Rubashkin Fundraiser Nets $160,000

Exhaling deeply after each breath, Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the Novominsker Rebbe, blasted the federal judge that sentenced Sholom Rubashkin for what he called, “corrupt thinking” and a “corrupt way of acting." "What’s happening here?” Rabbi Perlow asked the over 1,000 men and women who gathered in The White Shul for a rally on Dec. 22 for the imprisoned former executive vice president of Agriprocessors. “This is not the European governments who persecute us. Who would’ve thought in this community of freedom and justice this could happen?”

 

Shining a light on Iowa
By Michael Orbach • The Jewish Star

Exhaling deeply after each breath, Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the Novominsker Rebbe, blasted the federal judge that sentenced Sholom Rubashkin for what he called, “corrupt thinking” and a “corrupt way of acting.”

“What’s happening here?” Rabbi Perlow asked the over 1,000 men and women who gathered in The White Shul for a rally on Dec. 22 for the imprisoned former executive vice president of Agriprocessors. “This is not the European governments who persecute us. Who would’ve thought in this community of freedom and justice this could happen?”

Equal parts rally and Jewish theater, the event raised $160,000 for Rubashkin’s legal defense team. He is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for bank fraud. The event had been heavily promoted inside the local Jewish community by numerous local rabbinical figures who encouraged their congregants to attend. Several of the rabbis sat on the dais including Rabbi Yitzchak Knobel of Yeshiva Gedolah of the Five Towns, Rabbi Yaakov Reisman of the Agudah of Far Rockaway and Rabbi Naftali Jaeger of the Shor Yoshuv Institute. The podium before the dais was draped with a poster of the heavily bearded face of Rubashkin alongside an American flag.

The crowd rose in small waves before each approaching rabbinical dignitary.

“Can’t be caught in Brach’s tonight,” one man muttered to his neighbor.

The event was also preceded by a robo-call from Rubashkin’s daughter, Roza Weiss.

“We are so thankful for all the tremendous help and support… Your presence and participation are a tremendous chizuk to our entire family and enables us to continue the effort to free our dear father who we will be reunited with soon.”

With the exception of Rabbi Pinchos Lipshutz, the editor of Yated Ne’eman and the man primarily responsible for fund-raising for the Rubashkin campaign, the speakers struck a complicated note: Sholom Rubashkin was certainly not innocent, but he didn’t deserve the punishment he received.

“None of us says Sholom Mordechai is innocent in the way he and his business ran,” Rabbi Perlow said. “But there’s a shuir (measurement); there’s a gvul (boundary). There’s a way of looking into people’s behavior.”“No one is suggesting that he’s innocent” said Rabbi Eytan Feiner of the White shul who delivered the divrei Torah at the event, “[But] nothing at all close to the harsh sentence.”

During his speech, Rabbi Pinchos Liphshutz regaled the community with stories about Rubashkin’s days in Iowa that veered to hagiography.

“He was a melech [king]… that lived in a prefab house,” Rabbi Lipschutz said. “His greatest joy was helping others.”

Rabbi Lipschutz told a story about how Rubashkin was caught handing money to one of his employees behind the plant. The money, Lipshutz said, was to pay for the woman’s son’s funeral.

“He was like a tzaddik out of the story books,” Rabbi Lipschutz said.

While the crusade for a new trial for Rubashkin has garnered impressive signatories including six former attorneys generals and 23 congressmen, inside the legal communities the 27-year sentence was not viewed so surprisingly.

“The sentence is high but not ridiculously so or unprecedented,” Stephanos Bibos, professor of Law and Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania Law School told The Jewish Star at the time of the sentencing. “What’s driving this is a rather by-the-book application of the stiff white-collar sentences that were jacked up in the wake of Enron, WorldCom and other corporate scandals of the last decade or so.  The $26 million figure drives this unless the judge looks for a way around it and here she didn’t. Other judges would try to squint harder to reduce the foreseeability or intended loss — that can be  an unclear and contestable issue.

“The Midwest is just a pretty conservative by-the-book region when it comes to federal sentencing.  Rejecting the pleas for mercy based on the sick kid and charitable works is pretty standard.”

Other members of the Rubashkin extended family have faced legal trouble in the past year. Moshe Rubashkin, Sholom’s brother, served a 16-month prison sentence for storing hazardous waste in his textile mill. In January, Rubashkin’s son-in-law, Yaakov Weiss, admitted to molesting a 13-year-old boy in a mikveh in Albany. Milton Balkany, Rubashkin’s brother-in-law, was found guilty of attempting to blackmail billionaire hedge-fund manager Steve Cohen in November and will be sentenced in February. Balkany was defended by prominent criminal defense attorney and Lawrence resident Ben Brafman.

The rally seemed to have hit their target with Elie Kahn, a yeshiva student from Shor Yoshuv who said he was planning on giving.

“It made a pretty strong impact,” Kahn said. “Klal Yisroel needs to show solidarity for the world to see that the Jews came together for Rubashkin.”

