Dubuque, IA – Several rabbis from the New York area are campaigning for the release of former Agriprocessors CEO Sholom Rubashkin. The rabbis visitied Rubashkin in the Dubuque County jail Monday to offer spiritual support, and to address a federal court ruling in which Rubashkin was labeled a flight risk and denied bail.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
In previous court appearances, prosecutors said Israel’s “Law of Return” that gives any Jew the right to obtain Israeli citizenship factors into the flight risk.
“This law was specifically enacted to address the situation of Jews who are second class citizens in other countries to enable them to have a place to come. It’s so ironic and tragic that this law is now being pointed to keep a person like Mr. Rubashkin in jail,” Rabbi David Zwiebel said.
Rubashkin’s attorney, Guy Cook, says other flight risk factors listed by the judge, including a packed travel bag containing passports and money, are false.
As of late Monday afternoon, Cook planned to file an appeal late Monday asking again for Rubashkin’s release, saying (in the pre-filed version), “the Government’s ‘evidence of flight’ is neither ‘overwhelming’ nor persuasive”.
The pre-filed version goes on to say, “The so’called ‘travel bag’ is a tote bag, the cash amount was exaggerated, and included dollar bills and a coin collection, the ‘lockboxes’ were never locked and were fire boxes not use to store cash. The ‘cash’ was for family needs and expenses and has since been used to meet expenses.’
Cook said Rubashkin is still willing to offer using a 24-hour security team and ankle monitoring device if he is let out of jail. Cook says a $10 million dollar bail package, supported largely by Jews in the Postville area who are willing to post their homes as collateral, is still on the table. Rubashkin has also offered to sign a waiver of extradition.
A representative from the U.S. Attorney’s Northern District of Iowa office offered no comment specific to Monday’s meeting and said all public responses would be in the form of court-filed documentation. The most recent motion filed by the procesution was last week.
hashem shoul dhelp the jews at this time
look at the matzav around the world. the demonstrations around the worl agaisnt israel (and against the jews all over) we are in need of rachamim shamayim
in the times of mordichai and esther the satan first made the yiddin eat at the party of achashveiroish so the yidden would sin then the satan had the power to cause the yidden the tzoras
today we have the same thing thousand of yidden are not eating kosher because there isnt any kosher meat at their supermatkets.
look around and see the tzoras we are in may hashem help and end all the yiddishe tzoras. with the comming if moshiach and teh rebuilding of the beis hamikdash hashelishi.
yidden do what you have to. torah tefilah tzedakah
Enough already with this Rubashkin issue. With all the problems and tsoros afflicting EY today, this focus on Rubashkin is obscene. Lets focus on helping the families of the real yiddishe heroes: those who are risking their lives in Gaza, not those who show up nightly on the rogues gallery of yidden who violate the law and then seek public sympathy
And Bernnie the “ganef” gets to stay home. Amazing!
Madof out on bail and Rubashkin not? New York federal prosecutors and judges don’t know of ‘law of return’?
Why don’t they let him just give up his passport?
what took these Rabbi’s soooooo loooooong to get it together??????? They should have been there Right away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some Poskim maintain that “Pidyon Shevuyim” is only if a Jew is incarcerated “for no reason” as was common in the olden days for the authorities to put Jews behind bars for no reason other than the fact that they were jewish, but isn’t very common today (Baruch Hashem as most of us live in Medinos Shel Chesed, benevolent host countries).
If one is incarcerated due to a crime he committed (stealing, tax fraud or other serious crimes) there is no Pidyon Shevuyim, as he is being rightfully punished for his actions (Psak of Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zatzal. See also Pischei Teshuva Yoreh Deah Siman 251:1)
Granted that Sholom Rubashkin did not have his day in courtr, but he is in jail because the judge has sufficient evidence that he was DESTROYING evidence before his trial. I do not like to see anyone in jail, but it would appear that this was his own doings.
Litvak: False.
