahn Federal Courthouse in Allentown accepted the verdict with mixed feelings, with some initially predicting “it will be bad.”
Rubashkin is a member of a respected Lubavitch family with its roots in Russia and is known for his generosity and open home. He lately resigned from the chairmanship of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council (replaced by Dr. Harvey Lang).
It is not clear whether he’ll retain his position as Rosh Hakohol – the elected body of the community – while he has the option of appealing to the supreme court.
But he can appeal the judgment.
Is this a “family machlah?” Why do these gonavim take public positions? The Chillul Hasshem is terible!
to 2.
“The apple does not fall far from the tree.”
You are right. Your father was a hater too.
News like this is never good regardless of the circumstances that led to this result. Any blogging about someone getting what they deserved, justice, apples and trees, it’s all inappropriate and misplaced. Not to mention childish.
The mismanagement at Agri is obvious. Clearly the end, in whatever form that comes, is near. The Rubashkins deserve our tefilos and good wishes as much as anyone.
No photos allowed in court.
We all love him but all he had to do was to clean up the warehouse years ago and not ignore the city violation notices and he would not have got the fines and not the jail time…
again chillul hashem ? have you ever stoped in a not stopping sign??? chillul hashem
I feel so sorry for him and his family, his wife, his chilodren and grandchildren. I also feel bad for those who will not be benefiting from his huge chesed on so many levels whil he is away. May Hashem bless him that this terrible verdict is somehow annulled.
One can just look at these nasty comments to realize why Moshiach is not here. So many are quick to judge, hate, and rejoice at the pain of other fellow jews. I am not referring to this particular post, It is sickening. What about “to love your friend like yourself?” Maybe the Jewish nation will have fewer painful experiences then.
And by the way, Moishy Rubashkin, along with the entire Rubashkin family are the epitomy of Baalei Chesed, which many of you have no clue what that is about. Doesn’t it say in the Torah or Pirkei Avot , the good get punished in this world?????? This is a true example. We should all take upon ourselves one to do an act of kindness for his merit.
May God have mercy on him and all you haters out there.
And for all those that are so quick to judge..why don’t you ask all the poor families that he helps feed? All the guests that stay for MONTHS in his house? All the Baalei Teshuvos that he helps clothe with tznius clothing? IF they think he desreves this???????????????????????
bashers and chillul hashem’nik’s maybe you should stop posting anonymously, then i’m sure a little google search of YOUR name would be quite revealing!!!
Reb Moishe, my eyes are red, my cheeks are drenched and my stomach is sick and acidy from pain, over the obvious gezeira that has overcome our community. Had I been the Korban, I could say that Hashem knows what’s best for me, but Moishe? The Rubashkins? The entire community? That’s a little to much.
My dear friends, Klal Yisrael and members of the extended lubavitch/Rubashkin family. Let’s get together and be mareesh oilamois that Hashem should remove this terrible gezeira from us.
Let’s sum it up.
Who will be there for the widows and orphans of our community every erev yomtov with new suits and shoes?
Who will be there for all the yungelait who have their utilities disconnected and need an immediate $1-4000.00 cash?
Who will open their home for 1-200 guests on Tishrei serving them 3 meals a day?
Who will open their home for all the group gatherings for the hundreds of guests from Brazil, Israel, France, Australia, South Africa and the rest of the world, who come every week to Crown Heights to learn about yidishkeit?
Who will be there to give their home and the food for the hundreds of Baalei Simcha who are Baal Teshuva or foreigners without any roots in the community for their L’Chayims, Vorts and Sheva Brachos?
Who will be there for the 1-200 girls who have been benefitting from nightly Nightlife of spiritual inspiration and Torah classes over the last few years?
Who will see to it that the community gets the most beautiful newspaper every week to educate and keep together the entire community with history of Chasidus, Chasidim, Crown Heights and beautiful divrei torah?
Who will pay the rabbonim (yes, ALL Rabbonim) every week?
Who will pay the past due grocery bills of hundreds of families?
Who will care when hundreds of families will no longer afford a piece of meat or chicken?
Who will care when hundreds of children will roam the streets during the summer months because their parents can’t afford to pay for camp?
Who will care if the newly subsidized renovated swimming pool and gym that several hundred children and adults enjoy, will no longer be there for them?
And who will care if Machlokes returns to town in its ugliest form?
