WATERLOO, Ia. – A jury is seated in the trial of former Agriprocessors executive Shalom Rubashkin, but his trip to and from the courthouse will be a long one.
Rubashkin, who was convicted of federal fraud charges and now faces misdemeanor child labor charges, was originally going to stay at the Black Hawk County Jail because it was so close to the courthouse, but his demands proved to be too excessive, so he will instead stay at the Linn County facility in Cedar Rapids.
Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson says he spent weeks preparing for Rubashkin’s stay. Rubashkin, who is a Hasidic Jew, has certain religious dietary requirements which Thompson says he met.
“We certainly did our homework and asked our food vendor to do their homework,” Sheriff Thompson says, “They’re headquartered in Minneapolis, so they got in touch with a synagogue out there and discussed specifically about Hasidic Judaism and what their needs and requirements would be.”
But Thompson says that wasn’t good enough for Rubashkin. “And he looked very blandly at us and said ‘I’ll not eat what you prepared. I will tell you what I am going to eat.’ So right off the bat we knew we had a bit of an issue with him,” the sheriff says.
The demands didn’t stop there, the sheriff says. Rubashkin had to be carried everywhere he went because he refused to walk without his sacred undergarments. Thompson eventually let him have those, but refused to allow a chest full of robes and leather straps that were potentially dangerous.
“For me to kowtow to one inmate’s, uh, I hate to call them needs. I think I’m gonna call them wants. For me to kowtow to an inmates wants when that inmates needs were planned for; they were prepared for, they certainly could have been met, we just weren’t willing or ready to travel down that road.”
Rubashkin is expected to face 25 years to life when he’s sentenced on the federal charges on May 28th.
I am not understanding why the needs of a very religious jew can not be met.These are not wants to the Hassidic Jewish person. He must folow how all Hassidic Jewsfollow the Torah, (Scoll). Maybe if it is too hard for the jails to folow what this man needs, He can put a leg praclet on And the jailers will know his every move.
everybody daven for rubashkin (by shmoine esrei by the words tika bishoyfar)
The comments of #23 are the clearest, since they state the facts. No Jew, Christian, Catholic,or people of any religion should be barred from practising their religion in this day and age. Especially in the land of freedom like the United State of America. Sholom Mordechai should not be discriminated against by denying him what he needs to present himself in front of G_d and pray.We all need to pray and reach out especially in our times of stress. Please have the sensitivity to see that Sholem Mordechai only wants to maintain his dignity and sence of being a Jew.
What is happening here?
How can our judicial system and legal system be so callous and so unfeeling regarding the future fate of this man??
how can they sound so calm and so unfeeling at the future fate of a man?? i always knew our world was anti-semetic, but since when was it like this? the prejudice and unjust of this case, scares me. but we cant give up. we need to continue driving that judge crazy and i”yh, hashem will not let us down.
WHERE IS OUR BITTOCHON?? “Rubashkin is expected to face 25 years to life when he’s sentenced on the federal charges on May 28th.” I WAS DEFINATLIY NOT EXPECTING TO SEE SUCH A STATMENT ON ANY JEWISH WEBSITE KAL V’CHOMER A CHABAD WEBSITE!!!!!!!!!! AS CHABAD CHASSIDIM WE ARE TOUGHT LITCHATCHILE ARIBER, WE ARE BROUGHT UP AND THRIVE ON THE IDEA THAT ” HANASI WHO HAKOL” WE NEED TO REALISE “ASHRIE ADAM BTACH BACH BAHASHEM”, HASHLIECH AL HASHEM YIHOVCHO…” WE NEED TO DIRECT OUR PRAYERS TO HASHEM VIA THE REBBE, AND IN TORAH AND MITZVOS AND IN LEARING CHASSIDUS AND BEHAVING “BDARCHEI… Read more »
If Rubashkin has the right defense working for him.
In such a case the best defense is to attack legaly the Sherif and the Judge for their comments which go against the constitution of USA.
