Magen Tzedek is a campaign to create an additional certification for kosher food, signifying that it was produced under ethical conditions. This certification is supplemental to the kosher designation and will only apply to food already certified kosher.

The goal of the Magen Tzedek campaign is to align kosher food production with Jewish ethical law and social justice values. The standards used to approve food products will focus on the wages and benefits, employee health, safety and training, product development (including treatment of animals), environmental impact, and corporate transparency and integrity behind those products.

The campaign is led by the Heksher Tzedek Commission of the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. To support the campaign, Minnesota-based Jewish Community Action is working to generate consumer demand for Magen Tzedek-certified foods in order to convince producers to accept the standards to gain the label.

Although this effort began in 2007, recognition of its importance within the Jewish community has grown since the May 2008 Postville raid. The factory raided was owned and operated by a Jewish family and produced a majority of the kosher meat consumed in the US.

For more information see www.magentzedek.org or contact Jewish Community Action.

“You shall not exploit and employee, whether a countryman or a stranger in your land, within your community.” -Deuteronomy 24:14-15

“As concerned as we are about how an animal gets killed, we need to be equally concerned about how a worker lives.”  -Rabbi Morris Allen, Beth Jacob Congregation

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All information gathered from a flier produced by Jewish Community Action

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