Two serious reports on kosher violations in restaurants that were transferred from the supervision of a local religious council to a distant religious council, as part of the kosher reform, reached the Chief Rabbinate's desk in recent months - but were not published. This, according to sources within the rabbinate, because they could damage the kosher reform.
As part of the first phase of the reform, which came into effect at the beginning of the year, authorities are allowed to provide kosher services even if they are not businesses in their municipal area.
The opponents of the reform have been claiming for many months that this causes a decrease in the quality of kashrut and various supervision problems.
Kosher certificate at the entrance to the restaurant (archive), photo: Yehoshua Yosef
Now it turns out that two reports on restaurants were submitted in recent months to the Chief Rabbinate on behalf of Rabbi Adiriya Pinchas, director of the restaurant and marketing chain department, in which significant kosher gaps were discovered. Since it is possible that the kosher problems have since been resolved, the details of the restaurants will not be published.
Not up to standard
In the first case, which was checked last July, a visit was made to a restaurant in the Shefala that received a kosher certificate from the rabbis of the Sharon Coast.
The review states: "There was no correct and complete procedure for the restaurant's transition from a non-kosher state to a kosher state."
Among other things, non-kosher meat products, many non-kosher alcoholic beverages, and dairy ice cream boxes were also found in a meat restaurant.
Uncooked wine and leafy vegetables that are not monitored for insects are also used - contrary to procedures.
In the second case, which occurred about three weeks ago in a restaurant in the Jerusalem area, it was written: "The business does not operate according to the accepted standard of the practices of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel."
"Since the creation of the Fraud Unit, it has issued notices to the general public that have warned many against kosher fraud. This is an important government service for all kosher consumers in Israel," says the Kummot organization.
"The latest publication that was hidden from the public proves that today there is no supervision and regulation. The reform allows for complete chaos in the kashrut world."
Kosher certificate (illustration), photo: Yehoshua Yosef
The Chief Rabbinate responded: "In this case, these are findings that did not justify the removal of kosher, which were formulated as part of a routine audit by the representatives of the Chief Rabbinate. Under these circumstances, there was no reason to publish them. Attributing the lack of publication to the kosher reform is false and biased."
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