Chief Rabbinate Legal Advisor Warns of Procedural Flaws Before Approving Tzohar Kashrut Authority

Hours before Tzohar received official approval to operate as a kosher certification body under the Kashrut reform, the Chief Rabbinate's legal advisor, Attorney Ofer Yaakov, issued a warning about significant procedural deficiencies. In a letter to the Chief Rabbinate's CEO, Yehuda Cohen, Yaakov emphasized that the required administrative process had not been properly conducted and that the statutory oversight mechanisms had yet to be established.

Yaakov clarified that granting a license or even a preliminary approval to a kosher certification body is not merely a technical review of documents but requires a comprehensive professional process. This includes verifying compliance with legal requirements, kosher standards, and the suitability of the body for the intended role. He further noted that the necessary regulatory frameworks mandated by law to implement the reform were completely absent at the time of approval.

The legal advisor stressed the importance of these mechanisms, stating that the Chief Rabbinate is the regulatory authority overseeing licensed bodies and must address these critical points immediately. Although the law does not explicitly forbid issuing a license at this stage, Yaakov argued that this does not justify bypassing the proper legal procedures. He concluded that granting a license or preliminary approval immediately raises fundamental concerns about the administrative process's integrity and must be handled through a formal, orderly procedure involving legal consultation.