We are all victims. Does anybody realize?
Moishe in jail. Obama our president. Agri out of business. Rabbonim relegated to history. Machlokes rats out of the abyss. Dozens of homes in foreclosure. many dozens losing their jobs. Hundreds losing their life savings. Where are we heading?
Who cares?
G-d why are you doing this to us?
This is the ultimate Kelala: Ain Lanu Lhishoein Ela Al Avinu Shebashamayim. (Sota, 49).
G-d will ultimately come through. But we must urge him on and do teshuvah.
If people obeyed the law then no one would go to prison. Its that simple
its foolishnes to think the government woke up one day and said let go after Rabashkin today..
There is no question that the entire Rubashkin family, with no exceptions, are baalei chesed that can’t be measured. They do chesed with their money, their time and give of themselves in so many ways. This does not give them the right to do things above the law or against the law. The more prominent and righteous a person is, the greater is the chilul hashem. Hashem yeracheim on the family in the zchus of all the tzedoko and chesed they do. But the community should take a mussar haskeil from this and realize that we can’t go against the laws of this country.
Moshe is in jail because he did somehing very bad
Agri is closed because the owners lied to the government.
Why are you trying to tell your children – that if you lie and cheat, you are still a tzadik? Is this how you want them to behave?
Was this the Rebbe’s legacy? Liers, cheaters, thieves – But they are great baal tzedakas with the stolen money. How can chabad justify this?.
Thare is no words to say who moshe is he help my family for years with clothing for yom tov he head accounts in clothing stores you would just say that moshe send me and it was on the house for chabd and for satmar mosh we love you my hasham be with you we will all pray ychi hamlach
I am in this line (hazerdous/safety compliance) and never heard of someone going to jail for hazwaste. This is crazy. His lawyers S-U-C-K!
Moshe Rubashkin is REALLY a nice person and a true BAAL Chesed – BUT he is a wild “person” and he was warned to take care of his violations and he could have done it, but he thought it was a joke. So they gave him jail time. We all must learn from this, not to be a “smart-alek” for no reason…!
In yidishkeit we do NOT have the concept of a “Jewish Robinhood “.Tsedek, tsedek tirdof !
Comment # 18 was right when at the end of his long drasha he says: IT’S A KLALA
There is indeed a Cherem and KLALA by Rav Hei Gaon, Rabeinu Tam and 150 Rabbonim including the Chasam Sofer and many others, against anyone who Forces Himself (his dictatorship) Al Hatzibur.
Wow!!! people on this site need to learn the definition of rachmanus and kol yisrael areivim ze lazeh!!! regardless of how you feel whether he deserves it or not- have some compassion for a jew who got such an unfortunate harsh sentence!!!!
aren’t we supposed to learn the middah of rachmanus from hakadush baruch hu??? And if you want Hashem to have rachmanus on you – try to show some to your fellow jew!!!
All you bitter, jealous and negative people should try to do some introspection and maybe say some tehillim for the rubashkin family instead of spewing such anti semitic hate!!!! i’m sure you’re all such tzaddikim that worry so much about causing a chilul Hashem!!! yeah right!!! by having such sinas chinam, and judging and talking lashon hara on a public website you are definately causing a huge CHILUL HASHEM!!! don’t look at others aveiros look at your own! Hashem is in charge and we all need his shmira and chessed! May he perform a miracle for the rubashkin family! and all of us!!!
Moshe is a great yid we should all daven for him
Moshe Rubashkin was ordered to surrender himself January 6, 2009, at 2 pm to serve his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Otisville, N.Y.
Let those who are without sin cast the stones…too many who disagree with him about internal Lubavitch politics have been trying to casue him and the people he helps all kinds of grief…he has to pay for his crime and it is not something the frum community can be proud of but the sheer glee among the other faction in Chabad is despicable.
although i am sad that he’s going to jail, i am grateful that the term is relatively short – my understanding is he could have faced 20 yrs chas v’shalom. let’s support our fellow yid – EVEN IF HE DID WRONG – we all make mistakes and we can all do teshuva.
all haters and bad mouths are simply depressed and bitter people, eating their own hearts out, so I couldn’t care less what ugly and negative comments they write “always” when another yid is in pain or in trouble.
you shouls only remember, the world goes round, and you all know you have much bigger violations than cleaning waste and employing illegal workers. so one day it may be you..
