The History of Lubavitch Hechsherim in Crown Heights

Kashrus Concerns of Ahava Dairy

Kashrus Concerns of Rubashkin Meat and Poultry

For many years Raskin’s Fish was under the hechsher of the B’Datz. Before Pesach in 5764 Brook wanted Raskin to sign a new contract that increased his monthly costs by more than double and required Raskin to have a moshgiach temidi.

Raskin claims that he tried to meet with Rav Osdoba who refused to meet with him until he signed the contract. He complained to Rav Schwei that Brook was taking advantage of him and Rav Schwei agreed to give the B’Datz hechsher, as he considered the Vaad HaKashrus hechsher to be a private hechsher.

Rav Osdoba signed a letter that the hechsher was taken from Raskin for serious kashrus violations. Brook went on a worldwide campaign to spread this accusation.

Since the new Vaad was elected, Rubashkin has tried to get Raskin to take back the hechsher from the Vaad HaKashrus. Raskin has not been able to agree to the terms Rubashkin has offered him and a contract has still not been signed.

Recently, Rav Osdoba wrote a letter to the gabboim of 770 that they are not allowed to use Raskin’s fish in any of the seudas in the shul.

The Shuk expanded into a large Supermarket around Elul, 5764. It began to sell meat with other Hechsherim than the Badatz, and eventually it started to sell meat from Lubavitcher Shochtim in Argentina under the Hashgacha of the Luabvitcher Rav, Rabbi Feigelshtock and under the O.K. Hechsher.

The Vaad HaKashrus tried to sign a contract with the Shuk in which it agreed to supply them with a good supply of Bdatz meat. This contract did not last long.

The Vaad HaKashrus and Rabbi Osdoba has written two letters about the Shuk, one concerning the meat sold there, and the other concerning improper products sold in the store on Pesach.

Yossel Motchkin opened the Kretchme several years ago. He attempted to get the Bdatz hechsher but claims that Brook kept delaying, amidst charges that Brook is a part owner in the Kingston Pizza Shop and did not want the competition.

Eventually, after the Vaad HaKohol and Levy Yitzchok Shapiro put pressure on Brook, the hechsher was given, but Motchkin was always complaining about poor treatment, and that Brook looked for ways to harass him by not giving him a supply of cheese and other products.

At some point Brook took the hechsher away from Motchkin. When Motchkin complained to Rav Osdoba, the Rav told him that he does not need a hechsher, and the Kretchme has operated without a Hechsher since.

There has been an ongoing feud between Yossi Brook and DonYoel Levy of the O.K. for many years. This has led to Brook forbidding Vaad HaKashrus clients from using many of the O.K. products. Recently, Brook is putting pressure on the O.K. that they should not give hechsherim in the neighborhood.

Before Boulevard Café opened they considered the B’datz hechsher but decided to take the O.K. hechsher instead because they were more professional to deal with and allowed certain products they considered important for their business.

Recently, since the fight with the O.K. became more serious, Brook has written several letters about Boulevard Café, saying that chometz was delivered to the store on the last day of Pesach.

Yossie Katzman joined the Vaad HaKashrus at the time that Rabbi Osdoba took it away from the Vaad HaKohol. Since that time he has involved himself in many of the Machlokesin in the Vaad Hakohol and in the Bais Din.

Katzman was the one who publicized a private e-mail from Yankie Herzog that caused a Major Machlokes between him and Rav Osdoba.

Yossi Brook was elected to the original Vaad HaKohol after he was credited with helping to expose Fisher’s alleged stealing of community funds. After a time on the Vaad he resigned in order to become the Kashrus Administrator and run the Vaad HaKashrus.

Over the years he has been accused of financial mismanagement of community funds in kashrus. He has also been involved in many machlokisin in the shchuna. He has written many letters that have created controversy.

Many say that his presence as head of the Vaad HaKashrus has resulted in the lack of confidence of people in the hechsher. He has also been accused of misleading Rav Osdoba on many issues and gotten him to sign letters that were not true. His defenders say that kashrus is a very rough business and you need a rough person like Brook to run the Vaad HaKashrus.

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