Its Loshen Hora Time:Five Towns Vaad / Gourmet Glatt Update

The Five Towns Jewish News published a story today using hear say and rumor. But the Vaad Does talk.....almost. Instead of talking directly to the press to talk about their decision, they passed their comments through intermediaries.

Rabbi Yosef Eisen, the director of the Five Towns Vaad, related through an intermediary that he has been instructed by his directors not to speak to or answer questions from the press and was therefore not available for comment. Rabbi Aryeh Z. Ginzberg, the rav of Chofetz Chaim Torah Center (and a contributing editor for the Five Towns Jewish Times) and a prominent activist member of the Vaad responded to the question as to whether under any circumstances there could be talks between the Vaad and Gourmet Glatt, saying: “There was much discussion amongst the rabbis in an attempt to avoid this situation, but previous suggestions made to Gourmet Glatt over an extended period of time were all turned aside by Gourmet Glatt.” He added that at some of the meetings as many as 50 community rabbis participated, and that the current policy enjoys the full support of the rabbis in the community.

It gets worse…at one point the article says:

Some of the rabbis involved in the Vaad, who have not been authorized to comment on behalf of the Vaad, have told the 5TJT that there is a file of violations

The story goes on to give some teases about what is in those files. Which I won't repeat and give more creadence to this Loshen Hora.

Oh my…. Now We are Passing RUMORS !!!! G-d forbid we find out it was passed along as reported , BY RABBIs.

Either the Vaad Rabbis (who are supposed to be teaching against Loshen Hora) or the Five Town Jewish News (or maybe both) have just added Loshen Hora to the Gourmet Glatt controversy. If the 5TJT report is true, and some of Vaad Rabbis (who are also pulpit Rabbis in the community) are fueling rumors about the case, I would urge them to look into to their hearts. They should ask themselves what they would tell one of their congregants who was rumor mongering.

If that report is false, then they should be telling their congregants to avoid the Five Towns Jewish News as a source of Loshen Hora.

I have been reading tons of comments on other blogs, this controversy is splitting the community in two. People are calling each other and the Rabbis on both sides of this issue horrible names...etc. It seems to me that the most vocal in the Five Towns (even those who support the Vaad) are losing faith in their spritial leaders, and worse they are loosing faith in each other.

Rabbis of the Five Towns on Long Island it is time for you to tell your congregants what is going on and why, only then will there be healing and Sholom Ha Bayit.