A Fundraising Appeal From Sholom M. Rubashkin's Daughter

"The government has targeted our family, and my father in particular, using them as scapegoats. They have been all over the media in this massive witch hunt."

Important: PLEASE STOP AND READ THIS!
Wednesday September 16, 2009 9:30 PM

Dear Matzav Readers,

It is two days before Rosh Hashanah. Please read the letter below from a daughter of a hurting family.

We are not getting paid to promote this worthy cause. On the contrary, we just sponsored the costs that we are charged by our email provider to send out this letter to our 16,000 subscribers. We are doing this because we understand what a worthy cause and great mitzvah this is. Please stop now what you are doing. Read the letter below and then take out your checkbook and write a check or click on the link below to use your credit card.

A donation in any amount you can afford for this great mitzvah of pidyon shvuyim is appreciated. Please don’t just pass over this post and go on. Over a half million dollars have to be raised very quickly and every penny counts.

Please read the following letter and grab this mitzvah before the Yom Hadin.

Elisha Ferber

Matzav.com

Hi. My name is Roza Weiss. I am the daughter of Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin. I live in Colonie, NY with my husband and three daughters (ages four, three and twelve months).

I am sure you are aware of the current situation of the Rubashkin family. The government has targeted our family, and my father in particular, using them as scapegoats. They have been all over the media in this massive witch hunt. I don’t think I could ever have even dreamt such a nightmare. This has been an extremely difficult and desperate time for our family. We truly can not understand the ways of Hashem.

I was brought up in a home that was always full of Chesed and Tzedokah. People would travel to Iowa to ask for help because they knew they would never get turned down. My father never said “no” to anyone that has come to him for help. Everyone was always treated with utmost respect and we always prayed that Hashem would continue to bless our family with the means to continue helping others in their hour of need, and even more importantly, that everyone should have all that they need and nobody should have to ask.

By the time the government began intensifying their attack on my father, shortly before arresting him, my father was left with no finances to defend himself - the immense effort to save the family business coupled with legal bills had completely drained his resources and we had to avail ourselves of the kindness of others. You cannot imagine how hard it was for me to go knocking on people’s doors begging them to help save my father.

Fortunately, the Jewish people are like family and I was received warmly. People clearly saw that this was a vendetta - that it was not about what my father did or didn’t do; rather, it was about who he was. A Jew. As the prosecutor clearly said, a “defacto dual citizen”.

Furthermore, the Jewish community knows of the good that my father (and our family in general) has consistently done for anyone in need, and so they have been very gracious to help us in our time of need.

Shortly after my father was arrested a committee was formed to try and help out. They have been very involved every step of the way, including in making financial decisions.

We have been able to come up with the funds until now and are working very hard to come up with the rest. People have been very generous and have stretched themselves to give donations from the hundreds to the hundred thousands.

We are now at the final stages with a trial set for October 13th two days after Sukkos, the Yom Hilula of the Bardichiver. Baruch Hashem, the lawyers just won two very important motions to continue the case as well as a change of venue and are very optimistic.

They estimate the case from now until the end of the trial will cost about $500,000.

I now turn to you, asking you to please help us.

You can easily donate by clicking on one of the following links.

[1, 2.]

Alternatively, you can mail contributions to:

Piyon Shvuyim Fund

53 Olympia Lane

Monsey NY 10952

I thank you from the bottom of my heart and may Hashem bentch you and your family with good health, happiness and only the greatest success in all your endeavors!

Kchasiva Vchasima Tova!

Roza Weiss (Rubashkin)

518-526-1770

According to Roza, "the government has targeted our family, and my father in particular, using them as scapegoats."

Besides the more than 100 charges her father faces for bank fraud, wire fraud, harboring illegal aliens for profit, and the thousands of state charges for employing underage workers, and multitude of regulatory issues related to abuse of employees, her family has other current legal challenges:

Roza Rubashkin's husband, Rabbi Yaakov Weiss, is currently facing several child molestation charges: 1, 2, 3.

