Rabbi Lebanon Strongly Condemns Chief Rabbinate CEO's Kosher Certification Move

Rabbi Elyakim Lebanon, the Chief Rabbi of Samaria and head of the Alon Moreh Yeshiva, sharply criticized Yehuda Cohen, CEO of the Chief Rabbinate, following Cohen's decision to officially authorize the organization 'Tzohar' to grant kosher certification in Israel. Lebanon described this decision as a "farewell gift" from Cohen, whom he accused of causing long-term damage to the kosher certification system. He disparagingly referred to Tzohar's kosher certification as "CEO kosher" and publicly urged the public not to trust it.

To emphasize the severity of Cohen's actions, Rabbi Lebanon cited a verse from the Book of Samuel about rebellious servants, likening Cohen's move to an insubordinate act against his superiors, the Chief Rabbinate Council. Lebanon accused Cohen of overstepping his authority near the end of his tenure, which he claimed should have ended earlier.

Rabbi Lebanon also expressed support for the spiritual leadership of the Chief Rabbinate Council and the Chief Rabbis, Kalman Bar and David Yosef, urging them to resist what he called "intruders" seeking to impose their will. He stressed the importance of state authority over kosher certification, drawing a clear distinction between "state kosher" under the Chief Rabbinate and "CEO kosher". Lebanon called on the public to rely solely on kosher certifications issued by the Chief Rabbinate and warned against accepting certifications granted by the CEO's office or other local rabbinates.