Rubashkin found a supporter in Wendy Weiner Runge, who flew out from Iowa for the rally. Runge, a religious Jew and mother of four, is on trial in Iowa for financial charges stemming from a state-sponsored film tax credit program.

“I have a keen understanding of what his family is going through,” Runge told The Jewish Star. “This is how they do things in Iowa… It’s happening again. They felt I was an easy target: a frum yid (Religious Jew).”

Her lawyer has already filed a motion to have the case dismissed, and Runge alleged misconduct on the part of the Iowa prosecutors. Runge’s case, however, has not garnered the same public support as Rubashkin, and because of the trial she is already hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. She believed it had something to do with who she is and the nature of the case.

“I’m a woman and I made a film,” Runge said. “My job is to do hishtadlus (effort)… [and] my hishtadlus is to do what I can do shine a light on the evil in Iowa.”

Comments

[OMG]

Over a thousand people and they only raised $160,000.00, $160.00 per person. Not impressive at all.

[Shmarya]

Actually, it's very impressive.

[Abracadabra]

Great article! Michael Orbach balanced this one very, very well in my opinion. He can't outrightly say that Rubashkin was guilty, so he quotes the Rabbis as saying that. And his description of Lipshutz's speech - excellent!

He had to balance the article's presentation, and he did a good job of it.

Of course if I would have written the article, I would have blasted the Rabbis who are supporting the whole thing, and have asked where the 2-million they raised previously went, and shame on SMR for trying to raise money from the poor-middle class of Jews who will now give less to Tomchei Shabbos and other REAL charities. And I would have written a lot more negative stuff, which everyone here on FM knows, but the general population doesn't know.

But I don't work for the Jewish star...

Out of all the articles that I keep reading about Rubashkin, this one is the best. It didn't actually make me want to throw up!

[JC]

*Over a thousand people and they only raised $160,000.00, $160.00 per person. Not impressive at all*

Not impressive! I say damn impressive since I am sure many COUPLES went. Where do all these fucken jews get all this money to throw away? Were all these thousand people members of lubavitch or is this Rubashkin issue one that transends chabad and is now a jewish issue?

[Jon]

What did the "Brach's" comment mean? I missed that reference.

[yidandahalf]

It meant he couldn't be caught out fressing and eating blinis instead of attending the early purim spiel.

[John the Baptist]

Sorry Shmarya - but 160k is almost embarrassing ...it means that the big givers have already given whatever they're going to give, and now it's scrape the bottom of the barrel time. The return on the amount of effort that went into this thing is pretty sad....

[outoftowner]

I fund raise for a non profit and with the current business climate out there it is hell. 160,000 in one night with no expenses is amazing.

[IH]

$160K is impressive if this is a replicatable road show; but not if this is essentially a one-shot star-studded fundraiser.

From this article I get the sense it is the latter.

[Menachem Mendel lll]

EXCELLENT.

Only $1,840,000.00 to go!

Please make the check payable on behalf of the convicted criminal element "Rabbi" Rubashkin to: The United States Government for fines and penalties in arrears.

Moshiach Uber Alles!

[John the Baptist]

Outoftowner...I raise money, too...160k for an event like this....if it happened to me there would be major angst the next day...it's like they're squeezing the "amcha" people now...I don't know where the real money is, but it wasn't involved at this fundraiser...

[effie]

All hell is going to break out on Monday.

[FirstGenerationBavarianAmerican]

+++$160K is impressive if this is a replicatable road show; but not if this is essentially a one-shot star-studded fundraiser.+++

If you go through the archives here on FM, you will find posts on, my guess, about 75% of the fundraisers known to have taken place, and there could have been two dozen. It was not often that the "take" was announced afterwards for a particular rally.

As for the amount of money raised, what is impossible to track is the number of people in an area like the Five Towns who are going to the Internet to research the subject before deciding to attend or attending one of these fund raising rallies. Certainly in New York, many agencies and government officials urge people to know about the charity they are giving to.

[YbM]

what a hypocritical poster. patriot 'rubbish can' in a pensive position against the background of the flag. that's a desacration of the stars and stripes if u ask me!
since when do those trolls care about anything this flag represents?

[FirstGenerationBavarianAmerican]

According to "Al Jazeera", Brett Tollman was there as well, claiming unlawful communication between the judge and prosecutors.

[OMG]

Shmarya, and all
In aggregate, I agree that 160K is a lot of money which could have been used for better causes, but reflecting on the individual, 160 dollars, is a pittances, in particular, when supporters of SMR, are conveying a massage, that this prosecution is the beginning of the Anti-Semitic persecution à la, Nazi Germany, 160 dollars is nothing but chicken feed.

[chaim36]

The tragedy of this huge chilul hashem is that no one even talks about REMORSE.All this fund raising misses the point of not showing some remorse.