DO YOU PPL KNOW ALL THE CHESSED THAT THIS FAMILY DID?!
DO YOU KNOW THAT THEY PERSONALLY FEED HUNDREDS OF STARVING ,POOR, AND HOMELESS PPL EACH NIGHT
DO YOU?
DO YOU ALSO KNOW THE TZEDAKA THEY GAV OUT?!
WHY DO U SAY THE APPLE DOESNT FALL FAR FROM THE TREE OR SOME OTHER CRAP LIKE THAT!
WHY JUST BEC THEY ARE LUBAVITE YOU HATE THEM
LOOSER!!!!!!
SO SHUT UP AND STOP TYPING NASTY COMMENTS
AND GET THE HECK OFF THIS SITE!
is #5 the only one who sees the chillul hashem in all of this? guilty or innocent the outcry should be about the chillul hashem NOT whether we love or hate the rubashkins.
A Goy is not a Baal Bechira and if a Goy gives a sentence of 16 Months it is the same as G-d himself had sentenced him to 16 months.
Is G-d wrong Chas Vesholom?
G-d doesn’t give anyone anything unless he deserved it 100%
We need to make up our mind if we REALLY believe in G-d or we just say so “for the record” but inside we feel “it’s wrong” what G-d did here, Chas Vesholom.
For all you people who are so proud of the Chesed, I agree that I am proud of the Chesed too, but one thing has nothing to do with the other.
If someone does Chesed, so now he can do all other averos, just because he gives more Tzedaka than anyone else?
That is Utterly Insane.
Tzedaka or no Tzedaka is irrelevant here.
Stop Hacking a Chynik with “He Gives So Much Tzedaka” to justify whatever other “ISSUES” are involved here because Tzedaka or no Tzedaka makes absolutely no difference, at all, whatsoever here.
If someone is wrong he is wrong regardless of Tzedaka or no Tzedaka.
It has ZERO to do with guilt or innocence and is 100% pure nonsense to say someone is “innocent”, of a totally unrelated matter, just because “he gave lots of Tzedaka”.
Obama promises to give a lot of Tzedaka too, of food stamps and section 8, so just because of that, he is no longer a Muslim?
All those who keep HAKIN with the “how much chesed” etc etc that is good for a “HESPED” Leachar Meah V’Esrim or to Red a Shiddach for the family.
But in reality down to earth, if someone is guilty or innocent of an unrelated “ISSUE”, his Tzedaka or no Tzedaka, is 100% irrelevant.
Why is it that all of us Jews who are mortified and humiliated by the behavior of the Rubashkin family are called “HATERS”
Are we not entitled to be upset that a frum family has brought such shame on klall Yisroel?
When we are ashamed of our children’s behavior, or other loved ones’ behavior, everyone understands. No one doubts that we love our relative, but are upset and maybe angry as his/her behavior. When a person who is close to us brings ahame on us that is how we feel.
The Rubashkins are one of us. We DO LOVE THEM! But, that does not mean we ignore their horrible behavior. That does not mean we live in a fairy-tale denial regarding their actions. That we love our fellow Yidden does mean we can’t express our anger, disgust and embarrassment at what they do.
Every time ANY crime is reported as being perpretrated by a Jew, it is a major Chillul Hashem, and it angers all Jews. It angers us, it embarrassed us, IT HURTS US.
Being a baal tzdaka does not excuse criminal activities. It is funny, if someone here is accused of molesting a child, chas v’sholom, no one excuses his behavior by the amount of tzedaka he/she gives, nor the chesed he/she does. We are horrified that a fellow Jew brought shame on us all by done something vial and disgusting.
These activities are also vial and disgusting in that fact that they are crimes and bring shame on the Jewish People.
Let us not excuse their actions just because they may be baalai chesed. One thing has nothing to do with the other.
There’s no question that Moshe Rubashkin is a baal chesed beyond the usual. however, it is a disgrace that he holds any kind of “office” & to be a spokesman for Crown Heights has always been a joke. He should never have been elected…no, he should never have RUN. That’s the height of arrogance. The man was already in jail for other things, but he was not only allowed to run for the Vaad but the morons elected him!
The real issue is those who justify tzedkah based on the profits of criminlas.
This Moshe’s second felony conviction.
If he would have been indicted on all of the possible charges he cold have been sentenced to 20 years.