Judge Scoles REJECTED the argument that bail should be denied based on the allegation and subsequent danger of tampering with the evidence. Rubashkin is being held on the basis of “flight risk.” His lawyers tried to provide a strong bail package instead of fighting over the facts, which did not work. According to papers recently filed and available online, they have adapted to that and are now challenging the facts on which the determination was made as being out of context and misleading.
Time will tell if the evidence backs up their version, but there is no question that your version is false.
About time these Rabbis did something, there should be a mass campaign to get him out asap!! Every “yid” has a responsibility to help get him out.
Litvak, I think you are te reason litvaks have such a bad name.
Interesting how you assert yourself so forcefully on something you have no factual information to support. Maybe YOU should “cut the crap.” I have heard from eye witnesses who have seen Jews request kosher meat/chicken post-raid, and when they were told that none was available they turned to the non-kosher aisle.
Which makes sense if you consider the numerous people who are not fully committed to a fully observant life, but who would like to eat kosher meat when it is available. When you consider the places Rubashkin served, I don’t think it is such a stretch to put the number of such people in 4 digits. There are definitely such people out there and it is hardly “crap” to point at that as a problem.
Wait wait what?
Did any of them ask the gedoylim if it is ok to be mevatel torah to go do this???
Did Zweibel ask the gedolim if this is a worthy cause? About about Dinah Dmalchusa?? The Judge Ruled! What about the crimes rubashkin was alleged to have committed? What about the chilul hashem? What about perpetuating the Chilul hashem?
Why not just say tehillim for Rubashkin? Why go make a public spectacle? Why not have a mchasom lfi and a learning seder and a private tehillim group for the matzav?
No, no, #22 . Say no more. Go away!
by the way who are the “rabbis” their names the fact that there namesz are not mentioned usually means they are “nobodys” they should get a real job–andstopwasting everybody time–pidyon shivuyim is for some one who was incarcerated for no reason!!!–why didnt lubavitch bail him out–rubaskin has already made a huge chillul hashem
#20 /#16:
I did not base my point on logic or imaginary scenarios. I based it on facts on the ground. You are the one basing your position on logical assumptions, assumptions which anyone with any experience with the national Jewish scene will tell you are wrong. Are you really so sheltered that you do not believe there are Jews who will eat kosher meat when it is available, but will not give up meat if there is a kosher shortage in their area?
I did not say that Rubashkin is a saint, although everyone with first-hand experience of the man describe him as a philanthropic and selfless man. He is obviously also a businessman, and business considerations informed his decisions. All I was saying is that to ignore the fact that these events have impacted people who would otherwise eat kosher meat is wrong and ignorant.
Since you brought it up, it is also wrong and ignorant to ignore the fact that many areas served by Rubashkin could not be justified from a business perspective or his many contributions, both of product and finances, to non-profit organizations. Although it would hagiographic to portray his business as an idealistic corporation, it would be false to ignore the idealistic elements that did exist, which happen to include serving markets that would otherwise not be served, bringing kosher meat to people who would otherwise eat non-kosher.
Bottom line: Rhetoric might sound good, especially when you make your point so confidently, but the facts are not at all what Rubashkin detractors would have you believe. Look at the facts.
To LITVACK – if this were an alleged child molester teaching in a yeshivish yeshiva, then we’d be getting non stop emails about pidyoen shevuyon, right? I guess the rules don’t apply to everyone.
#22 is correct.
No one has done more damage to kashrus than the Rubashkin’s. They have made a joke out of our mitzvas and the hechsher organizations that protected them for money did even worse. Don’t delude yourself.
I feel sorry that Rubashkin is in jail, but I am even more sorry for what the kahelah has suffered. Such hypocracy drives our children away from Torah. Every day, the kinder drift away because we support people who do not know right from wrong. This moral blindness must stop.
Some practical observations:
There are cases where no amount of assets or cash which compose a bail scheme will convince a judge that bail is appropriate. One significant factor here is that there has already been a flight to Israel taken by a defendant against the government. If there is someone to blame for where SMR is now, I’d blame that person.