[Yerachmiel Lopin]

I love the way these guys wave the flag for 5 Towns where there is a modern contingent and then stomp on it in their own neighborhoods.

I loved the way the Novocainer Rebbe (alias Yaakov Perlow) accused the judge of "corrupt thinking." The Rebbe, head of Agudah, is a maven on the subject of corrupt thinking.

I doubt he has ever met a corrupt scheme he did not like, until after it was exposed.

Clearly the work of blogs like FM and others is far from done if they could raise $160k. Unfortunately, we have no good idea about the many others who refused to give or gave smaller amounts because of our efforts.

[IH]

FirstGenerationBavarianAmerican: the people attending are not doing due diligence. The Brach's comment said it all.

http://www.thefivetowns.com/images/brachs.pdf

This whole pathetic farce seems to be winding down. One hopes, in any case, as there are so many better uses of even $160K (let alone the millions down the toilet already).

[Garnel Ironheart]

Keep in mind what the Novominsker probably knows and doesn't know about the situation.
Remember he doesn't watch the TV news, probably doesn't own a radio and being near an internet computer gives him hives. As a result, he's totally dependent on his askanim to tell him about the situation. And what do you think they told him, and all the others who are in the audience:
1) Rubashkin is a completely perfect frum yid
2) For NO reason at all the government decided to persecute him and destroy his business.
3) Despite overwhelming evidence at his trial of his innocence, the judge handed him a guilty sentence
4) The sentence was beyond anything reasonable

If that's all you knew about the situation and you had no inner voice that said "Hang on, let me investigate for myself", what would you conclude?

[A E ANDERSON]

What makes this tawdry is that everybody knows the Rubashkin family isn't poor. Collectively, if you include the in-laws, there's some very respectable money and assets floating around out there. Foisting his cause on the public like a pauper is unseemly and distasteful.

I think he got the shaft for all the wrong reasons (technical bank fraud under circumstances largely beyond his control). In my mind, he should have been tried and probably convicted on the immigration-related counts, which are and remain the sore and festering central issue.

Here, this wealthy family (why daddy Aaron escapes culpability befuddles me) splashes around the haredi community like royalty, uses allegedly unfair business practices to marginalise competition, cuts every corner possible in the humane treatment of animals, uses and frankly abuses the most vulnerable of foreign and illegal labour, and then leaves a cesspool of shit for the Catholics to clean up.

Then Chabad, which treats Rubashkin as some kind of quasi-official shliach, adopts the Rubashkin cause without any sense of guilt that every person who benefitted from Rubashkin charity or low-cost meat shares in his moral guilt for the maltreatment of labour.

This does not mean I believe he received a fair trial. I think the feds in their zeal to collect charges and counts failed to edit themselves and focus on the narrow issues they needed to establish. The result is that I think he will likely be back in court someday.

But damned if I'll help pay for it.

N.B. - I am frankly torn over the schnorring issue. On one hand, there is ample precedent for public figures enmired in expensive legal scandals and partisan prosecutions to raise funds for their legal defence. In this regard, he's no worse than Bill Clinton or Scooter Libby. But given the nature of his real crime -- the abuse of downtrodden, illegal labour -- it's hard for me to see how anybody could sympathise with him.

Of course, we can argue whether his were crimes in the sense of an inherent malice, or the mere transgression of government rules (minimum wage, immigration status and classification). After all, people went out of their way to lie and forge just to get these substandard Agriprocessor jobs. And with a meth lab on site, loose workplace morals, not to mention the easy buy-here-pay-here car sales for employees, a job at Agri may well have been the Promised Land for a barefoot illegal who grew up without indoor plumbing.

But in the end, Rubashkin presided over this cesspool as the town poritz, lavishing largess on the Haredi Jews, and leaving the poor goyim to live herded in company housing, at substandard wages, in poor work conditions. Every day, he put on no less than two pair of tefillin, recited the Jewish liturgy and Psalms, studied a portion of Pentatuech and the mystical Tanya text, invoking his special connection with the most supernal levels of the Godhead. He sang, he farbrenged, and he drank Mountain Dew. Meanwhile, his neighbor, the stranger in his midst, the stranger who he imported, cried, suffered and went hungry.

I wonder if he feels sorry.

[treif]

whom are they kidding? A pre-fab home, every jew should have his pre-fab 8500 sq ft. home, oh and don't forget all of the furniture they bought, or the custom made dining room table to seat 40. they make it sound like they lived poorly, they spent money like crazy, leah has diamomds and lots of expensive jewelry, humm I am wondering if she sold her 1.86 ct diamond ring to free her husband?

[Is Shmaryahu Jewish?]

How long would it take for the other SMR SMaryahu to raise 16K? Never mind 160k.

[Gevalt!]

With all due respect to my regular colleagues/posters on this board, you are still not seeing (or understanding) how fundraising really works.

Let me clue you in...

$160k is what they got in checks either from mail-in donations or at the door...