Her uncle, Moshe Rubashkin, is serving his second term in federal prison along with his son, Sholom (Jr.).

Matzav.com bills itself as "The Online Voice Of Torah Jewry."

Chabad Raises Money For Rubashkin Defense.

Comments

[AGRI-vated Angel]

[Roza Rubashkin's husband, Rabbi Yaakov Weiss, is currently facing several child molestation charges]

How despicable. Has this family no shame?

[AGRI-vated Angel]

. . . and to make an appeal for financial support as though they are owed as much.

Good grief!

:(

[pierre]

So...of all the things he's accused of - they admit to being witches? OK, Chabadniks ARE weird.

[Frumish]

This is a great long definition for the term Chutzpah.

[itchiemayer]

Maybe A.C.O.R.N. can help them out.

[Parksloper]

Some treat to stumble upon this site. Blogging and commenting like anyone cares.

Where does all this venom come from?

Loosen up, seem like the bunch of you haven't been laid since Nam.

[Parksloper]

It pains me to shatter your perceptions, all your comment and opinions aren't being shared with the "world", but rather with a dozen of your fellow losers.

I find it interesting that in his Bio, Mr. Rosenberg quotes Elie Weisel. I know Mr. Weisel, and I can assure you that he would find this blog and the lot of you nauseating.

With my blessings for a sweet new year,

Parksloper

[soso]

If you know Mr. Wiesel, why don't you know to spell his name?

[somebody]

This is not so much a comment as a question, directed to Parksloper. I am curious: Why did you choose this name? Is it possibly your favorite position (since Nam)? If you check in the books you will see there are better options.

[yidandahalf]

Miss Rubash-in, the "government" has not targeted Sholem Rubash-in or your family. The people have targeted the nefarious business practices founded upon a corrupt and corrupting business model practiced by your family. And the will of the people is something your family and all its various cronies will not be able to overcome.

[sage]

Roza could be far more effective, by conducting a special fund raising campaign, to benefit the Churches in Postville, who are providing for needy folks, etc., instead of her current effort.

[Hometown Postville]

My name is HP and my family is a victim of a crappy economy and depressed rural area. I was brought up in a pios home, my parents helped anyone who asked and contributed to many local causes. Will you please repay this kindness by sending a check to: ME at HP, IA ....... so we can pay our bills and go on the lovely vacation we have dreamed about for years and so deserve? You will certainly be blessed in your generosity. And by the way... SMR is INNOCENT of all charges! He knew NOTHING of the underaged workers, long hours, unsafe conditions, or illegal documents his HR people allowed in his plant! His unscrupulous underlings took it upon themselves to cheat employees out of their health insurance/wages, and charge outrageous rent! And woe to his accounts payable people who neglected to pay the bills! Shame on all of them!

[AGRI-vated Angel]

yidandahalf |

Thank you.

[state of disgust]

I feel sorry for Roza and her children. They must be going through hell with her husband, and father facing serious charges and her uncle and cousin already convicted of crimes.
BTW, has the family given up their summer home in the Catskills? Has it been sold to pay defense costs?

[Parksloper]

Somebody and Soso, Rosenberg mentions it in his 1 line Bio.

[soso]

Matzav censors all commentsexcept those that say they should give. no wonder there are so few comments there.

[West Sider]

To all you people who seem all to happy with Rubashkin's downfall. I wish you all a Kesiva V' Chasima Tova. I hope that G-D sees it fit to give you, your just due.

