A gutsy op-ed in The New York Times has sharpened the debate over the Agriprocessors kosher meat factory scandal – and perhaps pointed the way toward rapprochement between Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews.

Written by an Orthodox rabbi, Washington's Shmuel Herzfeld, it calls on the Rabbinical Council of America and the Orthodox Union, bastions of mainstream Orthodox Judaism, to appoint an independent commission "that would make sure the plant upholds basic standards of kashrut and worker and animal treatment – and that it is in full compliance with the laws of the United States."

It's the conflation of two ideas – "standards of kashrut" and "worker and animal treatment" – that makes Herzfeld's essay controversial in the world of kosher supervision. As for workers' rights and humane treatment of animals – that's the purview of government agencies, says the OU.

Herzfeld isn't the first rabbi to call for an ethical dimension for kosher certification. Conservative rabbis, led by Minnesota's Morris Allen, are pushing for a hechsher tzedek – a righteous certification – that would do just that.

AGRIPROCESSORS FOUGHT back this week, distributing a rebuttal to Herzfeld written by one of its attorneys, Nathan Lewin, a legend in Washington for his defense of Jewish religious freedoms. The rebuttal is remarkable for its focus not on the allegations against the plant, which Lewin largely ignores, but for its attack on Herzfeld's premise that a plant's kosher certification should be linked to its business ethics.

Lewin does this by trying to discredit the validity of Herzfeld's reference to Rabbi Israel Salanter (1810-1883), the pillar of the ethics movement known as Mussar. According to Herzfeld, Salanter "refused to certify a matza factory as kosher on the grounds that the workers were being treated unfairly." Lewin can't find a solid scholarly reference to the Salanter story, and calls it "fallacious." Imagine the credit it would bring to Torah-observant Jews were leaders to immediately draw up their own set of labor and animal welfare standards. NON-ORTHODOX RABBIS like Allen have been way out front on this one. I grew up in a Reform synagogue and was taught why classical Reform chose to reject kashrut. That too many institutions and individuals – and that includes many Conservative Jews – have failed to take up this challenge is a loss for Judaism, and Jews.

I understand why a temple would bristle at adopting standards set by Orthodox supervisors. Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews have grown distant over the years, and the mutual recriminations over Agriprocessors won't help.

July 05, Shabbos

This Shabbos, which marks the 200th Anniversary of Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch, Rabbi Weil will speak about the Hirschian legacy and how Hirsch irrevocably changed the way Torah Judaism & modernity interact. We will discuss the Hirschian controversies and its ramifications for Beth Jacob in 21st century Orthodox Judaism. (BETHJACOB)

Kollel’s Womens Shiur – The Shabbos women's Shiur sponsored by the Kollel of Los Angeles will be given by an annual summer guest speaker R’Mendlowitz at Shaarei Tefilla at 5pm. (KEHYAAKOV)

Mussar Shiur w/Rabbi Yitzchok Summers – Orchos Tzadikkim – 45 minutes before Mincha at Anshe Emes (ANSHE)

July 06, Sunday

This Independence Day weekend, LINK together with Anshe Emes, is proud to present: Women’s Seminary for a Half Day

Sunday, July 6th, Textual Study w/Dr Rachel Freedland “Parshas Balak – Bilam’s Blessed Curse” 9:15am – 9:45am Complimentary Breakfast 9:45am to 12:30pm Directed Chavrusa Learning and Shiur by Dr Rachel Freedland – RSVP Is a MUST – Contact Rabbi Eli Stern @ 310 470 5465 or estern@linkla.org – Special Location: Anshe Emes Synagogue 1490 So Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles (So of Pico) (LINK)

July 08, Tuesday

Tuesday night “Shaarei Halacha” shiur w/Rav Summers at 8:30after Maariv – A Shiur on Rabbi Greenwald's halacha sefer "Shaarei Halacha" (about everyday Halacha). (ANSHE)

July 09, Wednesday

Dr. Rachel Freedland is giving a women's Chumash Chavrusa group Wednesday nights 8-9 pm. If you are interested in learning Chumash in depth and sharing it with other women, this program is for you. We will pair up and learn Chumash Shemos pasuk by pasuk with Mefarshim. A certain level of textual skills is needed. We are however open to pairing up people of different levels depending on their wants and needs. RSVP Required. Responses & Questions Welcomed. PLEASE EMAIL: CHUMASH.BCHEVRUSAH@GMAIL.COM (ANSHE)

Our Next amazing event will take place on July 9, 2008 with a special guest speaker: Rabbi Asher Zadmehr “A powerful story of faith and survival” In early 1999, thirteen Iranian Jews were arrested and imprisoned by Iranian authorities in the city of Shiraz. Those arrested included a rabbi, community leaders and a sixteen year old boy. Eleven of the arrested were from Shiraz, two from Isfahan. While the 13 were not formally charged for well over a year, the Iranian Government accused them of spying for the "Zionist regime" and "world arrogance" – Iranian code words for Israel. Asher Zadmehr: Age 49, university English instructor, sentenced to 13 years in prison on charges of “forming illegal group and an espionage network and of cooperating with the Zionist regime." (HELKEINU)

July 12, Shabbos

ANNOUNCING: MIDDOS FOR MARRIAGE FOR YOUNG COUPLES Starting (Jul 12), Rabbi Motti & Sharon Shenker will be organizing eight classes focusing on the biggest problem in your marriage: YOU! Healthy relationships grow from healthy selves. Topics include: enthusiasm, patience, self-control, and humility. The first class will be for men on “Patience” by Rabbi Dov Heller. (AISH)

July 20, Sunday

Special Sunday Morning Lecture with Rabbi Yitzchak Etshalom – "Crumbling Stones – Meta-history and the 17th of Tammuz" 9:00 a.m. in the Goldstein-Baim Beit Medrash. (SHARTEFILA)

Special Film Presentation: "Alone on the Ramparts" A newly released documentary about the 1948 battle for the Old City Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. Showing at 6:30 p.m. Cost: $5. Followed by Mincha and Maariv (SHARTEFILA)

July 27, Sunday

HDC Presents: Sunday, July 27th, 10:30am to 5pm – Rabbi Yehoshua Kohl – 4 Sessions- Based on Rabbi Lawrence Keleman’s bestselling book – “To Kindle a Soul”

818 348 4432 for more information $20 per person for ½ day- $60 per couple full day – Breakfast and lunch is included – (HDC)

I love it here but not for the intellectual excitement. I usually have to drive outside of the community to find that.

Most people, Jews or goyim, once they’ve practiced something for a long time stop thinking about it (except to improve and deepen their practice be it golf or Judaism). People who get into habits don’t like to question their habits. Who has the time and the energy?

There’s a lot of propaganda in Jewish life that Judaism is all about asking questions. Baloney! As Judaism (or almost anything I know) is practiced, only safe questions are kosher. Any question that challenges fundamental beliefs (such as Biblical criticism, archaeology, etc) are not welcome in orthodoxy, any orthodoxy. "Orthodox" means "correct belief." Go to a Republican or a Democrat meeting and you won’t find people eager to rethink their fundamental beliefs.

Orthodox Judaism in Pico/Robertson is primarily a way of life. People have to work so hard to pay their mortgages and put their children through Jewish day school that they rarely time and energy left to engage in intellectual questions (and I don’t regard apologetics as particularly intellectual).

Once you belong to an Orthodox community, it quickly tends to become the overwhelming social reality in your life. It starts to affect all of your behavior and you have to be a real weirdo not to conform.

Luckily for my readers, I’m a real weirdo and some of them say I make Los Angeles Jewish life more lively.