Israeli Parliament Reverses Kahana’s Kashrut Reform, Returns Authority to Chief Rabbinate

The Israeli Knesset approved a law late Wednesday night that cancels the 2021 kashrut reform initiated by former Minister Matan Kahana. The reform had opened the kosher certification market to private entities, allowing them to provide supervision services and kosher certificates. The new legislation passed with 46 votes in favor and 41 against, effectively restoring exclusive authority over kosher certification to the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

Under the approved law, the Chief Rabbinate Council, authorized local rabbis, and the IDF Rabbinate will hold the sole power to issue kosher certificates. The law also regulates various aspects of the kosher supervision system, including certification standards, the operation of supervising bodies, separation between supervisors and the businesses they oversee, and overall supervision in the field.

The 2021 reform had privatized kosher supervision, permitting private bodies to issue certificates based on standards set by rabbis who are not public officials. However, the Chief Rabbinate and its leading rabbis strongly opposed the reform, arguing that kosher services must remain public to ensure transparency, objectivity, and public accountability. They warned that private certification could be influenced by commercial interests in the food industry, potentially creating conflicts of interest.

Following the law’s passage, the kosher certification market will no longer be open to private competition, and the Chief Rabbinate will regain full control over kosher supervision in Israel. Meanwhile, the kosher organization "Tzohar" announced the establishment of a competing kosher supervision system, stating their intent to challenge but not replace the Chief Rabbinate’s authority.

The law marks a significant policy reversal in Israel’s kosher certification system, reaffirming the Chief Rabbinate’s central role in regulating kashrut standards and supervision.