What you dont understand is that the rally that night is nothing more than a bait and switch - if indeed, “out of towner” and “john the baptist” are involved in fundraising as they state above - they will confirm what i am about to tell you all as emes.

At each fundraising event, there is a projected amount of what you expect to get from the door and/or mail-in donations...but that is only the gravy! it is not the meat.

What happens at these rallys (or any fundraiser) is that the team of fundraisers who coordinated the event and who have the ultimate responsibility of making sure the event is a success, have an extremely important job on the actual night of the event...

They are networking and massaging the room. They are “casing the joint”...

They are carefully eyeballing which "big guns" came into the room. They are taking mental notes as to who is paying attention to the speakers and who is embracing the cause (whatever that cause may be for the night). Those identified individuals who 1. Have money and 2. Showed up to show some level of support (but who may not be fully committed yet) and 3. Listened attentively or with interest to the program of the night...are then put into a target category. These individuals are hand selected and privately solicited - at their homes or office - where a group of the organizational team, local rabbonim and influential askonim (community members) come to "close them" on the bigger donation.

It can be a 1 time donation, a monthly donation, matching against other families pledge or some other form of commitment...but make no mistake...they will close the deal...that is what they do...that is what they are paid to do...in many cases, they are “incentivized” to get as much as they can because they get base salary plus commission - as such, the more they get, the more goes into their pockets...

The $160k is what they got that night or at time of the announcement...they larger bucks...the serious bucks have to be carefully extracted in 1 on 1 meetings...That is how it works folks...for all of the major players in the game....any yeshiva/kollel/organization that has any success in fundraising really view these rallies or parlor meetings or dinners as nothing more than a way to get the "regular donation" in the door, but more importantly, as an essential primer for the main event - the closing of the big fishie...

As captain Jack Sparrow would say...savvy now?

[Menachem Mendel lll]

YbM,

Good point.

I trust these Hebrew men who are out for justice and pidyon shvuyim also have fundraisers for their imprisoned Jewish brother Jonathan Pollard who helped the Jewish State but was unable to give them cash kickbacks under the table.

[treif]

TO THE LADY ROUGE WHOM IS ALREADY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN DEBT BECAUSE OF THE TRIALS SO FAR, YOU NEVER WILL EVEN GET ONE OF THOSE JEWS TO LOOK AT YOU NOR TO EVER GIVE YOU MORE THAN 1.00 FOR HELP, YOU DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO OTHER PEOPLES MONEY TO GIVE TO CHARITY.,SHOLOM MADE A NAME FOR HIMSELF, YOU SEE HE STOLE TO GIVE CHARITY AND HAD ACCESS TO MILLIONS TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF, I WONDER DID YOU COME HERE TO ATTRACT ATTENTION TO YOURSELF TO GET MONEY?

[HF]

Why won't Lewin do this Pro Bono instead of leaching off of an already hurting community and struggling organizations. If they had any guts they would ask lawyers to donate time instead of shilling off the people.

[reb chaim]

Why did SMR deserve such a severe sentence? Because he proudly wears a black hat and has a long beard and says to the community, "Look at me, I'm a chasid, a very pious and righteous individual. Judge me by a higher standard, not just the guidelines set forth under the US criminal code." Hence 27 years in jail is appropriate for such an individual who brought disgrace not only to himself, but also to the Jewish people as a whole.

[norm]

That's what hey announced-How mcuh in cash and how much in peldges and did they tell people their contributiosn were deductible (they are not).

Rubashkin is Chabad and Chabad is Rubashkin-why do so many Mainstream Jews not realize what Chabad really is?

[JC]

*160 dollars is nothing but chicken feed*

I don't know about that. When Shmarya solicited funds from us, considering his following of some ten thousand people I got the distinct feeling that he got a small fraction of what he should have raised if you churn out the 5 towns Rubashkins event numbers. So I still remain impressed.

It looks like this money machine has plenty of life to keep the Rubashkins show running for many years to come.

[I donated]

Thanks for the comments on this blog I was inspired to donate $360.00 to the Sholom Rubashkin defense fund and I'm far from hassidic.

[reb chaim]

Just got a great idea. If the pidyon shvuyim rallies for Rubashkin have been so successful, how about organizing one for another famous Jewish criminal - Bernie Madoff? After all, if 27 years is considered too long for SMR, what about 150 years for BLR? Alright, so he's not a frum Jew, but he was a very big baal tzedakah.

[Dayah]

I'll donate, yet again.

Although he's not innocent, every single one of you should be personally affronted by the extremeness of the sentence. You're no angels; you too have broken law here and there. If each one of you resha'im would send $5 or $10 etc., it can make a difference, and the mitzvoh will mitigate for you later on in shamayim, and believe me! you'll be needing it.

Pidyon Shvuyim Fund
53 Olympia Lane
Monsey, NY 10952

To use credit card, the Yated Ne'eman website has a link.

