Hebrew National not Kosher?

I admit I’m a cynic. But even cynics like me have certain things they accept as true with limited or no evidence, and certain people they have faith in.

I always had faith in Hebrew National. I BELIEVED that they believed they answered to a “higher authority” despite my lack of belief in that authority. So imagine my dismay when I read that consumers have sued ConAgra foods claiming that hot dogs and other products sold under its Hebrew National brand were in fact not kosher.

Oh the shame of it all!

Ok, I rarely eat hot dogs because my youngest daughter won’t touch them after reading a story about some of the less than appetizing stuff that gets into them. Me, I’m not that picky since I know just about all foods have that kind of stuff in them. Still, on the rare occasions that we indulge, we always get Hebrew National because we always figured the quality was a step or two above other brands.

I feel betrayed. Another of my childhood truths appears to be on the verge of collapsing.

According to the lawsuit, a supplier for ConAgra, AER Services Inc., didn’t adhere to the stringent standards required to label meat kosher, ignored employee complaints and even threatened retaliation against those employees.

Sounds like another example of the workforce wanting to do the right thing while management focuses on the short term benefit of skimping. I say short term because if AER loses their contract with ConAgra they’ll probably be hurting big time.

AER apparently is not a party to the lawsuit which sets up an easy out for ConAgra; they can simply promise to dump AER if the charges appear to be true.

Of course AER says that the allegations against them are utterly false.

We shall see what we shall see here. It wouldn’t be the first time a disgruntled employee made up stuff about their employer either. Still, certain people and companies are supposed to stay up on their pedestal and the Hebrew National brand is one of those. When they fall off a cry of dismay is appropriate.