Many times the judge will use the law and craft a decision around the law based on his intuition and impression of the defendant. I would venture to guess Scoles did so here and SMR did not make a favorable impression. In these matters trial or first impression judges have great latitude and appellate courts merely working off of the record defer to the trial judge because that judge is in the best position to make a determination based on what he sees.
The time SMR is doing now will count against any plea deal or sentence he receives. The only way this time will be “lost” is if he is completely aquitted on all counts. If the plan is to go to trial, and fight all the way, then of course, anything that can be done to secure bail should be done – discovery here is a year at least. But if a plea can be reached that would limit time served, then this time will count against that.
This is a marathon, not a sprint. It would be very sad to see SMR free on bail, only to be convicted and sentenced and then have to serve the time at an even older age. I think that outcome would be devastating.
I am wary of these rabbis showing up at the jail and performing what may be nothing more than a stunt – I mean, the jail doesn’t set sentences, they just carry out the court’s orders, so wouldn’t a meeting with prosecutors be more productive? Or a meeting with Scoles and the prosecution present of that could be finaygled – wouldn’t those be more productive? What can the jail do? I do believe Zweibel and Co. know that the Law of Return issue is a non-starter. It was parenthetical to Scoles decision. But then again, playing the race card has worked in the past. Its just a shame when it is done by what are perceived as Jewish Leaders.
This halacha only applies if the person incarcerated has been proven guilty. You have to learn to open your eyes, and Get with the program. Sholom Rubashkin is being incarcerated for being a “flight risk”. All accusations against Rubashkin are just that, accusations. Nothing has been proven.
BTW, IMHO, anyone who posts or says onas devarim against another yid, I don’t care how much Torah one learns, or if he is a talmid chacham. All the halachos one has learned is gornisht if he/she speaks bad about another yid.
I will not name him by his full name but whoever knows, already knows who he is since it was in all the newspapers several years ago.
One of the Rabbi’s whom you see in the video is a Rabbi, who has had a checkered record when it comes to handling money.
This Rabbi, who heads a Rabbinical organization and is/was the spiritual leader of a congregation in Linden Heights, pleaded guilty to tax evasion in 1996 and served 10 months in prison for the felony.
More recently, the Securities and Exchange Commission has charged this same Rabbi with securities fraud in a civil case. And a jury in 2002 found him guilty in a federal civil suit filed by a plaintiff who claimed he was a victim of the fraud, which involved false claims about the assets of a company whose stock, this Rabbi and others were promoting.
If the ‘Madoff is out on bail so Rubashkin should be too’ arguement held any water at all his lawyers would use it to appeal the order of detention.
VERY PROPER & TO THE POINT /NICE DELEGATION –
Everyone should just shut up. The fact is that these rabbanim, representatives of many different groups within the American klal, took many hours and life-blood from their pressurized schedules to show support for a solitary Jew jailed in the middle of nowhere for non-violent crimes. The man, whatever he did, WAS an important force in our world before this. They are expressing trust that he will NOT run off like a weasel, but will stay and face charges. And they are expressing that trust with the mesiras nefesh of travelling hours and hours to Podunk USA and making this public statement.
Period.
You can be assured that Agudas Yisroel and Young Israel will NOT be out there supporting this man if he is convicted!! They’re only there to affirm he’s not going to ditch the government — that Jews don’t want him to: it’s not in ANY of our interests for his to flee. I call that LEADERSHIP.
Are these same Rabbis who are saying that the Law of Return does not make Yidden into a flight risk, have they been calling for the extradition of Mondrowitz??
Not to my knowledge.
My observations are hardly hate laced, and that’s obvious to any fair reading of my comments. Devoiraleh, let me suggest a psychiatrist. Nebach on whoever falls within your sphere of influence.
My comments in total support SMRs release if only on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. The merits are altogether a different issue.
Fortunately for myself and those around me, I don’t need someone, let alone an anonymous blogger with anger management issues akin to Eisav, to tell me how to feel or how to act, or how to think. Your impotent attempts at discrediting what amounts to my opinion are getting stale.