Just wondering how many of you may have benefited by the Rubashkin's? Here but are but a few of the things they have done to benefit Everybody.
1) Keeping the price of kosher meat and chicken down. Since Agri was closed down, Chicken bottoms went from $1.89 a lb. to $2.79 a lb. London Broil an inexpensive cut of meat went from $6.49 a lb. to $10.99 a lb. even more where I shop in. BTW I was at Rubaskin on 14th yesterday he still has kept his prices down.
2) Their Restaurant Crown on 13th ave, has fed anyone that came in need of a meal regardless of their ability to pay, light years before places like Masbia opened, you know something? The Rubaskin's are still open even today handing out meals to the poor and Hungry. Ever wonder why Mrs. Rubashkin stands there to serve you instead of shopping at Saks? I have.
3) How many kosher butcher stores do you know mark down their prices and extra 10-15% erev shabbos so that families can afford to have protein at their shabbos table instead of lukshen kugel and Kasha varnishkes. I know one store that does. Rubashkin on 14th
4) How many of you degenerates reading this ever needed a place to sleep because your wife threw your sorry asses out onto the street in the middle of the night because you brought her home a treat from a crack hooker that you met at the exit of the lincoln tunnel? Didn't Rubashkin take you into his OWN home to sleep until you worked off the VD?
5) Who here got 5 day eviction notices and ran crying to Moishe Rubashkin, and while he himself was in a world of hurt, dug into his own pocket and paid off your landlord so that your kids would not have to sleep at the Ohel shelter, or even better at your mother-in-laws house?

A book could be written about ALL their kindness and you all lowlife pieces of garbage who accomplished nothing and I mean nothing.. Have the unfiltered chutzpah to even fart a bad word about this family of Chessed? Shame on you, Go to Rubashkin's store today and plead for forgivness from him and cry to him wishing him that Hashem shouild only give Health, Nachas and Parnassah so that he can continue to help all of you missfits that had the nerve to post negative comments in this forum.

[Shmarya]

1) Keeping the price of kosher meat and chicken down.

Pay stealing from poor, illiterate workers. By underselling competition until competition driven from the market, then raising prices. By bank fraud.

When you throw the facts into your mix all the charity the Rubashkins did becomes tainted.

[AGRI-vated Angel]

WS ~

I struggled with #2 as well. Be that as it may . . . I can not condone the self-excusing behavior exhibited by her family members, simply because Rifka is a good & charitable person.

[norm]

I am moved by the plea. I will be giving $100 to the Jewish Food Pantry in St. Louis in honor or Rabbi R. Hashem can front the money for Rabbi R's defense. Just like George Carlin used to say-"God created the heavens and the earth and the entire Unvierse but he always needs money!"

[Office of the Chief Rabbi]

Why not call Roza herself and express your wishes for her family for the new year?
(518) 478-2338
Although perhaps she's already gone to Brooklyn for Tatie's yontif pilgrimage to the ohel.

[westsider]

Shmaryah, I don't know you, however you sound like a good old fashion communist. In America, there is a presumption of innocents, SMR has not been convicted and with G-D's help that will never happen because it is my feeling that most all of the charges were a cheap shot by the labor union which by the way is the darkest stain on our capitalist system, that will come to light. In addition here in America, if you can afford to sell product at below your cost and your crazy enough to run your business that way it is legal to do so. The problem with your argument is that even today Rubashkin is still selling product cheaper then everyone else. As far as the bank goes, the facts are not in evidence as you suggest.. I don't know of a single person in the orthodox or otherwise community that will come forward and state that Rubashkin stole from them, ala Bernie Made Off.
Why am I even having this conversation??

[parksloper]

Good question Westsider, Why bother having this conversation? Some of these "People" spend years and years on sites like these and somehow fail to be enlightened by those smarter and more progressive. I guess that Some fools will Always drink the Koolaid.

Take this site for what it is, a circus sideshow. Entertainment at best.

[parksloper]

West, your talking to a bunch of guys in the Midwest hunched over their computers wearing tube-sox and stained boxer shorts.

Visit this site like you would sites like Darwinawards - Entertainment purposes only.

Watch the fools- don't worked up about it and never EVER try and change them.

[omg]

parksloper, you're an idiot. you think because you live in park slope you're something?? why pick that name??
And westsider, the same for you. trendy guys, get lost!

[Concerned for the Postville Area]

your talking to a bunch of guys in the Midwest hunched over their computers wearing tube-sox and stained boxer shorts.

Shame, shame on you! This midwest is where Rubbish could have had a gold mine, till the greedy lawbreaking idiot abused the area!! ha ha on you! Do the crime Do the TIME! Now he has stooped to level of exploiting his own family, what a hoot! Along with NO sense he also has no PRIDE!

