New Israeli Law on Kashrut Market Centralization Raises Costs and Political Stakes
A recently passed Israeli law centralizes control over kosher certification, potentially increasing living costs and consolidating political power. The legislation emerged from coalition agreements with the Shas party, which demanded the repeal of a previous reform aimed at opening the kosher market to competition. Instead, the new law cancels that reform, eliminates competition, grants expanded authority to the Chief Rabbinate, and transfers employment of thousands of kosher supervisors to local religious councils.
The law benefits private kosher certification corporations aligned with ultra-Orthodox bodies, allowing them to certify non-food products like aluminum trays and toothpaste without Chief Rabbinate oversight. This change economically advantages certain ultra-Orthodox communities, such as the Jerusalem Faction. Additionally, the law fully subordinates city rabbis to the Chief Rabbinate and officially empowers it to regulate kosher certifications globally, reinforcing existing monopolies rather than encouraging market diversification.
While the law attempts to address conflicts of interest by shifting kosher supervisors’ employment from businesses to religious councils, its implementation is delayed by requirements for collective agreements that tie wage increases to supervision costs. Critics argue this creates a deadlock and increases costs for consumers. Passed quietly alongside other less prominent laws, this legislation is expected to impact daily expenses more significantly than many other political issues dominating public discourse ahead of the October elections.
The law’s passage reflects ongoing tensions between economic concerns and identity politics in Israel, with the high cost of living often sidelined amid debates over military service exemptions, judicial reforms, and government crises. According to Tani Frank, director of the Center for Judaism and State at the Hartman Institute, this law exemplifies how political maneuvers can directly affect citizens’ wallets under the guise of religious authority and market regulation.
