Jews Quarrel Over Agriprocessors

In The Wall Street Journal, Nathaniel Popper analyzes the divisions among American Jews over Agriprocessors (Nathaniel Popper, "A Quarrel Over What Is Kosher," The Wall Street Journal, Friday, February 6, 2009, W11). Many Orthodox Jews, whose main concern is keeping kosher, support Agriprocessors, because the company supplied kosher meat. They have less concern about the company's labor and treatment of animal issues. Reform Jews and Jews who identify with liberal sects of Judaism, who generally are not keeping kosher, are critical of Agriprocessors because of the allegations of illegal treatment of labor or employment of illegal labor and inhumane treatement of animals. In this division, Popper observes, the groups of Jews reflect the polarized nature of Judaism today.