Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv Eats Chicken Slaughtered At The Illegal Slaughterhouse Of A Notorious Haredi Street Thug

Shortly before the municipal and tax officials raided the establishment, they visited the houses of two ultra-Orthodox leaders suspected of operating the abattoir for years without reporting earnings for tax purposes, and without monitoring sanitation. The two leaders, Rabbi Avraham Freulich and Yoel Krauss - who is considered a kind of security operations officer for the haredi community [he's actually the head street thug for Eidah Haredit, responsible for many riots, beatings and  attacks] - were detained for questioning at the Russian Compound detention facility.

Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv

Illegal ultra-orthodox Jerusalem slaughterhouse back in operation
The illegal slaughterhouse in Mea She'arim, which the police closed two months ago, is back in action.
By Oz Rosenberg Tags • Ha’aretz
   
Six weeks ago, Jerusalem's Mea She'arim neighborhood was transformed for a few hours into a battlefield where ultra-Orthodox clashed with police. The cause was a raid by the Israel Tax Authority and Jerusalem municipality on an illegally operated slaughterhouse in the neighborhood. As the incident - which resulted in injuries to two policemen and six arrests - unfolded, neighborhood residents vowed that the slaughterhouse would resume operation. Last Sunday, they made good on that promise.

Shortly before the municipal and tax officials raided the establishment, they visited the houses of two ultra-Orthodox leaders suspected of operating the abattoir for years without reporting earnings for tax purposes, and without monitoring sanitation. The two leaders, Rabbi Avraham Freulich and Yoel Krauss - who is considered a kind of security operations officer for the Haredi community - were detained for questioning at the Russian Compound detention facility.

Rumors about the tax officials' arrival at their homes circulated quickly, and about 100 ultra-Orthodox streamed toward the homes of Freulich and Krauss. They hurled any objects they could find at police and tax officials - stones, metal objects, bottles, eggs and milk. One policeman was injured and treated in the field; another was taken to hospital for treatment after being hit by a stone in the stomach. Police reinforcements streamed into the area, some of them on horseback. A special police vehicle sprayed water at the rioters. After five hours, Jerusalem police detained six people on suspicion of disturbing the peace.

"We won't be deterred by these provocations," one Haredi man from Mea She'arim said during the disturbances. The man, who refused to be identified by name, belongs to a group of Haredi men that goes out at night and pastes signs urging residents to join in demonstrations and various campaigns.

"You, the media and the police, just come to defame us," he said. "You harass us all the time and flex your muscles in order to make us seem inferior. Is this slaughterhouse really the only place in Jerusalem that operates without a license?"

A few moments after police left the scene, dozens of ultra-Orthodox men filled the vacant slaughterhouse. They vowed that the establishment would reopen soon.

"This morning, a big truck parked near the slaughterhouse, and workers took a lot of chickens off it," a 20-year-old man from Mea She'arim said this week. "The place's owners fortified the main gate and built a wall behind one of the gates, to make it hard for the police the next time they come."

Residents from the neighborhood believe that the municipal and tax officials, backed by police, might attempt another raid.

"This slaughterhouse has operated this way since 1942. So why did the police and tax authorities suddenly decide to tell us that the place has to be closed? That's unacceptable," said one Mea She'arim man this week.

In an alley next to the slaughterhouse stand facilities belonging to "Torah V'yirah," one of the most radical, aggressive branches of the Haredi community. The slaughterhouse's operators also have the support of the main leadership of the Lithuanian Orthodox stream in Israel; Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, who shuns meats other than poultry, lives near the slaughterhouse and supports the establishment.

The slaughterhouse is not back in full operation, since municipal officials confiscated pieces of equipment and butchers need to carry out much of their work by hand. But the intention is to purchase new equipment.

Freulich was released from detention, while Krauss was ordered to leave Jerusalem for two weeks. Their presence is not needed for the slaughterhouse's operation.

The Jerusalem municipality said it "knows nothing at this stage about the establishment's reopening." The municipality says it "will not allow the establishment to open until its license requirements are sorted out."

