A new kosher butcher shop is set to reopen at the site of Goldberg Kosher Meats in Old Bridge. New owners Reuben, on left, and Joseph Rahmani, far right, expect to open Galaxy Kosher Meat by the end of April. With them are former owner Dave Goldberg, second from left, and property manager Ian Grusd.
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March 31, 2009
Five months after customers said good-bye to what was the area’s last traditional kosher butcher, a new operation is setting up shop in the former Goldberg Kosher Meats in Old Bridge.
Brothers Reuben and Joseph Rahmani expect to open their glatt kosher establishment, Galaxy Kosher Meat, by the end of April at 2626 Route 516.
“God willing, after we put in a kitchen, we will do take-out and catering,” said Reuben Rahmani. “We are real butchers. We will cut it for them right there. People can place an order, and we will grind it for the people. Every day we will have fresh meat.”
The shop will also feature rotisserie chicken, traditional dishes like kugel and kasha varnishkes, and sides like spinach and broccoli souffle.
It will be under the supervision of the Vaad of Raritan Valley through Rabbi Yaakov Wasser of the Young Israel of East Brunswick.
The Rahmani brothers are natives of Iran with 30 years of experience in the kosher restaurant and meat business. They also run Reuben’s Glatt Spot in West Orange.
After NJJN reported that the Old Bridge store’s previous owner, Dave Goldberg, was retiring after 35 years, Rahmani said, he was contacted by Ivan Greenstein, his East Brunswick accountant. NJJN also received inquiries from others interested in contacting Goldberg about taking over his store.
The property manager, Ian Grusd, had a similar experience with loyal customers. “When I visited David after he announced his retirement,” he said, “many local customers approached me and voiced their disappointment the store was closing.
“Although we had strong interest to lease the store to other businesses,” Grusd said, “it was very important to the landlord that the community continued to have a kosher establishment.”
Goldberg, who is 81, said he was closing up shop because he was getting tired of commuting from his Brooklyn home. He also lamented the decline in the demand for kosher meat and competition from large supermarkets.
“We had rachmones [compassion] on the people,” said Rahmani, adding the brothers sought out glatt Orthodox supervision so that the shop would cater to the entire community.
“My philosophy is — and I told all the rabbis this — that we should all be together,” said Rahmani. “We have one Torah, one Halacha [Jewish law]. Why do we need so many hechshers [kosher symbols]? We just want people to come, take the food, and be happy.”
Rahmani, who lives in Hillside, said he and his brother are yeshiva-educated and opened their first shop in 1982 . They have had kosher establishments in Lakewood and Elizabeth and opened the West Orange store in 2004.
He said he is not concerned about opening in such a bad economy. “God has his hand open for everybody. God will provide. I am not worried. I am really excited to be able to serve the people.”
The reopening of the store was greeted with enthusiasm by Rabbi Eugene Wernick of Congregation Beth Ohr, also located on Route 516 in Old Bridge.
“This is tremendous for the community,” he said. “Mr. Goldberg’s loss was a tremendous blow to the community, but was understandable, given his age. We are all looking forward to this.”
For more information, contact Reuben Rahmani at 908-553-6066.
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