The Chief Rabbinate of the High Court: Preparations are being made for the implementation of the kosher reform

From a notice delivered to the High Court by the Chief Rabbinate, in a petition filed by the Tzahar organization - which provides kosher outside of the rabbinate, it appears that the Rabbinate is preparing to implement a kosher plan to which it opposed. According to the Treasury, the kosher reform will save around 550 million shekels per year to the state coffers and even more, to manufacturers the food

Bini Ashkenazi

09/18/2022

Sunday, September 18, 2022, 12:52 p.m. Updated: 1:01 p.m.

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The Chief Rabbinate in Jerusalem.

Have the Rabbis really decided to advance the reform, or are they trying to gain time? (Photo: Flash 90, Yonatan Zindel)

The kashrut reform of (former) Minister of Religious Affairs Matan Kahana is underway, according to the rabbinate's answer to the High Court. The reform, which according to various estimates by the Treasury should save about NIS 550 million a year to the state coffers and about NIS 640 million to restaurants and businesses, has previously suffered Harsh criticisms on the part of the rabbinate.

For example, the Chief Rabbinate Council, which has the authority to grant kosher certificates to restaurants and businesses, even issued an unusual and harsh statement on the subject, stating: "The Chief Rabbinate of Israel rejects completely the dangerous initiative of the Ministry of Religious Services to destroy kosher in Israel, the 'plan' which was presented today for changes in the kosher system means the cancellation of kosher in the State of Israel, the opening of a bazaar of entities with business interests that will grant kosher and giving the possibility to anyone to grant kosher, with the result being the destruction and destruction of kosher."

The (former) minister for religious services, Matan Kahana.

Will the reform identified with him change the kosher market in Israel? (Photo: Elad Malka)

Despite the protests heard from the rabbinate, it appears that it is actually preparing to implement the Kahana's kashrut outline (or at least to gain time with the goal of a new government canceling it).

In the notice of petition submitted to the High Court by the Tzahar organization, which grants kosher certificates outside of the Chief Rabbinate and is in fact the direct 'competitor' of the Rabbinate, it is stated: "The Chief Rabbinate stated that it is preparing for the implementation of the new arrangement. To this end, the relevant agencies are working in cooperation with a consulting company selected in a tender , for the purpose of formulating an operating concept, creating an organizational structure for the system in charge of training, formulating a regulation, supervision and control and licensing system through procedures, characterizing and developing required information systems, and more."

The petition submitted to the High Court by the Zahar organization, which requested that the Chief Rabbinate of Israel recognize the kosher status given by Zahar for food products produced abroad and imported into Israel, and grant importers a kosher certificate for products imported by them, based on a kosher certification on its behalf as a recognized body,

The kosher reform led to various amendments to the legislation concerning kosher, within the framework of which the kosher certificates for imported goods could be issued by a number of different parties: the Chief Rabbinate Council, which can rely on a rabbi or a corporation outside of Israel, similar to what is done today;

And in addition, the kosher certificate for an imported product can be issued by private kosher granting bodies.

Private kosher bodies will be able to operate in accordance with the kosher standard of the Chief Rabbinate, or in accordance with the kosher standard of rabbinical committees, which may reflect different halachic views.

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• cosher

• the main rabbinate

• High Court

• Matan Kahana