May you merit never to be persecuted

[effie]

Shmarya inspired me to donate a Gazillion Bazillion Trillion dollars!!!1!!!!1!!

[reb chaim]

Oh boy, what chuptzpah from the pidyon shvuyim fund. I doubt very much if anyone reading this blog has committeed crimes anywhere near those of SMR. Nearly all people in this world can be classified as baynonim, neither resha'im or tzadikim. Maybe we parked illegally a few times, or jaywalked. But we never defrauded a bank out of millions of dollars or employed hundreds of underage, illegal aliens at substandard pay and living conditions. Therefore I doubt very much if making even a small contribution to this fund would help us in olam haboh.

[Dayah]

Reb chaim,

It was posted by ME.
And im not fooled; youve done worse than illegal park or jaywalk. Understand, that bigger business ALWAYS translates into bigger money.

You need the mitzvoh as much as smr needs the money

[effie]

Dayah: And you need to stop projecting.

[Dayah]

Resha'im,

Perhaps helping smr can ward off an audit, you never know

[ah-pee-chorus]

Dayah -

how much have you given and schnorred for the defense of people rotting in jail for 25 years for selling drugs? where there is no victim? rubbashkin had many hundreds of victims.

[JC]

*Maybe we parked illegally a few times, or jaywalked. But we never defrauded a bank out of millions of dollars or employed hundreds of underage, illegal aliens *

You touched on an important point. Clearly most people commit financial crimes if they feel that they can get away with it. If I play the lottery and win $5 – I, as well as the *vast* majority of people, will *not* report the winnings to the IRS even though we know that we should. Most people are not in a position to defraud banks or employ hundreds of illegal aliens; this does not mean that they wouldn’t.

We are not such wonderful people, we are fucken criminals only some are bigger criminals than others and some are unlucky enough to get caught.

The problem with many jews lately is that they are being caught, haredim in particular.

[Dayah]

Ah pee chorus,

At worst, shareholders might have indivdually lost a couple of dollars. Besides, the agri workers were satisfied with their pay. It's not necessary for anyone to be dissatisfied on their behalf or teach them that in hindsight they should have been dissatisfied -- thats twisted logic. Thus there are no substantial victims of smr's fraud.

In contrast, thousands of people die from drug abuse. If it werent so harmful, it wouldnt be illegal. Yet i agree that the punishments are too harsh; however plenty of orgs are lobbying to reduce the sentences.

If we dont help smr, who should?

[e-truth]

Dayah,

How about raising money foor poor families or for a family who lost thier child and house in a fire.

Why is everything rubashkin, what makes him so important?????????

[Dayah]

E-truth,

There are many causes, and hopefully everyone's important needs will be met.

The main difference is -- they're at least FREE. In Rubashkin's case, hopefully, a successful appeal will set him free. Unfortunately the effort costs millions.

Hashem who can provide anything is now providing us with this great mitzvoh opportunity

[Ariela]

rubashkin is the poster child for the Lubavich. They are no better than under-the-rock dwellers. They are slimy and very smart, they know how to "play" you, you being honest people who have life tragedies, turn to a "rabbi" at your most vulnerable time, unknowingly get a snake in the grass Lubavich, and get taken, meaning hit upon; sexually, financially, for whatever ends they have in mind. I don't trust a one of them due to first-hand experience. They will feed you, supply you with alcohol, party you, flatter you, lie to you, just to get what they want. And the hell with you. Hard to believe, that these orthodox Jews who are so devout, who daven in the subways, are so low. And Rubashkin was caught, Hallelujah, along with his pervert family members, they should all be removed from harming society again.

[Dayah]

Come on, resha'im . . .Do something good for a change . . . Help Rubashkin

[Justice Seeker]

Dayah: Talk about twisted logic. I don't believe that the defrauded shareholders elected you their spokesman, or that they are satisfied. Neither have you been elected spokesman for the workers who were cheated out of pay and overtime. Workers whose insurance premiums ended up in Rubashkin pockets. Workers to afraid to speak because they were fired with impunity. Dayah your comments are a stench in the nostrils of free thinking men.

[Dayah]

Justice seeker,

Like anywhere else, some workers had some grievances that needed to be settled in small-claims court or otherwise, but WHAT ABOUT 27 YEARS DONT YOU UNDERSTAND??? INjustice seeker!!!

[Shmarya]

Justice seeker,

Like anywhere else, some workers had some grievances that needed to be settled in small-claims court or otherwise, but WHAT ABOUT 27 YEARS DONT YOU UNDERSTAND??? INjustice seeker!!!

Posted by: Dayah | December 30, 2010 at 02:03 PM

What about the woman who was refused cancer treatment because Rubashkin stole the insurance premiums?

What about the thousands of workers shorted who were regularly shorted pay and who are owed collectively millions of dollars?

The workers who were extorted and sexually abused?

The suppliers he stole from?

The competitors he illegally competed against?

