Rabbi Meyer H. May released the following statement to the Jewish Journal:
On Sunday March 24th, the RCC received video footage alleging kashrus violations at Doheny Kosher Meats, a store under its supervision.
Within hours of receiving the information including time stamped surveillance videos, leading members of the Vaad Hakashrus met and, assessing the evidence of policy violations as compelling, ordered the immediate removal of our certification.
Later that afternoon, a large group of community Rabbis and lay leaders met to review the known facts and to question the owner of Doheny. After initially denying any wrongdoing, he admitted to bringing unauthorized products to the store on two to three occasions.
After discussion, the meeting’s participants unanimously confirmed the decision to remove the RCC certification from Doheny Kosher Meats. In implementing that decision and determining to immediately publicize the RCC’s decision before Pesach, the Rabbinical authorities for the RCC consulted with Rav Yisroel Belsky, Rosh Yeshiva of Torah V’Daas and Posek for the OU Kashrut Division, and a nationally recognized kashrus authority.
At 8pm Pacific time, Rabbi Belsky issued his ruling, based on the application of normative Halachic principles, permitting the use of products purchased from the store prior to the suspension of the certification. This ruling was immediately disseminated to the public.
In recent days, many allegations have surfaced which are factually incorrect. Over past years, the RCC received complaints from competitors of Doheny accusing Doheny of kashrus violations. The RCC investigated each and every one of these complaints at the time they were made but found no evidence of wrongdoing.
To the contrary, each investigation showed Doheny in full compliance. In addition to asking these competitors to provide evidence of violations, the RCC took a number of steps to augment the security systems in place, in addition to the Mashgiach Temidi (full-time kosher supervisor) at Doheny.
Among them:
* The RCC implemented a system whereby all boxes of meat and poultry from Doheny were numbered and logged by the on-site Mashgiach.
* We also painstakingly reviewed invoices of product received and sold.
* Only the Mashgiach had keys to the establishment, which were Mul-T-Lock industrial keys that cannot be duplicated.
There are allegations that Doheny possessed fraudulent Agri labels which the RCC is currently investigating. The serious lapse we did discover in the RCC supervisory system was the human error of an otherwise dedicated Mashgiach who absented himself for prayers, contrary toexplicit protocols.
The Mashgiach has been suspended and the RCC is exploring ways to ensure this mistake does not repeat itself including better protocols to monitor Mashgiach compliance.
The RCC deeply regrets this circumvention of its kashrus standards. Unfortunately, even the most sophisticated systems can be breeched. The RCC’s dedicated Kashrus staff and full Rabbinic membership share the public’s outrage and sense of betrayal that a vendor schemed to subvert our policies and abused the community’s trust. Legal action is now being considered.
The RCC, a non-profit community kashrus organization, will continue to work diligently to provide our community with quality kashrus.
Yes. I do not visit any RCC establishments unless they have a second Hashgacha. The Yarmulka story is 100% true. Speak to Mrs S. (the owner of Schwartz Bakery before the Hechts bought it). Look at what the RCC did with Noah’s bagels! They were bought by starbucks and started serving things which were chazer trief. But because they were still under contract with the RCC, the RCC allowed them to have one kosher counter and everything else was trief. Most people didnt know and you had people eating non kosher because the RCC didnt want to lose money. Speak… Read more »
Bottom line: Did this guy also distribute (and/or sell) Lubavitch meat and chickens to Anash???
Don’t consider suing. the owner must be pursued and and sue his pants off! it’s the only way to regain the trust of the public that in the future someone will be deterred from attempting this
A bit too many communication issues between mashgicim and RCC management,and RCC management with the stores and factories.Rectification and resolution of major and minor issues took far too long in my opinion.Very porous and resistant lines of communication…if you get my drift.
Yes there r some Mashgichim who show up to the Facility, and put on Yalmulka then and there. And the minnute u complain to the vaad….. “Oh we can’t stop him, what he dose @ home” I’ve seen it. And it still happens.
so sad
I will bet you that never really happened. Pulled a yarmulke from his pocket? really? Listen, there were clear violations in this situation, but are you telling me that you NEVER visit any RCC establishment? Where do you live and what stores/restaurants/bakeries do you go to? If you are concerned with a Kashrus organization as a whole, then you are a fool (pardon my bluntness) for not trusting the whole organization. You find out who the mashgiach is for the particular establishment you want to visit or patronize. That would be much more responsible. One cannot blame the entire RCC… Read more »
The RCC “Spousaly” Approved this Mashgiach…. As a Mashgiach experiance, its the Mashgiac’s “Fault” to blame on. “That’s what the Mashgiach is hired 4”. Bottom line. THE MASHGIACH IS “NOT” DOING HIS JOB. And just Looking for the Big Backs. The RCC should Fire him. That Mashgiach has a BIG responsibility. AND ITS HIS AVAIRAS. (Not the RCC). Sorry Mashgiach. Good lack to you new addition.
Rabbi May is ambiguous and thinks the people are stupid. The contrary is the reality. Rabbi May what do you mean “he admitted to bringing in unauthorized products to the store on two or three occasions”Were these unauthorized products kosher or treif?? According to RCC [protocol is a mashgiach permitted to Daven. or not? Incidentally is he permitted to go to the bathroom, if not then you should always have two full time mashgichim so that there would always be on there when the other one must leave to daven or go to the bathroom, Rabbi May why don’t you… Read more »
Just blame the poor mashgiach…
The RCC head should resign!! Why didn’t they remove their Hashgacha from Doheny Meats when he had previous violations 20 years ago???
The RCC is considering legal action against Doheny for scheming to subvert kashrus policies and abusing the community’s trust. To the contrary, this incident proves that the RCC cannot be relied on to provide a reliable hashgocha. They are blaming their mashgiach, but isn’t that too convenient? Mashgichim get paid pitifully low wages while the kashrus organizations rake in their profits from companies that sell treif food to unsuspecting Yidden.
It is the RCC that should be concerned about legal action against them for their own negligence.
As an LA “native” I have never used RCC. They are beyond worthless. Speak to the old owners of Schwartz Bakery and theyl tell you about the time a mashgiach walked in, pulled a yarmulka out of his pocket and told her she needed to blowtorch her refrigerator to “kasher it for pesach”.
i understand that they were caught in 2011 also
why did the RCC gave them back the hecsher?????????