[TheTruthAsItIs]

This letter is a gag, right?

I am sort of with you state of disgust...

If the Rubashkins are so strapped maybe SMR (and Heshy) could sell their big houses in Postville....

Given the oh so vibrant houseing market in Postville that should generate 500 - 600...

dollars.....

lol

[FirstGenerationBavarianAmerican]

"People clearly saw that this was a vendetta - that it was not about what my father did or didn’t do; rather, it was about who he was. A Jew."

How could people in this bedroom community of New York's state capital see that this was a vendetta? The Albany Times-Union did not do any original reporting on the subject, though they may have run some of those short reports from the AP. People usually know who the bad guys are in their neighborhood. Van Iderstine used to stink up half of Long Island City with their fat rendering plant, but nobody up in Albany heard of (or smelt) them. Motto of story: if someone asks you for money to fight something in a far away place, do a little due diligence before turning over your hard earned money.

[Successful Messiah]

This raises an interesting problem. To which charity do I not donate to first - the support SMR fund or the support Scotty fund?

[FirstGenerationBavarianAmerican]

WS wrote:
"........because you brought her home a treat from a crack hooker that you met at the exit of the lincoln tunnel?"
I can't figure out if this post was written by one of our resident satirists or by a serious individual. There haven't been many, if any, crack whores at the exit of the Lincoln Tunnel in years. As for keeping prices low, on another post we hear reports of Uruguayan beef.

Out of sight and out of mind is no excuse.

[soso]

@westsider:

I do not think I ever ate Rubashkin meat, and I do not think I ever used a Rubashkin shelter, and I do not think I ever went to Rubashkin for T'zdaka, since I live in Europe.

But what you say raises an interesting question: Why are so many Ganovim and Mafiosi and fraudsters apparently so great at giving "Tzdaka"?
And why are people so ready to take "Tzdaka" from them, thereby benefitting from ill-gotten money?

Would it not be preferable to quit the frauds and the false Tzdaka?

I suppose the Torah clearly says you cannot do Tzdaka from ill-gotten money. Why do so many folks just ignore this?

[fair is fair]

OMFG---I can't believe you have the nerve to ask for donations to finish out your fathers trial. Its time he uses his money he has stashed away. If he gets donations the rubashkins should consider repaying $$ to the employees that he stole from. I know that Agriprocessors and Sholom Rubashkin were always generous but to read an article like this, meanwhile people are scraping the bottom because they were stole from by the same man/company is just - i don't even know how to express my thoughts and keep it in line.

[sage]

Pirke Avot, Chapter 5, Verse 13.

13. There are four types among men:
He who says, "What is mine is mine and what is yours is yours"--this is the common type, though some say that this is the type of Sodom.

He who says, "What is mine is yours and what is yours is mine"--he is an ignorant man.

He who says, "What is mine is yours and what is yours is thine own"--he is a saintly man.

And he who says, "What is yours is mine, and what is mine is mine"--he is a wicked man.

POP QUIZ:

Which one of these four types does the RCF fall into?

[Shmarya]

Why don't you enlighten us?

[sage]

It's obvious what the right answer is, but I feel, that people should do a lot of independent thinking before coming to their own conclusions.

[Shmarya]

Why is it obvious?

The man gave more charity annually both in total and as a percentage of annual income than 99% of people.

He literally had homeless people living in his house.

So tell me, what's the "right" answer?

[sage]

It's obvious that the fouth type is correct, because charity derived from criminal activity doesn't count.

[Shmarya]

That's true up to a point.

But housing homeless people, for example, involves a lot more than paying to feed them and having the space to house them.

And not every dollar SMR gave to tzedaka came from criminal activity.

I'd be willing to bet he gave a greater percentage of his non-criminal earnings to tzedaka than most people, probably including you.

This doesn't kasher SMR's crimes.

But fair is fair.

Making SMR into an ogre who is completely evil is false and it serves no purpose other than some need you have.

