Yehuda Avidan Appointed Acting CEO of Chief Rabbinate Amid Kashrut Controversy

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Religious Services Yariv Levin has appointed Yehuda Avidan, the current CEO of his ministry, as the acting CEO of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. This appointment followed extensive consultations with the Civil Service Commissioner and received the necessary legal approvals from the Ministry of Justice, the Chief Rabbinate's legal bureau, and the Ministry of Religious Services' legal bureau. Avidan's appointment continues a precedent where CEOs of the Ministry of Religious Services serve as acting CEOs of the Chief Rabbinate during periods without a permanent CEO.

Yehuda Avidan brings significant public service experience and expertise to this sensitive role, which is seen as a positive development for strengthening and advancing the Chief Rabbinate. Upon his appointment, Avidan received warm blessings from the Chief Rabbis of Israel: Rabbi David Yosef, the Sephardi Chief Rabbi and President of the Rabbinical High Court, and Rabbi Kalman Maier, the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi and President of the Chief Rabbinate Council. Both rabbis wished him success in his important public mission for religious services and all Israeli citizens.

This appointment comes in the wake of a deep controversy within the Chief Rabbinate regarding kosher certification. The former CEO, Yehuda Cohen, had authorized the kosher certification system of the Tzohar organization to operate as a certifying body, a move strongly opposed by the Chief Rabbis and the Chief Rabbinate Council. The council officially declared it does not recognize the license granted to Tzohar, stating the approval process was not properly conducted within the council. Avidan's appointment is seen as a step to restore order and confidence in the Chief Rabbinate's operations following this dispute.