By COLlive and Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
The jury in the fraud trial of Sholom Rubashkin returned guilty verdicts in 86 of the 91 fraud charges he faced Thursday.
Shock and disbelief are being expressed among Chassidic circles who benefited from the kosher meat plant he managed.
Lawyers closed their cases Monday with clashing portraits of the former executive of Agriprocessors in the Postville eastern town of Iowa.
Prosecutors painted Rubashkin as the ringleader of an enormous fraud and immigrant-harboring scheme that festered at the plant for years. Defense lawyers said the charges stemmed from overzealous prosecutors who failed to prove their allegations.
A seven-woman, five-man jury found Rubashkin, 50 and father of 10, guilty of 91 federal fraud crimes and not guilty of five counts of violating a law requiring payment of livestock to providers within 24 hours.
Prayers and Tehillim were said around the world for Rubashkin, son of a wealthy Chassidic family who contributed large funds to charity and founded the Postville Jewish community.
A quiet fell over the courtroom as U.S. District Chief Judge Linda Reade‘s monotone voice announced a steady stream of unanimous guilty verdicts for 45 minutes. The jury kept its gaze on the judge as it affirmed the unanimous decisions with a raise of their hands.
Rubashkin sometimes scribbled notes and whispered to his attorneys, but otherwise appeared calm. At times his family whispered and smiled to each other, and Rubashkin once turned to look at his wife and flashed a tired, defeated smile. His supporters filled most of one half of the gallery.
Rubashkin’s wife, Leah, said hearing the stream of guilty verdicts was “not a pleasant thing,” and remains confident of his innocence.
“We’re looking forward to continue this and get the verdict we feel his deserves,” she said.
Rubashkin had been offered a plea deal by federal prosecutors prior to the start of the trial, but told supporters that he would not accept because he was innocent, a close family friend told The Des Moines Register today.
Rabbi Shea Hecht, chairman of the National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education, said Rubashkin’s supporters urged him to take the offer, which would have included prison time.
But Rubashkin had moral issues with the proposal and insisted that he had done nothing illegal, Hecht said. Rubashkin’s legal expenses, paid by a Brooklyn-based defense committee, have already exceeded $1 million.
On the steps outside the downtown federal court building in front of TV cameras and flashing bulbs, Rubashkin’s attorney Guy Cook promised to appeal the verdict.
“It was a difficult case. We appreciate the not guilty verdicts that were rendered, we nevertheless disagree with the other verdicts, and an appeal is certain,” he said.
Rubashkin and his lawyers briefly discussed his Kosher and religious needs with the court marshal before being escorted into custody. A federal judge will sentence Rubashkin Nov. 18 in Cedar Rapids.
As Rubashkin was led out of the courtroom, he turned and blew a kiss to his family as his son, Getzel Rubashkin, 25, sang a song of prayer.
Getzel and Rubashkin’s oldest daughter, Roza Weiss, remained hopeful and defiant minutes after the courtroom emptied.
“We’re Jewish and we’re proud of it. That’s my one comment,” Weiss said.
Getzel, meanwhile, said he sought refuge in his faith. “We’re in God’s hands and it will be good,” he said.
Rubashkin Trial Coverage:
+ Tanya Printed in Sioux Falls
+ Dear Shalom Mordechai…
+ KAJ Rov Testified in Sioux Falls
+ Rubashkin: I Made Mistakes
+ Lawyers Decline Elder Rubashkin
+ 200 Visited Rubashkin’s Trial
+ Justice in Middle America
+ ‘Please Attend Rubashkin Trial’
+ Hecht: Rubashkin will be Vindicated
+ Rubashkin Rejected Plea Deal
+ Busload Travels to South Dakota
+ Rubashkin Trial Starts Tuesday
+ Newspaper Ads Demand Justice
+ Error Halts Rubashkin Appeal
+ Rubashkin Daughter Pleads Help
just say tehillim
so he can get out of jail
the judge shuold lhavdil be as generis as sholom rubashkin
YOU ALLOW ALL ELIGEL ALLIANS TO THIS COUNTRY
THE GOVERMENT ARE THE GUILTY ONES
SHOLOM MORDECHAI IS INNOCENCE
for u who are saying Cook is @ fault & only brought 4 witnesses… do you know how many people flew in to testify & drove for hours to stand on the witness stand only to be denied by the judge? We just need a new judge on the case – let Linda Reade either have the most misreable nightmares & suffer terrible yisurim until she WANTS to free SMR !
PLEASE EXPLAIN MORE…
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DRASTIC
AND WE CANNOT WAIT FOR OUR LEADERS TO MOVE
IT HAS TO COME FROM US
NOW!!