[lou]

OMG-anybody that believes Shalom is innocent is a piece of work. How can the family ask for funds when they themselves robbed AGRI works of their funds. Anyone who used their workers insurance money for personal use and not pay it into the insurance company deserves everything he gets!!!! How nice is it to go to the doctor and find out AGRI has not sent in your insurance money!!!!!

[sage]

+++ When you throw the facts into your mix all the charity the Rubashkins did becomes tainted.

Posted by: Shmarya | September 17, 2009 at 11:23 AM +++

[Shmarya]

I understand nuance is difficult, so let me try again.

There is a fundamental difference between saying the charity he did is tainted, and saying what you said.

No one who knows Rubashkin would say that he thinks what is yours is his and what is his is his.

He is a deeply flawed individual who committed crimes against the weakest among us.

But even then he had moments of kindness that I guarantee you far outpaced any you have ever had, no matter how that is judged.

What you should want is for justice to be done. That justice allows for a robust defense, and that justice also takes into consideration things like a defendant's family situation and other factors.

What you see on Judge Judy is not how the US criminal justice system works.

You don't have to like Sholom Rubashkin. You don't need to consider him innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But you do need to recognize his right to a robust defense.

And you also should go look in the mirror and ask yourself how much money you gave to help the poor and other tzedakas.

And then you should ask yourself if that approaches the halakhic minimum of 10% of your after tax earnings, let alone the much higher percentage Rubashkin most likely gave.

And you should also ask yourself why you pray for Agriprocessors to be destroyed by a tornado, and for Rubashkin to serve dozens of years in prison, instead of praying that the man does real teshuva, serves his time and spends the rest of his life making amends.

Because for someone who says he's basing his actions on Judaism, what you pray for and what you gloat about are not exactly Jewish.

[sage]

1. SMR deserves a fair trial in front of an impartial jury, which he will now get.

2. It is not your part to judge anyone's Tzedakah against another's. Only G-d is the True Judge of this. Be that as it may, my wife and I give large amounts to charity, which benefit Jews and Christians and do countless act of lovingkindness to many, Jews and Christians alike, none of which, will ever be made public.

3. As for the tornado to destroy Agri, I still pray daily for it. If G-d could destroy Sodom and Gommorah, send disastrous plagues against the Egyptians, open up the earth to swallow Korach and his associates, etc., He certainly could send a precisely calibrated tornado to destroy Agri, without any loss of human or animal life, if it becomes His Will.

4. As for SMR, I do not hate him personally, as this is a Torah prohibition, but I do hate the crimes he is alleged to have committed.

Impartial juries will decide his fate and everyone, whether they like it or not, will have to respect their decisions.

[ADRIENNE]

THE RUBASHKIN FAMILY CAME FROM RUSSIA. THEY WERE ABLE TO COME TO AMERICA. THEY SHOULD OF APPRECIATED BEING IN THIS COUNTRY. IT A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY. INSTEAD THEY DECIDED TO BE ABOVE THE LAW, AND THOUGHT THEY COULD GET AWAY WITH EVERYTHING!! MY FAMILY CAME TO THIS COUNTRY BEFORE THE FIRST WORLD WAR. THEY WORKED VERY HARD, AND THEY MADE IT IN THIS COUNTRY WITHOUT BEING ARRESTED. THEY LIVED BY THE LAW OF THE LAND. WHY SHOULD ANYONE FEEL SORRY FOR THE RUBASHKIN. THEY COULD OF BEEN HONEST, BUT THEY CHOSE NOT TO. THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR WHAT THEY DID. ROZAS HUSBAND IS A CHILD MOLESTER, THEY HAVE TO GET HIM OFF THE STREET. IF HE G-D FORBID DID ANYTHING TO MY CHILD I WOULD WANT HIM LOCKED UP. THE RUBASHKINS HAVE TO PAY FOR WHAT THEY DID. EVERYONE WOULD LOVE TO BE RICH, AND HAVE EVERYTHING, BUT YOU HAVE TO GET EVERYTHING HONESTLY!!!!