27 years is a long time, to be sure, but it is a normal post-Enron sentence for white collar thieves like Rubashkin in the Midwest,

He could have accepted a plea deal for 12 years, but he turned it down.

[Dayah]

Shmarya rasha,

12 years is a very large chunk of one's life. How would you like to be locked away for 12 years?

You keep on repeating that the 27 year sentence is too long. You should then encourage your viewers to help out. It's a very costly effort.

You can set an example. If you donate and post it, others may follow suit.

[Shmarya]

Shmarya rasha,

1. 12 years is a very long time. He should have thought about that before committing dozens of federal crimes.

2. You want me to raise money for him, but you call me "rasha"?

3. The example that should be set would be done by Rubashkin admitting his guilt, apologizing to the lenders, suppliers and employees he stole from, and apologizing for his lies about the the government. But, of course, that example will never be set.

[Ariela]

Go, Shmarya, you are so correct in your appraisal of this situation...

Thank you for your expose of these very bad people.

[Dayah]

A rasha can do good deeds. Every good deed counts, and a rasha can do teshuva at any time. You neednt play sensitive about the title, because thats what youve chosen to be.

Rubashkin hasnt called you names. You have the ability to make a big difference for rubashkin. And for yourself, not only would your donation mitigate for you, but if your mitzvoh breeds others, youd have a chalek in each and every one

[Shmarya]

1. YOU called me a name.

2. The best deed anyone could do right now is to get Rubashkin to admit his guilt and apologize.

[Ariela]

Go, Shmarya. Yes, how honorable if Rubashkin admitted and apologized. That's what a real mench would do, and the fact that it has never yet happened just goes to underline the fact that he is a low-life. Miserable, harming so many people. As long as they weren't Jewish, but plenty of Jews have been hurt by him as well. Scum of the earth.

[Dayah]

He has admitted to fictitious invoices to inflate receivables, temporary diversion of payments, and paying some company a few days late. He also opologized for all that in court.

Now, you and your web site can have a major role in the effort to achieve equal and fair justice for smr.

[e-truth]

Dayah,

Too many resources are being wasted on rubashkin. With the amount of money being spent on advertising for rubashkin, you could of helped hundreds of people who needed life saving operations. But i guess rubashkin is more important then anything. After all look at all the advertising money he brings in.

[Shmarya]

He has admitted to fictitious invoices to inflate receivables, temporary diversion of payments, and paying some company a few days late. He also opologized for all that in court.

Now, you and your web site can have a major role in the effort to achieve equal and fair justice for smr.

Posted by: Dayah | December 30, 2010 at 02:50 PM

He said he made mistakes.

But he did not apologize for money laundering, and the stealing from his employees, etc., and he did not apologize to the specific people he hurt – other than his community.

He made no attempt at paying back what he stole and refuses to this day to cooperate with the court-ordered restitution.

[Dayah]

E-truth,

It is truly a shame that so much money is needed. But a believer knows that ALL of the world's resources is directly in Hashem's hands. If He had wanted life to be so easy for us, food (grains, vegetables, etc.) would grow effortlessly like weeds. It did before the mabul, but too much time on peoples' hands led to sin which led to the mabul. We need to look into the Torah to figure out what Hashem wants us to do. Pidyon shvuyim is a BIG one. He who apportions rain can replenish anyone's pocket in ways that arent obvious: a transmission that didnt break, a heart that stayed healthy, etc.

[ah-pee-chorus]

Dayah- as shmarya and others have pointed out, he had hundreds of victims in addition to the shareholders of the parent bank. and there might be hundreds of people living on the income provided by the banks operations who suffered greatly.but they are meaningless since they dont wear tsitsis.

and people who die of drug abuse did so willingly. rubashkins victims were just that, VICTIMS.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Dayah, why can't erliche yidden like Nat Lewin and Alan Dershowitz donate their efforts for such a worthy cause and such a fine man like Reb Rubashkin? Why do they insist on so much money? Why not a discount or donation of their services? Why don't they trust the Rubashkins and allow a long term payment plan for his legal bills?

[Dayah]

Shmarya, regarding restitution, he has been completely and thoroughly impoverished. That in itself is plenty punishing.

Of course i cant force you to help him if you dont want to. Im just trying to encourage you to take advantage to the fullest of the great opportunities at your disposal.

Please, jump onto the bandwagon in pursuit of true justice

[ah-pee-chorus]

gevalt--nice informative post. thanks..

[Dayah]

Ahpeechorus: your info is inaccurate. If youd investigate, youd learn that basically noone was harmed. Even the "poor workers" didnt talk bad about smr in court, even though the prosecutors coaxed them

[Dayah]

Wsc: the overwhelming majority of jews all over the country are personally affronted by the sentence. It is a communal matter. Lewin took this case in liew of other, easier cases. When all is said and done, he'll have swallowed a lot, but it wouldnt be fair for the whole burden to be his

[Shmarya]

Please, jump onto the bandwagon in pursuit of true justice

Posted by: Dayah | December 30, 2010 at 03:25 PM

True justice?