But since you lick the dirt the Rubashkin’s walk on, let me share with you a true story about the benevolent Rubashkins that isn’t as ay yai yai as everyone makes them out to be. Then maybe you can explain how such a thing could happen to the greatest Jew on Earth since Mosh Rabbeinu.
About 25 years ago, someone very close to me, a young girl at the time, found a brown paper bag on Ocean Parkway. Inside the bag? $30k in checks, belonging to…you guessed it, old man Rubashkin. Alotta money 25 years ago. Immediately, without hesitation, a call was placed to the store to return the money. The old man arrives within a half hour. Demands, doesn’t even ask, for the bag. Forget about offering a token reward, he grabs the bag without saying thank you. Turns and leaves after looking inside the bag. That young girl, may she live and be well, a tzadeikus today, never forgot that. Couldn’t believe it then, or now.
So tell me Devoiraleh, am I here saying such a person who could do that isn’t a Jew? Am I here denouncing him the way you so mekely attempt to discredit me? Am I suggesting he has no common decency because one time he didn’t? Not at all. You and he should both be blessed. But your anger is sick, and you need help.
As for the Rubashkins, I don’t care how many chickens they sold to some small town. Because they got paid, and paid nicely. Is this a tragedy? Yes, on many levels. But nothing you say will change my opinions and I will continue to post them while laughing at your meager retorts.
To Shaul in Monsey – Notwithstanding your seemingly fair positioning on the matter, you have previous (negative) history with the players, so a straight thinker like you must admit some bias in the matter.
To all –
People should have their day in court, and until then be presumed innocent. We, the public, never get all the facts anyway, just slants from the different slants.
Bail was judged on. Probably had it happened here, he wouldn’t be stuck, but his poor lot comes with the turf. Maybe there will be some silver lining in this.
Why, oh why. must all readers offer themselves as judges?
There’s probably no reader who could question that his sitting in jail now is uncomfortable for him. Feel for him on that.
There’s probably no reader who can be 100% certain about his guilt or innocence on claims that would keep him in jail. You only know what you’re fed through slanted (both sides) public “info” channels. You can only judge if you personally speak to the man himself (both sides).
So – pity the man and quiet the mind. No one is asking for your thoughts anyway.
TS # 75 said:
” Why, oh why. must all readers offer themselves as judges? “
” So – pity the man and quiet the mind. No one is asking for your thoughts anyway. “
Dear Mr. or Mrs. TS:
Read what you wrote and apply it to yourself rather than to others.
You, TS, think you are G-d and what you think is fact and everyone else must “shut up” and everyone esle except you, is not entitled to any oppinion which differs with yours? ? ?
No one may judge Rubashkin in whichever way they see fit (as their personal oppinion) but you are the only one who may judge Rubashkin (favorably), in whichever way you see fit? ? ?
Which planet are you from?
I came accross this article carelessly tapped comments button and got all this in my face. My face can handle it, my heart simply can not.
As a kid I loved the quote ”School days; the Good the Bad and the Really Really Ugly” I never realized this applied for people as well.
What kind of people are You!
Bad people ok i can handle that i’m a teenager not a baby but this…?
Don’t we have enough tragedies?!
There is no one that has not has not gone through intolerable pain .Be it Divorce, Chronic Disease,Death, Poverty,Abuse… everyone is suffering! So WHY! I ASK YOU WHY DO YOU THROW SALT ON ANOTHERS WOUND!
Imagine a man you know has been mortally wounded, now everyone in the hospital . The man’s only chance for survival is to have an immiediate operation, would you stand and talk the surgeon out of operating! Would you bring out all the negatives and all the ways he wronged you?
Do you learn Torah to put down other Jews, wow what a fantastic idia” if i’m very learned in Torah others will respect what i say, after all i’ll be speaking in the name of the Torah” is that how it goes??? Shaul of Monsey is it?
In response to #113 and #114 ;
1) Last I checked, isn’t this G-d’s department?
2) “Being you brother’s keeper”….. Why do you assume that it’s for the negative? I would interpret it that we should be our brothers’ keeper by PROTECTING them, using your positive resources!