WEDNESDAY IS THE NEXT HEARING
I KNOW THE KINUS HAS THEIR SCHEDULE ALL MAPPED OUT
HOWEVER
I THINK A CHANGE IN THE SCHEDULE IS WARRANTED
WORK SOMETHING OUT NOW
Reb Sholom Mordechai, you will see… your innocence will be proven!
This case took place over 20 Cheshvan bday of R’ Rashab.
Mendel Baylis was accused and faced the death penalty on trumped up charges b’cause he was a Jew. although R Rubashkin case is not quite as barbaric as that case, never the less the antisemitesm that is behind it is the same, America nisht anderesh! Mendel Bayliss was saved b’cause the R Rashab instructed his lawyer to summon up his defense plea w/ Shema Yisroel’ so perhaps this could be used in the R Rubashkin appeal somehow.
must mean moshiach is comin..
IF RUBASHKIN GOES TO JAIL CHAS CHAS CHAS CHAS VESHALOM. THEN ILLL NEVER EVER TALK TO ANYONE FROM THAT NATION AGAIN! I HATE HATE THE PPL WHO ARE DRIVING HIM MAD. AND ACCUSING HIM! HE DIDNT DO ANYTHING WRONG SO IF HER GETS TO JAIL G-D FORBID THENN YE. AND SHALOM I AM DAVENING FOR YOU. CHANGING ALL MY WAYS. AND BEING A GOOD YID. PLEASEEE HASHEM DONT LET THEM DO THAT FOR YOU.PLEAASEE. IM CRYING WITH FLODDS I HATE THIS SITUATION. SHALOM WE ALL ARE SUPPORTING YOU AND HELPING YOU. IM PAYING FOR YOU EVEN . WHY DID THIS… Read more »
No one should have to ever go through this ever again 🙁
How could this happen! Im crying! MOSHIACH NOW! Hashem, we need a miracle!
I am very sad. “en ud mel’vad’oh”
i keep logging on to col hoping to see some new news….like a change in verdict…. but unfortunately i’m just desperately hoping for something.
There are so many people willing to do…..but what should we do??? can we get a community leader to help direct us? (please don’t post nasty comments now about community leaders, my head is spinning enough from this whole story. thanks)
Please, somebody let us knkow what to do!!
I like the response of #62, 34 and the like. We all need to do teshuva. We need real Ahavat Yisroel, REAL ahava. This isn’t a mental hospital…or is it? If Shol-m Rubashkin is a tzaddik then he’s going to jail (Hopefully only a short time.) and suffering because of our ‘averot.’ Mr. Rubashkin probably has a deep understanding of the whole matter. This is nothing new in Jewish (Certainly Chabad) history. I live in Crown Heights and I can tell you stories about this community and personal encounters I’ve had that are very sad. No ‘loshon hara,’ will be… Read more »
In that court room was he tried by a jury of “his” peers?
i think Rabbonim should ALL TOGETHER decide on what is the next step for us to do. something we should all take upon ourselves together beachdus..
You make it really hard to trust you these days!
Eibeshter stop challenging your children, enough!!!
Send Moshiach!
What can WE do?
We need leadership to galvanize us to come together and do whatever is needed to help. I am still reeling from yesterdays news and cannot think of anything else.
What can we do. Should we take to the streets, write letters? Start an ad campaign?We want to do something!!!
how did all this start? from those B******stards at Peta whos only mission in life is to obliterate shchita. may they burn in hell.
All this is political. This is not justice. Didan Notzach. We will not give up. Come on Am Yisroel.
We all Love you dearly, Don’t worry G-D does not forsake his people, especially people whoo do great deeds of goodness and kindness.
DIDAN NOTZACH IS HAPPENING!!!!!!!!
to LEARN the Tanya of the day… not just say it
Hashem PLEASE!!!
Ahem … what have YOU done? (Don’t get defensive; its a rhetorical question.)
Kol haposel, bemumo posel. Vedal.
why is it that something “bad” always happens around the time of the kinus??!?!?
i’m not a kabbalist or a prophet, but i think when the rebbe started the kinus hashluchim the point was for ACHDUS HASHLUCHIM!!! so maybe we finally all get together and make a REAL ACHDUS LUBAVITCH!
lets put our politics aside for this one and do something we all agree with!!!!!
this is crazy
Everyone keeps saying oy yoy yoy but it’s true, it’s a horrid situation, but instead of kvetching crying screaming etccc u all need to put dimes in the pushka say tehillim have him in mind in shmoneh esrei…there is other things to do besides kvetching and moaning and groaning.
