Rabbis call for Rubashkin’s release

NEW YORK (JTA) -- A coalition of seven Orthodox rabbis has issued a plea for the release of Sholom Rubashkin, the former manager of the Agriprocessors kosher meat plant in Postville, IA, while his case is on appeal.

The rabbis, including representatives of the National Council of Young Israel and Agudath Israel of America, also delivered a signed letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder seeking reconsideration of the case.

Rubashkin was convicted in November on 86 counts of financial fraud and is being held in detention in Iowa pending sentencing. His bail request was denied.

Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Agudah’s executive vice president, said prosecutors had been “extraordinarily inflexible and harsh” in their treatment of Rubashkin, saying the calls for his release on bail are a “humanitarian issue.”