State Probes Monsey <i>Kashrut</i> Fraud,

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is conducting an investigation to determine the origin of chickens sold at a local Monsey meat market.

Shevach Meats has been accused of purchasing non-kosher chickens and repacking them under new labels marked as kosher. The situation came to light last week, when the owner of Hatzlocha Grocery, from whom Shevach Meats subleases space, discovered that kosher chicken companies were no longer selling to Shevach.

The Agriculture Department seized close to 20 cases of chickens, and is investigating whether the chickens were ever certified as kosher and advertised as such at the store, a spokeswoman for the Agriculture Department said. Violators of kosher regulations are subject to fines of up to $1,000.

Local rabbis and kashrut organizations are also looking into whether butcher shops in other neighborhoods may have purchased meats and chickens directly from Shevach or from the same distributor. Kosher Today is reporting that The Standards Committee of the Association of Kashrus Organizations and the Brooklyn-based Hisachdus Harabonim (Central Rabbinical Congress) will hold meetings with their members to discuss the greater kashrut ramifications this incident has brought to light.

Throughout Monsey, consumers have lined up at various locations to kasher pots, pans and other utensils used in the preparation of food following a recent ruling by local Monsey rabbis. (For further developments please visit www.jewishpress.com.)

Read Comments (2)

State Probes Monsey <i>Kashrut</i> Fraud ,

Non kosher chickens sold as kosher
Date 01:09, 09-14, 06

The public is entitled to full disclosure of how such a scam could have been perpetrated on unsuspecting consumers. The Rabbi in charge, the various kashrut agencies and the owners of meat and chicken factories Must explain how this was done and what steps if any have been taken to assure us that such a thing does not happen again. You the Jewish Press need to continue informing us, your readers, the complete truth not some whitewashed version of this matter. Public shame and any legal recourse should be instituted on this scroundel and his enablers( including his family and all involved) I am sick and tired of the holier than thou attitude by many unholy people who only eat GLATT GLATT chickens(there is no such thing halachicly)and look upon the rest of Jewry as "goyim."

Kosher Chickens
Date 02:09, 09-25, 06

First off, we all know, that Chicken DOES not have to be Glatt. Go anywhere in the world (except for Monsey) and you wont find Glatt Chicken, the same way you wont find Glatt Noodles or Glatt cheese, it just doesnt exsist.

We need to focus on how we can stop this from happening again. At least it happened in Monsey and not in Flatbush or Boro Park. Monsey needed a reality check and they got one!