Good Shabbos
Moshiach Now!
Reb Rubashkin we are all standing by your side In hope and tefillos.
Tracht Gut vet zayn gut and all will turn out good without a doubt.
Can we arrange some sort of a protest? what can we do?? i cannot stop thinking what The Tzadik is going through as I type this. Lets all make Hachlotas in his honor. HASHEM PLEASE FREE HIM !!!!! NOW NOW NOW!!!
Maybe we can all write letters to the judge/ courthouse…
Thousands of letters appealing this decision will surely make an impression!
You are the strongest people in the world and father who has a heart of gold! The Emunah floating around is utterly fascinating! We need a real didan notzach!
may his whole jury chapen a misah meshunah
We know that klal yisroel Is in shock as is our family! We have to keep strong, Keep up all our Tehillim Hachlatos Bitachon etc. To get through this.This Wednesday is a bail hearing to get Sholom out of jail. Its gonna be a long road but we’ll stay strong, appeal the case and keep fighting until Sholom gets the verdict he deserves! ITS IN OUR HANDS! We know its NOT the judge or jury BUT HASHEM who runs the world! Everyones continuous support, Tefiilos Hachlotos kept us strong! Please KEEP IT UP!! HINEY MA TOV UMANOIM SHEVES ACHIM GAM… Read more »
I felt so sad in my heart all night for this special man.
But then I thought about the amazing Bitachon and Simcha he had throughout the entire case and that gave me strength to be happy and have more Bitachon.
Even when all looks down, Hashem can find away to turn it around. Chodesh Kislev is Chodesh Hageulah- May he have a complete Geulah now!
He is the Lubvavitcher pollard.
There is two sets of laws!
This is a libel
We must demand true justice.
so sad!!!!!
i dont get it so now he has life in prison with no bail?
now now now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
just coming back from the unbelievable solidarity and bitachon of the hachnasas sefer torah
we jews are unbelievable people we are in his relationship with hashem , way beyond logic ,
they murder our brothers ands we avenge their blood by dancing and singing with the torah ,
Hashem you are our mercyful father have rachmanus beyond logic on your precious children and take care of this mess
ist there a mitzvah to be makabel yisurim behavah?
and all this while thousands are dancing in front of 770 for vachnosas s”t…
take hachlotas
I will start with taking upon myself something which it says clearly in shulchan aruch and SMR is very makbid in, and enabled others to do and this is to: wash and have melava malka every matzui shabbos regardless of the circumstances ( this may seem small but it says it in shulchan aruch and i know its somthing ill actuly do ) so now i urge every one to do the same and also take hachlos and may we see with our own eyes the true victory the victory of moisiach
This is Dreyfus all over again, camouflaged in so called 2010 innocent middle America, under the so called rubric of “the law”. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Yidden, schon zeit zich ufveken! America is no longer the “goldene medina”. Yes, that’s right, it took less than 250 years for us to cease as a sovereign, let along a superpower, and only 70 years from the greatest Jewish tragedy, to cease being the so called “umah shel chesed”, the so called bastion and safe haven for “all” people. It mush indeed be moshiach’s times, because unlike… Read more »
I know Hashem is going to help Shalom; however, I don’t know how. Many years ago, Shalom’s grandfather, took care of my family, in Samarcand. Bezechus of a mitzvah stands forever. May Shalom be reunited with his loved ones, amen! Moshaich now!
My hachlata is to say brochos with kavanah.
How much Mesirah is going on in the community? How many “less known names” are also being dragged through courts by our own out of spite? How much Tehilim and Chesed is being done for them? This tragic event must serve as a wake up call and now!
that’s the only solution
How can you repay good with evil?
how can you turn your back on all our pleas?
Why did you choose the finest man?
How can you orphan and abandon a beautiful family?
How can you allow the destruction of a beautiful kehilla?
How can you allow sonei yisroel vHashem to win over your faithful?
How can you not join us in our efforts for pidyon Shvuyim?
No, we cannot accept Your decree against our fellow yid, we demand You to change this terrible situation.
Please Shluchim do somthing.
For the sforim we had didan notzach, because there was direct intervention of the Rebbe and all chabad. For a Man we just stay and do nothing?
The nisaion is for all of us, Hashem give us the opportunitty to do somthing for him.
It’s time to “Maase hu haikar” and ahavas Isroel is all the Torah.
Look what happened at the story of Purim!
In less than a split second he can be a free man!!
We need to have Emunah!!
