All kosher butcher shops will be investigated here this week as a result of alleged “racketeering” in meat prices disclosed by the Federation of Orthodox Jewish Congregations.
An attempt to curb the “racket”, regulate sanitation, stabilize prices and eliminate fraud will be made as a result of the investigation by the Federation.
The new group recently organized and chartered by the State represents 21 orthodox Jewish congregations in Cleveland with nearly 15,000 members.
A move will be made next week to confer with Mayor Ray T. Miller to introduce legislation in Council so that the group will be able to help city food inspectors in checking meat qualities and prices.
Edward J. Shweid, former assistant law director, present legal adviser to the group, today said that although there is a law in Ohio prohibiting the selling of non-kosher meat as “kosher”, the law never has been enforced.
“Of course it will be hard to curb racketeering at once”, Shweid said, “but if the city administration and council will cooperate with this new group made up of rabbis and presidents of congregations, who have the interest of the consumer at heart, racketeering can be stamped out and eventually permanently eliminated from the kosher meat situation.”
An investigation by the country prosecutors office of a new Independent Kosher Meat Association will be made by Frank Celebreeze, assistant prosecutor, immediately.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