Amother BIG mistake was for the defense to ask for 6 years. Are you out of your minds?!! That’s bad business! You were claiming that other CEOs got 1-2 years
please make sure you really have the best defense in the cointry
WE NEED MOSHIACH NOW!!
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP????
MOSHIACH NOW!!!!
Honorable Judge Callahan, I read with interest the news article where you were quoted “I’m not trying to be disrespectful of anybody’s religious traditions or beliefs,” he said.“But I’m not derailing this proceeding because of his choice.”. I also read a quote from Sheriff Thompson “For me to kowtow to one inmate’s, uh, I hate to call them needs. I think I’m gonna call them wants”. Please allow me to share some thoughts that may shed light on Mr. Rubashkin “choices” & “wants”. The things Sholom Rubashkin is asking for are religious obligations given by God directly to the entire… Read more »
This makes me sick, i cannot believe this America, The land of the free!!!!
Sholom Mordechais son said they beat him black and blue,that they conveniently dont mention
does anyone know, is the new prison giving him what he needs? wat level security prison is it?
BS:D G -d willing this is a sign from above that just as he was kicked out of one so he will be kicked out of them all and sent packing to his home, Yes Amen
THAT SHERRIFF IS AN ANTISEMITE., REFERRING TO THE RABBI AS ASTAR AND THEN HIS WANTS NOT NEEDS IT MAKES ME SICK, HOW CAN HE GET A FAIR TRIAL, MOSHIACH NOW
I went on the website with the comments. After this video and the comments, it’s hard to believe that Sholom Mordechai can possibly get a fair trial in Iowa. Sadly, our thinking that gentiles out of NY, Cal, Fla or other metropolitan areas with Jewish populations are anti-Semitic is borne out right on this report.
instead things are in a worse state now.
are we going back to the 1800’s when the alter rebbe was in jail ?????????
holy cow!!!!!!!!!!!!! gosh, where is the freedom of religon in this god forsaken country??? oh boy, i guess all of the signs that america is getting (flooding, oil spill….) just doesnt teach them the lesson that with JEWS YOU DONT MESS UP!!!
Check out http://www.myrubashkin.blogspot.com
It is up to date and Pro SMR.
PLease email comments, suggestions and ideas to
[email protected]
“I hate to call them needs. I think I’m gonna call them wants.”
Hashem, we don’t only want Moshiach now-we need Moshiach now.
i wrote on #1’s blog JUSTICE FOR MR. Rubashkin
Where is Aleh and R. Lipskar to set these jails straight with prisioner’s religious rights in jail???
this is sick!!!! what are we doing about this?????
Go comment on the original website!
http://www.whotv.com/news/who-story-rubashkin-jail-treatment-050610,0,4215243.story
If you will post on that site, I would try very much to give intellectual arguments and refrain from direct attacks.
Don’t stoop to their level… your comments should reflect an “AM CHOCHOM V’NAVON”
yemach shemom — you can feel the hatred in that sheriff at black hawck. what does he know of wants versus needs piece of fl”” Shl***. And the reporter shaking his head like what a poor miskain.
My friends aisov soineh leyakoov the only ones we have is each other, we’re in it together so lets get along and bring Moshiach.
“What has happened to this man’s civil rights? If he were Muslim, or Hispanic, or Black, you can be very sure the government & the jail authorities would be bending over backwards to accommodate them. But a Hassidic Jew? Scum of the earth, right? Muslim inmates receive Halal food, they can pray 5 times a day facing Mecca. A Hassid needs to wear his phylacteries. I am certain Mr. Rubashkin would be fine if a guard brought them to him every morning with his prayer shawl & watched him pray, taking them away when he has finished. As for food:… Read more »
everyone…..go on the site that #1 posted and write good comments about S.M.R
we want moshiach now!!!
IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?
IT JUST DOESNT SEEM REAL…. I THOUGHT THIS WAS “THE LAND OF THE FREE”!!!!!!
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