In Late January, YWN reported that Nazi-era RIF soap was handed over to the Misaskim organization for burial. The incident received much attention as it opened up raw and painful scars dating back to the days when our parents were young and suffered Nazi atrocities. It rekindled a debate and prompted people to question, research, and delve deeper in an attempt to uncover the myths and facts surrounding the RIF soap controversy.
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Questions and comments received from readers included: “Why don’t they test it?” “Is it permissible to test it?” “Can’t it just be buried?” These questions along with many others are being carefully evaluated by Misaskim’s rabbinical authority, Rabbi Yechezikel Roth Shlita and his Bais Din, to halachically determine what should be done with the soap.
More survivors came forward relating what they know about the infamous RIF soap bars. And most surprisingly, more RIF soap bars have been sent to Misaskim. Yoni Marrus from Mequon, Wisconsin recently reached out to Misaskim with 8 more bars that he chanced upon after reading about the RIF story. In addition, 10 more bars from Poland were shipped to Misaskim. It is very possible that more bars of soap may surface in the interim before the final rabbinical decision is reached. Misaskim will make sure that the soap will be handled according to correct halachic procedure.
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2 Responses
It has been fairly well established that the RIF soap bar initials that supposedly stood for “Pure Jewish Fat” actually indicated nothing more sinister than “Reich Center for Industrial Fat Provisioning”.
The Nazis did use it to taunt the Jewish inmates with the claim that it was Jewish fat, but in fact it was just not so.
We keep hearing about this soap but never anything about what the poskim said. Is it some sort of secret? I’m sure many others like myself are curious and interested to know what the psak was and what Misaskim is actually doing with the soap in the end. Please don’t tell us half a story.