Anyone care to explain 2 fires of unknown origin?
Anyone care to explain lieing to investigators?
anyone care to explain the high price of kosher meat?The non kosher part of a cow is sold at a nice profit to the non kosher consumers. But we get to pay much more.
Anyone care to explain the attempt to close down kosher butchers by supplying other butchers at meat below cost in an attempt to control the market?
Anyone care to explain the writing of 1.2 million in bad checks?
Anyone care to explain the diversion of monies loaned to a buissness being diverted to personal accounts?
( All documented in court filings.)
I guess all that tzedakah came from over priced meat, diverted funds etc.
Perhaps people should be asking where does the tzedakah come from?
to #51 :
if we really DO love them, what about the comcept that blood is thicker than water? if it was your brother/uncle/ parent/ cousin, etc, u would defiantely be on their side, no ?
Why does everyone feel compelled to talk about everyone else? “Loshon Hora lamed hey you belong in –”
How about some introspection instead of scrutinizing other people. Look to see where you can improve yourself, even if it doesn’t have to do with the law (and post THAT on the website 🙂
I think we’ll bring moshiach a lot quicker that way.
Millhouse,
Just curious if you’ve become the official p.r guy for the Rubashkins? You are always giving us your narishe 2 cents.What gives?
“Friends” like you are toxic.
milhouse said –
Fine. Now tell me what avera he did. I’m not aware of any.
Commenters above are calling him a thief, talking about giving tzedaka with stolen money, tell me: From whom did he steal? Whom did he cheat? Whom has he hurt? He broke some EPA regulation – so what? Why should this affect our estimation of him? In which se’if of shulchan aruch does it say what one may store in his own warehouse, or whom one may employ?
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Are you for real? You have no brains in your head?
He pleaded guilty. This is his second felony conviction. This is the best that you’ve got? A FELON IN CHARGE OF YOUR MONEY??
His son pleaded guilty to lying to a federal grand jury. He lied when asked – who owns that warehouse. Like father, like son, Where did they learn to lie from???
You want him to be in charge of the chk?
WHY HAVEN’T THE MASHGICHIM BEEN PAID IN 6 MONTHS??? ESPECIALLY SINCE THE COMPANIES THAT GET THEIR HASHGACHA ARE ALREADY PAID UP!!!
WHERE DID THE MONEY GO??????
YOU WANT CONFIRMATION – ASK RABBI LEVERTOV
This is how the goyim look at your ‘gadol hador”
I suppose there was a fabrengen last night because he was not taken to jail immediately
Rubashkin gets prison sentence
A son of Agriprocessors Inc. founder Aaron Rubashkin was sentenced Tuesday to 16 months in federal prison for his role in having hazardous waste stored illegally in a Pennsylvania textile mill he owned with his son.
Moshe Rubashkin, 50, of New York City pleaded guilty to charges in February after a federal investigation found that he and his son, Sholom Rubashkin, 29, had stored containers of hazardous waste at Montezz Textiles in Allentown, Pa.
Sholom Rubashkin — who is the nephew of ex-Agriprocessors leader Sholom Rubashkin — pleaded guilty to one count of making a materially false statement to EPA investigators. He is to be sentenced Dec. 29.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials and local authorities found that the plant had various hazardous wastes stored there without the necessary environmental permits after the plant was closed in 2001.
A major cleanup of the plant was ordered by the EPA after two fires had occurred at the site after it closed.
Over the next few months, there were three more fires — one of which was attributed to arson.
U.S. District Judge James Knoll Gardner ordered Moshe Rubashkin to pay $7,500. Gardner also ordered Moshe Rubashkin and Sholom Rubashkin to pay $450,000 in restitution.
“These defendants demonstrated an utter disregard for the safety of the community surrounding their Allentown business,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Laurie Magid. “It is only proper that they should have to bear the cost of cleaning up the site and serve a term of imprisonment.”