Apparently 'holy' gedolim can support illegal businesses that steal from the government and are run by men who riot, beat and threaten opponents without breaking Jewish law.

I guess this helps explain haredi support for Sholom Rubashkin and Agriprocessors.

Comments

[PishPosh]

Hey what does Sanhedrin say, in times of the mashiach the wisdom of the sages will stink. Hineh veHineh.

[Suzy Q.]

But it's way more koisher than the rest!

[Yosef ben Matitya]

well, it's probably deemed more kosher though somewhat filthy! but really who cares?

[Yosef ben Matitya]

well, it's probably deemed more kosher though somewhat filthy! but really who cares?

oops, I fevgot, must be cheaper too. which is important 'ki hathorah chassa al mamonam shel yisroel.
besides why finance the government of keuyfrim?

[David]

Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, who shuns meats other than poultry, lives near the slaughterhouse and supports the establishment.

More likely, the establishment supports him....

BTW why doesn't eat meat apart from poultry?

[Shmarya]

Shechita for mammals is much more complicated than for birds, therefore there is a higher chance of error with beef shechita than with chicken shechita.

[ADDeRabbi]

As the grandson of the victim of unnecessary government intervention in slaughterhouse practices (in the US, many of the regulations are designed for massive operations and are impossible - and unnecessary - to implement in small abattoirs), I reserve judgment until getting more info.

[Barry]

ADDeRabbi, the 'unnecessary government intervention' in Meah Shearim relates to tax evasion, not animal welfare.

[Haredi and Dressed to Show It]

Krausz is a ferd's a tuches whom no one takes seriously except those who don't realize he is more trouble for the community than he is for the outside.

Many believe he is a Shabak agent himself. I think he's just stupid and crazy and probably leads a double life that includes drugs and other unacceptable pastimes.

There is no evidence in that article, other than unsubstantiated allegations, that Rav Elyashiv shlita supports the slaughterhouse. He may just get chicken there because it is near his home and he wants to see where his chicken comes from. Or it may not be true at all.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, who shuns meats other than poultry, ....

it's quite surprising as halakha requires to consume meat on the holidays in order to 'rejoice' as it reckons "no proper rejoicing without the consumption of meat and wine". often the clarification "bossor beheimoh davka" is added. Birds? It's almost parve. Health? since when haredi halakha bothered with it?

[yo man]

actually the street thug is a very cool guy, you can see him here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTmw9F9f-2c&feature=related
@yosef ben Matitya: you are fine with Halacha, when you just consume wine without meat, if you are disgusted whatever by meat, bc. than its not bringing you Simcha.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

tks yo man, i have no doubt it wouldn't be bringing simcha. however halakha since the immortal line:
איני כשאר בני אדם אסטניס אני
doesn't seem too concerned with personal preferences. a ger -one presumes even that is made nauseous eating meat- who comes to convert and conditions his conversion on not eating meat is rejected since he is deemed unable to rejoice etc... :-)

[handsome devils anonymous]

well, whatever that big clown is eating, sure don't look like it agrees with him judging by the photo - looks like the schvantzyanker just ate a scheisssandwich...

[Mark]

Hi again!!!

Like I said, I have a year off to kill. Thousand of hours of free time.

And your blog is my "project" for the year.

I will be logging in again and again using tens of different names and emails.

I will occupy your days and nights.

I will water down your hateful blog to the point of irrelevance.

Oh what fun we will have together!!

On your mark, get set....

GO!

(I don't sleep much either:)

[Q]

What about the Skver Rebbe/Czar who keeps some kind of Chumra, making him get extremely expensive meat only? Anyone have any info?

[Uzi Ben Asher]

It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken.

[A E ANDERSON]

I am the last to defend Elyashiv, whom I regard at best as senile, but if the chicken you denounce otherwise stood בחזקת כשרות, then I think the other associations you mention are utterly extraneous.

In other words, if the chicken was properly slaughtered, kashered, prepared in the kosher way, and followed a chain of possession and supervision as mandated by the Shulchan Arukh, it really doesn't matter who owns the slaughterhouse.

Indeed, there is no requirement that the slaughterhouse owner even be Jewish.

So what, then, is your point?