Leah Rubashkin to Speak

By COLlive reporter

Leah Rubashkin, the wife of Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin who is seen as a pillar of faith, will be speaking publicly for the very first time.

The mother of 10, a resident of Postville, Iowa, will be addressing Crown Heights women on Sunday, December 6, 2009.

The venue is the inaugural Chinese Auction of Oholei Torah’s PTA, benefitting the large Chabad boys educational institute.

Leah and her husband are credited with establishing the Postville Jewish community, around the now-sold Agriprocessors kosher meatpacking plant.

As her husband faced 91 charges – bank fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud and others – Leah exhibited a calming influence while expressing her belief in his innocence.

When he was jailed in Cedar Rapids, Leah told the press she could not wait to welcome her husband home.

“We’ll give him a warm meal that he hasn’t had in two months,” she said. “And he’ll be surrounded by his children, who love him and miss him.”

When Sholom Mordechai’s trial began in the Sioux Falls courthouse in South Dakota, Leah was there, receiving family and supporters with a smile and a kosher meal.

And even after the jury convicted her husband of 86 business-fraud charges, she remained strong in her faith, saying, “all is for the good.”

“Sholom Mordechai and Leah’s recent challenge was met with great emuna and bitachon,” Oholei Torah wrote in the invitation.

“Their simple formula of ‘Aleph, Bais, Gimmel: emuna and bitachon = geula’ inspire many positive actions.”