But with that said, ALL OF LUBAVITCH SHOULD NOT SIT AROUND AND WATCH HIM GO TO JAIL, SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ASAP!!! All the big Macher shluchim should start doing things. If anybody has connections with anybody, get moving!!
We CANNOT let another holocaust happen (that’s whats happening to him)
1000+ is maximum prison term a will not get that much so dont make stupid things up
in times like this we should all take HACHLATOS and it doesn’t have to be something big but it should be somthing that you aren’t doing now, and in his ZICHUS you are going to do it and will do it EVERY DAY( or every week depending on when it occurs) TILL THERE IS A FINAL DIDAN NOTZACH and he is on his way to thank the rebbe I will start with taking upon myself something which it says clearly in shulchan aruch and SMR is very makbid in, and enabled others to do and this is to: wash and… Read more »
Was it shmully yankolowitz who told on him
teshuva is always present maybe weall need to look in the mirror.
I don’t know if you’ll be seeing this. I don’t know you personally. But when I think of a fellow Lubavitcher like u, I feel like we are close. All I needed to see was the picture above with the Kuntress you are holding in your hand and pray for a complete victory since that is what you trully deserve- A REAL DIDAN NOTZACH! Today, I used the example to explain to a not frum person the Hayom yom of the day. We learn that where we are situated is all by Hashgocha Protis in order to spread Yidishkeit. By… Read more »
I don’t know if you’ll be seeing this. I don’t know you personally. But when I think of a fellow Lubavitcher like u, I feel like we are close. All I needed to see was the picture above with the Kuntress you are holding in your hand and pray for a complete victory since that is what you trully deserve- A REAL DIDAN NOTZACH! Today, I used the example to explain to a not frum person the Hayom yom of the day. We learn that where we are situated is all by Hashgocha Protis in order to spread Yidishkeit. By… Read more »
What else can we do to bring Moshiach and take us out of Golus??????????????????????????????????????
AD MOSAI!! AD MOSAI!! AD MOSAI!!!!!
we need moshiach right nowwwwwwwww add mossssaai
till when ,van we suffer so much !we need moshiach now!!!!!!!!!i think everyone should take on a hachlata that they will keep!and we can still hope ifwhen the appeal comes HE WILL WN!!!!!!!!
This is truly a sad situation as the Rubashkin family and exceptional ba’alei tzedoka and ba’alei chesed.
The other side is that “if you can’t do the time then don’t do the crime”. Unfortunately he is not the first yid to be found guilty of these types of crimes. Is there a different law in America for Jews and non-Jews? Let us hope that he gets a much lighter sentence than expected.
That’s it.
This is just like Gimel Tamuz. People in Crown Heights have a real problem is believing reality. This is A WAKE UP CALL for all of you. See reality, don’t stay stuck in your false daydreams.
Is there such a thing as mitigation in this trial? Or the facts are coldly taken?
MAY WE ONLY HEAR GOOD NEWS!
last yaer when we heard about it every//1 was so sad pls just say tehillim he is to young
hashem we NEEED MOSHIACH NOOOW!
moshiach we need you now!! dont you understand????????????????????????
think of this, madoff steals 65 blillion and gets 150 years, rubashkin even if he is guilty in everything, stole only 35 million, and gets 1000+
go figure!!!
AMERICA
there are no words to say…
ppl here can’t believe it..
maybe its a yerida l’tzorech aliya
The Most amazing thing about this man is that I am yet to hear ONE single person say one negative thing about him! Can you imagine a Jew who everyone in the world loves…pretty unheard of! Hashem help him, so he can teach us how to love EVERY Jew!
hello with all the simcha tonight in crown heights goign on with the holtsberg sefer torah there will be none of this abnormal behavior from the court. as chassidim we’ll break thru!!!! it can change in the blink of an eye!! being sad and depressed aint gonna help…
THIS IS TERRIBLE!! I CAN”T BELIEVE IT WE WERE ALL DAVENING. i”h the judge will decide otherwise
we must do something i will participate in the streets of crown heights if the march in protest !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!at the hachnasos sefer torah
this can’t be!!!!11 insane
what is going to be???1
HA-TEVA is the numerical value of 86. At least they find something right with you. If you would have been completely guilty it would have been 91 or ma-ah ahuz (one hundred per cent guilty.
what could i do
helllllllllllllllllllo I was sitting with a tehillim for two hours glued to the news
Hashem please please please
hashem yerachem, gevald gevald,
Even being taken into Custody and to endure Just One Shabbos in Custody is freaking me out… BUT Listen Sholom M – We are with you in body and soul. You are not in custody alone. Take comfort ohh Sholom M, are thoughts, our actions, are with you right now 7:59 PM Thursday and onwards every minute. Do you understand? Chabad is one family. We are all together in this. We will come in droves outside of the prison grounds – rain, shine, sleet, snow – to stand next to you. Whatever happens, there’s an even greater and stronger Didon… Read more »
I guess if he aint OJ and doesn’t kill, he must be guilty.
