Strengthening Chief Rabbinate: You Can Enforce Lawbreaking Offenses Regardless of the State Attorney's Office - Like the Tax Authority

• Kosher Certificate in Restaurant // Photo Archive: Joshua Yosef

For the first time this week, the Chief Rabbinate began to file indictments directly against businesses that present themselves as kosher in violation of the law. So far, the rabbinate has depended on the prosecution to indict.

The new resolution seeks to fix a long-standing problem. The rabbinical enforcement unit, which works against entities that violate the Kosher Fraud Prohibition Act, is empowered to impose fines, and fined entities could apply to be tried for the offense.

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But for many years, the State Prosecutor's Office has not been indicted, which allowed them to evade punishment and impair the rabbinate's deterrent ability. In order to increase its power and ability to actively act against violators, in recent years the Chief Rabbinate has worked to establish an internal prosecution system, under which its attorneys can file indictments independently of law violators - similar to the Israel Tax Authority.

Strikes the Liberal bodies

This week, after much effort, the application was approved and now the rabbinate will be able to indict the offenders.

The decision gives additional active power to the Chief Rabbinate, in contrast to the position of liberal organizations seeking to privatize or close it.

In recent years there has been a war in the field of Kosher in the State of Israel, with the Chief Rabbinate seeking to maintain its exclusive control over the field, and on the other hand there are liberal bodies looking to provide alternative Kosher certificates. A precautionary measure was filed this week against criminal charges against several businesses, and the rabbinate stated that this was not a one-off case.

"For the benefit of kosher consumers"

A call was recently made with an outside attorney's office serving as a prosecutor for the rabbinate, and the rabbinate's representatives were authorized to serve as criminal prosecutors on behalf of the attorney general.

The Chief Rabbinate notes that the ability to file indictments will allow it to act against those who try to evade punishment through a request to be tried, as well as indictments against serial law violators. "Increasing the Chief Rabbinate's enforcement capabilities against businesses operating in violation of the law will give it additional tools to deal with consumer fraud and abuse, and is another layer to strengthen the kosher system," the rabbinate said.