Israeli Parliament Advances Law to Cancel Kashrut Reform and Reinforce Chief Rabbinate Monopoly
The Israeli Knesset committee for public initiatives has approved a law to cancel the 2021 kashrut reform in its second and third readings, with final approval expected next week in the plenum. The law aims to preserve the Chief Rabbinate's monopoly over kosher certification, prevent market competition, and transfer control of 5,000 kosher supervisors to the Ministry of Religious Services, currently led by the Shas party.
The original reform, initiated by the Yamina faction in cooperation with Yisrael Beiteinu, sought to open the kosher certification market to private corporations, allowing them to issue kosher certificates under standards set either by the Chief Rabbinate or by three rabbis. This change was expected to reduce costs, especially for imported products. However, Shas has blocked the reform's implementation throughout the current Knesset term.
The new law not only maintains the Chief Rabbinate's monopoly but also subordinates local religious councils' kosher certifications to the Rabbinate. It mandates that all kosher supervisors be employed by corporations linked to religious councils, giving Shas control over these 5,000 positions and potentially imposing a half-billion shekel employment cost on the state.
Recently, outgoing Chief Rabbinate CEO Yehuda Cohen authorized the Tzohar organization to operate as a kosher certification corporation, a license that would be revoked if the new law passes the Supreme Court. Despite the law's intent to block a religious-national rabbinical organization, the Religious Zionism faction promoted it alongside Shas, with the bill prepared for final readings by MK Ohad Tal.
The committee rejected 1,000 opposition amendments. Tani Frank, director of the Center for Judaism and State at the Hartman Institute, criticized the law for lacking legitimacy and harming public finances by eliminating competition and weakening city rabbis relative to the Chief Rabbinate. Former Minister of Religious Services Michael Malchieli of Shas called the vote "an important step to strengthen the kosher system and cancel the destructive Kahana reform for all Israeli citizens."