Kudos #23
he will need to sit in prison for a week until the judge decides how many thousands of years he need to be in jail for then they can start the appeal, and you need to hope the court will take the case!
and HE is the true judge!! Kinus Hashluchim- Ker a Velt HEINT!
where is everybody…???? the Rebbes shluchim and family. is “lubavitch ein mishpocho” a fantasy of the past? when chassidim would fight hell or high water for their fellow chossid..we need to take a stand NOW!!!! its not too late to free an innocent chossid, tzaddik..the holocaust happened when fellow yidden sat back and crossed their arms..we need to take a stand now! SHLUCHIM stop being politically correct and protecting your corporate image, rather act like your meshaleach our REBBE and SCREAM THE TRUTH!!! dont be intimidated of your buddies in washington. the inquistion didnt break us neither the bolshevics. Remember… Read more »
WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO NOW???? AFTER WE DAVEN, ETC… WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE DO? HOW CAN SUCH A THING HAPPEN? I JUST DONT GET THIS.. THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE… EITHER HE WINS, OR.. HE WINS………… SUCH CONFUSING TIMES.. MOSHIACH HAS TO COME THIS SECOND… THIS IS NOT NORMAL
the defense did nothing for him, i hope he gets new lawers when they do the appeal. all he got was 4 people to testify and say rubashkin is a nice guy!
poor guy!
It’s definately a nisayon but its too much!!!!!!!!
hashem!!!im about to cry!!!!!hashem!!we need moshiach!!
his kapital is kapital nun aleph
This cant be final! they can appeal.
If you kill someone you get 10 years if you steal 1 million dollars you get 20 years if you make a false invoice or pay someone 2 days late you get 1000 years in prison!!!!! Where is chabad? Where is the senate? How crazy is this country? Watching a man lose his life!!! His wife his kids and so on!! Where is our voice? Where is the jewish voice? How can one jew go and testify againt him?? We need to stand up for ourself and stop playing games all those in washington need to speak up!!
this is a nisoyon. don’t get nispoel.
may we immediately hear of a reversal.
even better, may we immediately have moshiach now!
keep on DOING & keep on thinking only “gut; VET ZEIN GUT!”
come on G-D we need a miracle here………….
does anyone know his kapital so we could say his kapital of tehillim
?
Time to take a cue from our black brothers and start blocking traffic and demonstrating.
No Justice, No Peace!
Moshiach has to come to PROVE his INNOCENCE!
We need moshiach
at least say found guilty by the jury
men darf hitten zich meet a vort
there is still the appeal process
tracht gut vet zien gut
hashem yishmor!!
very sad
Bs”d
Hashem, how can a father refuse?!?
Ad mosai???
We will rejoice in the streets Hashem with teh Didan Notzach news-
it’s so much better than making us do the opposite.
Moshiach NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Didan Notzach!!!
Today has the ohr of Didan Notzach!!!!
the verdict is in
how sad
WHEN HE WINS, MARK MY WORDS, HE WILL GO STRAIGHT TO CROWN HEIGHTS AND CELEBRATE. ALL WILL REJOICE.
MOSHIACH NOW.
May Hashem help Sholom Mordechai and his family to get through this time. We are all davening for you.
I’YH
we need an update we are going crazy here please let us know what is going on!!!!!
I cant believe this verdict.
How unfair!!!
say tehillim now!
idea: say his name in Kuf yud tes… letters spelled out.
I’m davening SO hard!
HASHEM!!!!! PLEASE HELP!!! SHOW YOUR CHILDREN HOW MUCH YOU LOVE US!!
This is unfair!!!!!!!!!!!!!! how dare an aibishter allow this to happen to the nicest family in the world!!!!!
he is such an example. every picture etc you see is of him smiling, davening, giving a Tanya shiur, holding the kuntres etc. what an amazing source of inspiration that during such trying times his emunah never wavers and he busies himself in such ways, not to mention his eishis chayil who busies herself with worrying abt the guests that have come in. didan notzach will happen once again for him and his family iy”h
Mgal’glin Z’chus Lyom Zakia, may the Didan Notzach of today, apply to R. S.M. Rubashkin.
we will hear the wonderful news of a didan notzach!