You clowns wouldn't know true justice if God himself showed it to you.

[Dayah]

Shmarya,
Are you implying that YOU know justice? In addition to his impoverishment by the government, how many years in jail do you think smr deserves?

[ah-pee-chorus]

+++If youd investigate, youd learn that basically noone was harmed. +++

Posted by: Dayah

when you say things like this you hurt your cause more than you can imagine. not to mention your complete lack of credibility. but that doesnt seem to bother you.

[e-truth]

Dayah,

I didnt know that pidyon shvuyim is more important then saving lives. Especially when the "captive" could get a court apointed lawyer at no cost.

Also no one told rubashkin not to take the plea deal.

[Justice Seeker]

The discourse with Dayah is fruitless. I would rather support the victims with my contributions. Considering the Rubashkins and the circumstance of SMR, his brother, nephew, bro-in-law, and son-in-law, I think I'll steer clear of that particular charity.

[Dayah]

E-truth,
I didnt say its more important, and it doesnt have to be either or. Pidyon shvuyim is nearly saving life. Time spent in prison isnt considered "living"

[effie]

Again, I can't wait to read his brief on Monday though it will probably take a couple of days to post on the court's website. Maybe, someone in his inner circle will release it on Monday? There should be plenty in it to mis-interpret to make his groupies happy.

[Dayah]

Hashem has instructed us as to which mitzvos to do, and provides us with the ability to do them

[Shmarya]

Shmarya,
Are you implying that YOU know justice? In addition to his impoverishment by the government, how many years in jail do you think smr deserves?

Posted by: Dayah | December 30, 2010 at 03:43 PM

The US Sentencing Guidelines call for 22 to 30 years. Rubashkin got 25, plus two more for perjuring himself in court.

How much should he have received?

If he had cooperated with the government, if he hadn't obstructed justice and destroyed evidence, if he hadn't lied to investigators and to the prosecutors, if he had made efforts at restitution, and if he had told his backers to stop lying and defaming his opponents, I'd say 6 years.

But Rubashkin did not behave well and he continued to break the law even after his indictment.

So all the mercy in the world won't get him 6 years.

[Dayah]

Injustice seeker,
Youre no tzatzkeleh. There are very few goody-goodies blogging here. Youve done your "stuff". If youd ever be persecuted the way smr has been, youd hope people would care enough

[Dayah]

Shmarya,
With all that smr hadnt done that you wish he would have done, how many years do you think he deserves?

[e-truth]

dayah

The millions that have been wasted on rubashkin, could have been used to save 10 lives. Are you telling me that he is more important then 10 people.

[Shmarya]

Injustice seeker,
Youre no tzatzkeleh. There are very few goody-goodies blogging here. Youve done your "stuff". If youd ever be persecuted the way smr has been, youd hope people would care enough

Posted by: Dayah | December 30, 2010 at 03:56 PM

So when Rubashkin's illegal workers were extorted, when they were forced to work unpaid overtime without breaks, when women were forced to give supervisors sexual favors, you wouldn't call that being persecuted? A 17 year old girl on her knees blowing a supervisor to keep her job?

27 years seems about right for guy who ran a company like that.

[Shmarya]

Shmarya,
With all that smr hadnt done that you wish he would have done, how many years do you think he deserves?

Posted by: Dayah | December 30, 2010 at 03:59 PM

The law says 22 to 30, and we're commanded to follow that law, now aren't we? Dina d'malkhuta dina.

[Dayah]

Youre misinterpreting "dina . . ." that means in certain circumstances laws of the land take precedence. zoning is an example. The Torah instructs us to help free prisoners.

You changed your mind. Now youre saying that you agree with 27 years? (youve just exaggerated and lied about things that smr was responsible for)

[Dayah]

E-truth,
Hashem gave you life and provided you with all that you have. There was never a shortage of causes. If He instructed us to do something, it means that we CAN, without expending lives

[Shmarya]

Youre misinterpreting "dina . . ." that means in certain circumstances laws of the land take precedence. zoning is an example. The Torah instructs us to help free prisoners.

No. The halakha is we follow dina d'malkhuta dina unless it specifically conflicts with a Torah law. That doesn't mean the punishment given. It means that a civil law mandating the violation of a Torah law would not be followed, for example a civil law mandating the consumption of pork by all citizens every Sunday would not be followed by us.

Rubashkin broke laws covered by dina d'malkhuta dina, and the punishment he was given is normal for the midwest for violation of those laws.

So there is no piyon shvuyim, either.

[Dayah]

Did you change your mind, shmarya?

[Dayah]

Youre brainwashed that its normal for the midwest. There isnt a comparable case in the country. Same as pollard.

Again, how much prison do you personally feel he deserves? For example, if a relative of yours would get into trouble for the identical lawbreaks, how much jail time would you feel is just?

[Shmarya]

Did you change your mind, shmarya?

