A monopolistic kosher food supervision system in 1950s Essex County, New Jersey, spawned widespread abuse and community conflict, ultimately leading to legal challenges and religious schisms. Through analysis of legal proceedings, community correspondence, and organizational records, the investigation uncovers how one orthodox rabbi and the Essex County Federation of Kosher Butchers maintained exploitative control over kashruth supervision from 1938 onward. Their practices included price manipulation, economic coercion, and anti-competitive tactics, which came to a head in 1956 when kosher butchers Leonard and Harold Seroff successfully sued the federation for its boycott practices, winning a $1,700 judgment. In response, the Community Council of Essex County established a new kashruth board but controversially excluded Conservative Jewish representation, triggering organized protests from Conservative rabbis and the United Synagogue. The findings demonstrate that monopolistic religious authority in kashruth supervision can lead to commercial exploitation and community fragmentation. The study concludes that broader rabbinical participation and community oversight are essential for maintaining integrity in kosher food supervision and preventing the perpetuation of abuse by entrenched commercial interests.