Milhouse is right on the button!!
all critics keep on cursing on all kinds of offenses to smear you brother’s names (yes your brother!) pour all garbage on the Rubashkins (in this case).
but non of you answered where and from whom did they STEAL MONEY?
if you’re talking legalities, you all have your own baggage, and you surely don’t want the feds to vhallenge you, or to open your own filthy can of worms..
so just stick to the torah that demands from us ” v’ohavto leraiaco komocho” and “hevey dan es kol h’odom lekaf zechus”.
giving mussar to a person on the net? where in the torah did you find this chidush?? what about ‘velo sisoh olov cheit??’
mussar you say in person, and all bashers and cursers are nothing more then self hating jews! it doesn’t start with Rubashkin and doesn’t end here, its whenever there is an accusation against any fellow yid, may it be the most obsurd one, all those snakes would creep out of their holes to curse and stink around here with all kinds of loshon hora and hotzoas shem ra (oh, sorry – to say mussar…).
its simply a lack of manners and a ahavas yisroel deficiency that pops out from all those dirty posts.
giving mussar to a person on the net? where in the torah did you find this chidush??
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The same Torah taht lets me drink Arba Kosos on the last days of Pesach
what about ‘velo sisoh olov cheit??’
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What mussar did YOU give him?
mussar you say in person, and all bashers and cursers are nothing more then self hating jews!
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Calling me a basher and a curser – your slip is showing. You just did what you do not want others to do.
it doesn’t start with Rubashkin and doesn’t end here, its whenever there is an accusation against any fellow yid, may it be the most obsurd one, all those snakes would creep out of their holes to curse and stink around here with all kinds of loshon hora and hotzoas shem ra (oh, sorry – to say mussar…).
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Snake? again with the cursing?
its simply a lack of manners and a ahavas yisroel deficiency that pops out from all those dirty posts.
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Lack of manners? Rubashkin declared bankruptcy. Look how many people will go out of business because he could not refrain from hiring illegal aliens. Look how many shochtim and mashgichim who trusted Rubashkin and are now out of work. Are you happy with yourself? Are you still defending him?
I have seen first hand the chesed that this family does and I have rachmoness on this family. Those that question why they are kehilla leaders, the answer is quite simple; that wealthy people who are baalei chesed were always the first to be considered for kehilla positions.
as the nation witnesses a change in the former white house. i witness it in this web site bec. the difference between moshe and those bad mouthing him is black and white i can testify to the deep ahavas yisroel that moshe has. when i call him to help out people (non chabd) in need -he goes over board and always there for them we read now the story ofavrahm avenu who has the master of chesed -i can truly say that moshe is a beautiful example of him- and the pepole speaking against him at a time when he and his famly are in pain,should check their yichos if they are really children of avraham avene if moshe got 16 months for storing hazerdous waste they should get 16 months for each word of hazerdoes waste that they dump in this site. let them also all go to a doctor to check out if they have a heart or not-if they do i bless them that their hearts should have the amount os ahvas yisroal that moshe has in his toe nail …. yedid nefesh boruch from -willimsburg
This is your great Baal Chesed.
He is a thief. He stole other people’s money. This is what you revere. This is what you are proud of.
He is doing the same thing with the salaries of the CHK Mashgichim. When were they last paid? How many months are they owed money? If you like this man, then you are in the same catagory, you Rasha.
“In 1995, Rubashkin along with his father Aaron Rubashkin, he was found guilty of fraudulently withholding Union remittances from organized labor groupings that were active at the Cherry Hill Textiles Mill in Brooklyn, that was under their ownership. The National Labor Relations Board found them guilty on a number of charges and ordered them to pay all the back-dated dues.”
Source – Cherry Hill Textiles Inc and United Production Workers Union, Local 17-18, Case 29-CA-17848, Decisions of the National Labor Relations Board, No. 40
I WAS ONES ARRESTED . AFTER SITTING IN JAIL FOR 2 HOURS . CAME IN MY MIND . TO HAVE “YETSIAS MITSRAIM” IT SUPPOSE TO BE SOME MITSRAIM LO ALECHEM THEN LET’S OPEN OUR EYES AND SEE HOW THE REDEMTION IS COMMING FOR THE RUBASHKINS AND FOR ALL OF US
at the end of the day … both viewpoints are bezem right .the great acts of chesed are still there and will stand him in good stead.
however breaking the common (civil or crimimnal)law .”dina delamchusa dina ” is also inexcusible behavior and CANNOT BE JUSTIFIED in any way ,shape or form
stop drieng a cup it,s a pushate zach to anyone with half a brain.
Never believe what the media reports. Always know that the criminal system is self-serving and corrupt itself. There’s no interest in the truth, but only what looks good for the cameras.