They're calling it an "historic move." Here's the money quote:
“This is not about Conservative or Reform or Orthodox Judaism,” said Dr. Raymond Goldstein, international president of United Synagogue. “It is about ethics. We are commanded to act ethically and the Hechsher Tzedek helps us do that.”
The entire press release follows:
Reform Rabbis Endorse Hekhsher Tzedek Pledge to Promote Ethical Kosher Initiative, Work Together with Conservative Rabbis and Synagogues
"Conservative Judaism Has Sparked a Community-Wide Discussion
About Keeping Kosher in the 21st Century,” States Rabbinical Assembly President, Rabbi Jeffrey Wohlberg
September 3, 2008 (New York, NY) – In an historic move, the board of trustees of the Central Conference of American Rabbis issued a resolution yesterday that endorses and promotes Hekhsher Tzedek, the new ethical kashrut certification from the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
On July 31, Hekhsher Tzedek published its working guidelines for the kosher food industry. The endorsement of the Reform rabbinate one month later is especially noteworthy because keeping kosher has not been on Reform Judaism’s agenda although it is a central tenet of Conservative and Orthodox Judaism. The endorsement is both a striking gesture of fellowship towards another denomination and a bold, first-time embrace of a traditional hallmark of Jewish observance.
“It is clear that Conservative Judaism has sparked a community-wide discussion about keeping kosher in the 21st Century,” stated RA president, Rabbi Jeffrey Wohlberg, rabbi emeritus of Adas Israel in Washington, DC. “Keeping kosher is a central value of being Jewish and Hekhsher Tzedek weds the ethics with the ritual. I am greatly moved by the support of my Reform colleagues and continue to encourage every rabbi regardless of denomination to endorse, support and promote this important effort.”
“This is not about Conservative or Reform or Orthodox Judaism,” said Dr. Raymond Goldstein, international president of United Synagogue. “It is about ethics. We are commanded to act ethically and the Hechsher Tzedek helps us do that.”
In their resolution, the Reform rabbis applaud the RA and United Synagogue “for their efforts to enfold this ethical dimension into their understanding of what constitutes the appropriate preparation of food through their Hekhsher Tzedek initiative,” and pledge to “explore means by which it can work cooperatively with the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism in efforts to establish and promote a certification established by the Hekhsher Tzedek Commission, which is consistent with our understanding of Jewish values and justice.”
The resolution further encourages Reform Jews and others “to consider the guidelines to be established by the Hekhsher Tzedek Commission and to uphold ethical guidelines in their dietary practices, as in all areas of life.” The complete text of the resolution appears below.
Hekhsher Tzedek has grabbed nationwide attention with its assertion that keeping kosher is not only a ritual imperitive but an ethical necessity. Rabbi Michael Siegel, co-chair of the Hekhsher Tzedek commission has called it “one of the most exciting and timely projects in contemporary Jewish life.”
Hekhsher Tzedek is non-denominational and intends to coexist with other rabbinic certifications of kashrut, typically administered by Orthodox rabbis. The Hekhsher Tzedek commission envisions its certification appearing alongside such established kashrut symbols as OU, OK, Star-K, KSA and Kof-K, to name a few.
The prospect of such double certification is made possible by the fact Hekhsher Tzedek has nothing to do with methods of slaughter or other conditions that might make a food technically kosher. Instead, the focus of the initiative is on such matters as employee health, safety and training; wages and benefits; the environmental impact of the company; corporate transparency and product development, among others.
The commission is optimistic that the concept of kosher foods produced by companies that have attained this “God Housekeeping Seal” will have tremendous consumer appeal and the resolution of the CCAR is a positive indication of the initiative’s marketability.
Within the Conservative movement, the effort has won praise and support and several institutions have announced their own programs to promote the observance of Hekhsher Tzedek. Last week, letters were sent to the rabbis and synagogue presidents of the Conservative movement, announcing a multi-pronged joint undertaking to promote Hekhsher Tzedek, spearheaded by the RA and United Synagogue. Some measures include forming local Hekhsher Tzedek committees; suggesting that rabbis preach about the effort on the High Holidays and throughout the year; promoting teaching material on the importance of ethics in business; drafting and signing resolutions in support of the program and educating local kosher food merchants about the importance of buying food from companies that are ethically sound; to name a few.
In addition, the websites of the RA and United Synagogue have started posted educational and programming material, including text study and rabbinic papers prepared by scholars. This material will go soon go live on www.hekhshertzedek.org and is currently available at www.rabbinicalassembly.org and www.uscj.org.
Yet, Hekhsher Tzedek has also drawn criticism from some Orthodox Jewish leaders who have accused the initiative as being divisive. Yesterday’s surprise endorsement by the CCAR -- coupled with friendly conversations with individual Orthodox rabbis -- proves that just the opposite is true, observed Rabbi Morris Allen, the founder of Hekhsher Tzedek.
“The CCAR’s resolution is a big victory for kashrut, elevating it to the point where the Reform movement is thinking seriously about it,” said Rabbi Morris Allen. “Hekhsher Tzedek transcends denomination and is proof that all the critics who said that it is divisive are completely wrong. Hekhsher Tzedek is bringing Jews together because it is a kiddush Hashem – sanctification of the Lord’s name. This is historic. Kashrut is at the heart of who we are as Jews.”
