Tzohar Receives Rabbinical Certification Approval Amid Dispute With Religious Authorities

Following a prolonged legal process, the Tzohar kashrut organization was granted official certification to operate as a kosher certification body by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel on Thursday, in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling. The certification, signed by the Chief Rabbinate's CEO Yehuda Cohen, is valid for three years. However, shortly after the announcement, both the Chief Rabbinate Council and the Ministry of Religious Services declared the certificate invalid, claiming it was issued without proper authority or council approval.

Yehuda Avidan, CEO of the Ministry of Religious Services, stated that the certificate lacks validity because the Chief Rabbinate Council never discussed or approved the certification, as required by law. The council's secretary, Rafael Frank, confirmed that the council had not been presented with the necessary documentation or rationale to review the license, and therefore does not currently approve Tzohar's certification.

This dispute follows a Supreme Court decision from November mandating the Chief Rabbinate to consider Tzohar's request to be recognized as a kosher certification body under the legal criteria. Tzohar views this as a historic step to enhance transparency, reduce costs, and strengthen public trust in kashrut supervision in Israel. Since 2018, Tzohar has supervised hundreds of businesses, hotels, and institutional kitchens with strict adherence to halachic standards and transparent oversight.

Rabbi Emmanuel Gadg, CEO of Tzohar's kashrut division, welcomed the certification as a milestone for a professional and supervised national kashrut system. He expressed hope that the license would highlight the importance of dedicated kashrut organizations that pay their supervisors and work to strengthen kosher standards.

The Chief Rabbinate had previously opposed allowing Tzohar to issue kosher certificates, warning in 2021 that the government's reform plan would undermine kosher supervision and Jewish religious standards in Israel by opening certification to commercial interests and unregulated entities.