Chief Rabbinate Reverses Decision and Cancels Kashrut License for Tzohar

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel has abruptly reversed its recent decision to grant a historic kosher certification license to the rabbinical organization Tzohar. Just hours after reports announced the breaking of the kosher certification monopoly, the Rabbinate's council issued an official statement clarifying that it does not approve the license, effectively nullifying the move. The council criticized the Rabbinate's CEO for failing to inform them about the intention to grant the license, stating that the matter was never discussed with the council or the kosher certification committee, and no relevant data or materials were presented to them.

The council emphasized that by law it is entitled to a full 30 days to review such requests and formulate a halachic position, a period that was bypassed. The statement concluded unequivocally that the Chief Rabbinate council does not currently approve issuing the license to Tzohar. This sudden retreat follows intense pressure from Yehuda Avidan, CEO of the Ministry of Religious Services, who sent urgent letters to legal advisors demanding the license be declared invalid due to the lack of knowledge and consent from Chief Rabbi Kalman Levine.