Rabbi Allen sees Hekhsher Tzedek as a sign that the Conservative movement is uniquely possessed of the power to address the relevant and timely issues of the day. With its adherence to traditional observance in a context that also addresses the reality of contemporary life, Conservative Judaism has produced the most important and influential Jewish leaders of the day.
Though part of the publicity garnered by Hekhsher Tzedek arose from its proactive response to the federal raid on the Agriprocessors meat processing plant in Postville, Iowa this past May – when nearly 400 undocumented workers were arrested, charges of worker abuse were levelled and the RA and United Synagogue called for a boycott-less boycott of meat manufactured by the Rubashkin’s company -- the initiative s wholly independently of that situation and any of the charges being leveled against the company.
The Hekhsher Tzedek commission released its working guidelines this summer and is currently in the process of marketing itself to food companies. Now that the program’s popular appeal is clear, the next phase is for food companies to seek to earn the Hekhsher Tzedek label on their products.
Rabbi Wohlberg is energized by the support Hekhsher Tzedek has enjoyed, seeing the initiative as potentially attractive to companies well beyond the food industry. “While others have undertaken the effort to work towards creating a friendly, safe or fair work environment, we are the first group to take our inspiration from Jewish teachings. Hekhsher Tzedek is about bridging the gap between ritual observance and social justice.”
ABOUT THE RABBINICAL ASSEMBLY
Founded in 1901, the Rabbinical Assembly is the international association of Conservative rabbis. The Assembly actively promotes the cause of Conservative Judaism, publishes learned texts, prayer-books and works of Jewish interest, and administers the work of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards for the Conservative movement.
Rabbis of the assembly serve throughout the world in congregations, on campus, as educators, hospital and military chaplains, teachers of Judaica and officers of communal service organizations. Its membership spans over 20 countries and numbers 1600 rabbis.
ABOUT THE UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism represents and supports the synagogues of the Conservative movement in North America. We work with lay leaders and Jewish professionals on the national, regional, and grassroots levels to teach, inspire, and motivate Conservative Jews to live lives increasingly filled with Jewish learning, ethical behavior, spirituality, and mitzvot.
KASHRUT & HEKHSHER TZEDEK
Adopted by the Board of Trustees - August 2008
Central Conference of American Rabbis
Background
Over the past several years, the use of undocumented laborers in several industries has given rise to a growing number of legal, social and ethical problems. Those who employ individuals who have entered this country illegally too often take cruel and inhumane advantage of the legal status of these employees. Abusive employment practices may include paying such workers less than minimum wage; denying them benefits typically provided in the industry; requiring them to work in conditions that violate civil and criminal law; or, in far too many instances, subjecting them to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Painfully for the Jewish community, it has come to light that certain kosher meat processors may be numbered among such abusive employers. recent allegations about the business practices of the kosher meat processing plant in Postville, Iowa – including, but not limited to, the abusive and unethical treatment of workers, the inhumane treatment of animals, and the flouting of American law – are particularly distressing.
Those who produce kosher meat are engaged in sacred work and therefore are expected to adhere to the highest standards and values of Jewish tradition. Those who keep Kosher, including the growing number of Reform Jews who are embracing the observance of kashrut, should not be forced to choose between their ritual observance and their ethical values.
Jewish law and values impose ethical guidelines governing labor, business practices and the treatment of animals. The Torah repeatedly calls upon us to deal justly with the laborer and the stranger in our midst. The Central Conference of American Rabbis has a long history speaking out against abusive labor practices, going back at least as far as its 1918 resolutions urging the abolition of child labor, the institution of a fair minimum wage and workman’s compensation for industrial accidents and occupational diseases. Tza’ar ba’alei Hayyim, concern for animals’ pain, is a Jewish principal enshrined in Torah and Talmud (e.g., B. Shabbat 128b).
The Rabbinical Assembly of Conservative Judaism and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism have established a Hekhsher Tzedek Commission, the purpose of which is to create an additional certification for Kosher products taking into account ethical considerations in addition to ritual laws. Such considerations will include how kosher meat processing companies conduct their businesses, particularly with regard to treatment of workers, health and safety, animal welfare and environmental impact.
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Central Conference of American Rabbis:
Adjures all those who are engaged in the sacred work of producing kosher meat to conduct their business according to the highest Jewish ethical standards as well as ritual standards;
Applauds the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism for their efforts to enfold this ethical dimension into their understanding of what constitutes the appropriate preparation of food through their Hekhsher Tzedek initiative;
Will explore means by which it can work cooperatively with the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism in efforts to establish and promote a certification established by the Hekhsher Tzedek Commission, which is consistent with our understanding of Jewish values and justice; and
Encourages Reform Jews and others, whether or not they have elected to observe kashrut, to consider the guidelines to be established by the Hekhsher Tzedek Commission and to uphold ethical guidelines in their dietary practices, as in all areas of life.