Israeli Parliament Repeals Kashrut Privatization Reform in Close Vote

The Israeli Knesset voted 46 to 41 to approve the "Prohibition of Fraud in Kashrut" law, effectively canceling the recent reform that sought to privatize kosher certification by removing the Chief Rabbinate's monopoly. This repeal restores the exclusive authority of the Chief Rabbinate over kosher supervision and certification for businesses, nullifying provisions that would have allowed private kosher organizations to operate.

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel strongly opposed the reform, arguing that maintaining public interest requires transparency, objectivity, and public accountability. They warned that privatization could lead to conflicts of interest and compromised supervision due to economic pressures within the food industry.

This legislative reversal was part of a political deal between ultra-Orthodox parties and other coalition members during a legislative blitz ahead of the Knesset's dissolution. Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, spiritual leader of the Shas party, urged party chairman Aryeh Deri to support the coalition's legislation to avoid jeopardizing the passage of the "Basic Law: Torah Study." Rabbi Yosef emphasized the urgency of passing key laws and called for protecting the public from consuming non-kosher food.

Earlier in the month, the Chief Rabbinate had briefly authorized the "Tzohar" rabbinical organization to grant kosher certification, but later the Chief Rabbinate's legal advisor declared this license invalid and unauthorized. This controversy highlights ongoing tensions over kosher supervision authority in Israel.

The repeal ensures that kosher certification remains under the Chief Rabbinate's control, reflecting the political and religious complexities surrounding kosher supervision in Israel.