Tensions Rise Over Kashrut License Validity Between Tzohar and Ministry of Religious Services

The kosher certification organization Tzohar has rejected claims made by Yehuda Avidan, Director General of the Ministry of Religious Services, that its kosher certification license is invalid. Tzohar stated that its license was lawfully granted by the Director General of the Chief Rabbinate, who alone holds the authority to issue such licenses. The organization emphasized that the Ministry of Religious Services has no jurisdiction over kosher certification licenses.

Tzohar also noted that the Chief Rabbinate Council was aware of their license application and addressed it in its response to petitions submitted to the High Court of Justice. The council raised administrative objections unrelated to kosher standards. According to Tzohar, hundreds of businesses under its certification and hundreds of thousands of customers can continue to rely on its kosher supervision, which operates under the authority of the Chief Rabbinate.

The dispute escalated after Avidan sent an urgent letter to the Deputy Attorney General and the Chief Rabbinate's legal advisor following a decision by Yehuda Cohen, Director General of the Chief Rabbinate, to validate Tzohar's kosher certification. Avidan argued that this move bypassed explicit legal provisions and contradicted the position of the Chief Rabbinate Council President, Rabbi Kalman Bar, who was neither consulted nor gave approval.

Avidan warned that the certification issued to "Tzohar - Food Supervision Ltd." lacks legal validity and should not be relied upon. He stressed that kosher certification must begin with approval from the Chief Rabbinate Council, which did not occur in this case. He urged the legal advisors to immediately halt the distribution of the certification to prevent unlawful use and potential legal challenges, citing numerous requests from across Israel to use the certification despite its contested status.

"I request that you instruct and announce that the certificate was issued unlawfully and has no validity," Avidan concluded, highlighting the urgency to prevent actions that could lead to further legal disputes.