Posted by: Dayah | December 30, 2010 at 04:16 PM

Have you figured out yet that Rubashkin hurt a ton of people, that he stole a lot of money and that he has never apologized for that or made any restitution, even as he spends millions of dollars for PR and defense?

[e-truth]

Dayah

I havent spoke to hashem lately to know if he wants me to give money to rubashkin.

You seem to know what hashem wants, are you blessed with prophecy.

[Shmarya]

Youre brainwashed that its normal for the midwest. There isnt a comparable case in the country. Same as pollard.

You're wrong. The Jewish Star even quotes a legal expert that agrees with me.

Perhaps YOU are "brainwashed."

[Dayah]

So far no one came up with a truly comparable example. Id have seen it.

How much jail would you feel is just if the offender was your relative?

[Dayah]

E-truth
We all have access to that extent of prophesy in the form of the Torah

[Shmarya]

So far no one came up with a truly comparable example. Id have seen it.

Not true. I posted one not long ago and you can find others – which is why the legal expert quoted above says what she says.

How much jail would you feel is just if the offender was your relative?

Posted by: Dayah | December 30, 2010 at 04:29 PM

It doesn't matter what I "feel." It matters what the law is.

If you people would work to change that law for everybody, I would support you.

But you don't.

[Dayah]

Shmarya rasha, youre a simply an evil liar. Youre still giving arguments anew that have been long refuted. How did i think i could influence you to do anything good? Im giving up. Just know, youll be very sad when you die and are confronted by you own evil

[Hometown Postville]

Given all the twists and turns in the original trial, I'm really looking forward to the new dog and pony show they'll put on for the appeal! Where is all this money going and when will it end? Just how much is needed to conduct an appeal? Seems to me the law team has already made enough to fuel even the greediest lifestyle. But if it is a Rubashkin FAMILY fund... that explains a lot since there's about 3 or 4 of them in the clink now, so that many families are without working daddies. These lawyers will have work for the rest of their lives! How do Leah and Roza continue their lifestyle with their men incarcerated? Taxes/utilities/insurance alone on an 8500 sq foot home and vehicles, besides what is needed to raise 10 kids- what would you estimate?

[Shmarya]

Shmarya rasha, youre a simply an evil liar. Youre still giving arguments anew that have been long refuted. How did i think i could influence you to do anything good? Im giving up. Just know, youll be very sad when you die and are confronted by you own evil

Posted by: Dayah | December 30, 2010 at 04:39 PM

So you can't refute what I said so you call me a name?

When will you wake up?

Nat Lewin and Pinny Lifschutz are lying to try to get Rubashkin out, and people like you are naive enough to believe them.

[e-truth]

Dayah

It seems that you do not know the Torah because in jewish law their is an order who gets helped first. Somone like rubashkin gets pushed to the back of the line. One, he could get a court appointed lawyer Two, he is not doing hard labor in Siberia, he is in a place were he can keep his religion. When the Talmud talks about Pidyon shvuyim its talking where the captive is in danger of being killed or is not allowed to keep his religion.

[WoolSilkCotton]

++Dayah | December 30, 2010 at 03:31 PM++

Was Peter Noone harmed by Rubashkin?

Mrs. Rubashkin, you've got an ugly daughter.

Dayah, something tells me you're into something no good.

[Dayah]

E-truth, many who have contributed to rubashkin have given larger amounts for other pressing needs. But this campaign needs to be ongoing and extensive because litigation is so costly and the opponant has unlimited resources.

Our talmidei chachamim, who are inundated by important causes, are unanimous about this being a priority. You dont know better than them

[WoolSilkCotton]

++the overwhelming majority of jews all over the country are personally affronted by the sentence++

The overwhelming majority of Jew in the USA are not orthodox, and categorically condemn the actions of a hasidic lowlife crook and his disgusting acolytes like you.

By the way, Crown Heights is not "the overwhelming majority of jews all over the country".

[Shmarya]

Our talmidei chachamim, who are inundated by important causes, are unanimous about this being a priority. You dont know better than them

Posted by: Dayah | December 30, 2010 at 05:07 PM

Should read: "Our talmidei chachamim – many of whom are one step away from being indicted for money laundering, collusion and obstruction of justice – who are inundated by important causes like covering their own asses, are unanimous about this being a priority."

[e-truth]

Dayah

The reason why the talmidei chachamim consider it a priority is because Pinny Yated Who is well conected with the talmedei chachamim is rabashkins spokesperson.
Do you think talmidi chachmim see everything and cant be fooled.Wasn't Yitzchock fooled by eisav.

[Dayah]

Look who's talking shmarya,

Murphy's law: The one who spreads the most accusations is usually the guiltiest, and when the feds get you, you wont be remembered positively.
I doubt that youre much needed by family or anyone. You have nothing good to contribute. Wholl help you?

[itchiemayer]

The only thing Nat Lewin has swallowed is his credibility.