Full Breakdown
Chief Rabbinate’s Contested Approval of Tzohar as a Kosher Certification Body
7/3/2026, 8:27:40 PM
License Approval and Immediate Legal Challenge
On Thursday, Chief Rabbinate Director General Yehuda Cohen signed a license permitting the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization to issue kosher certifications. Within hours, Religious Services Ministry Director General Yehuda Avidan declared the approval unauthorized and ineffective, and the Rabbinate has issued no clarification.
Historical Context and 2021 Kashrut Reform
Since 2018 Tzohar has offered an alternative kosher supervision service. The 2021 Kashrut reform allowed private Orthodox bodies to certify kosher if recognized by the Rabbinate. A High Court of Justice ruling last month ordered the Rabbinate to cease refusing Tzohar’s recognition, prompting the licensing attempt.
Official Statements from Tzohar, Ministry, Council, and Rabbi Gdage
Tzohar says the license is valid and urges immediate adoption. The Religious Services Ministry says the approval exceeds the director-general’s authority. The Chief Rabbinate Council formally rejected the license, citing legal requirements for council consent. Rabbi Emanuel Gdage called the decision historic for a professional, state-recognized kosher system.
Criticism of the Rabbinate’s Monopoly
Critics argue the Rabbinate’s monopoly makes certification costly, bureaucratic and inflexible. Ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition aim to reverse the 2021 reform. Benjamin Porat warns the current system is dominated by Haredi dictates, limiting competition.
Legal Discrepancies and Unresolved Status
The core dispute concerns whether the director-general’s unilateral license complies with law. The Rabbinate Council says it was not consulted; the Ministry says the approval lacks authority. No definitive court ruling has yet clarified the license’s legal status.
Potential Impact on Israel’s Kosher Market
If recognized, Tzohar could introduce competition between moderate and stricter kashrut visions, increase transparency, lower certification costs, and allow some Shabbat-open establishments to obtain kosher status, reshaping Israel’s food-service market.
Key Direct Quotes
- “Hundreds of businesses with Tzohar certification, and hundreds of thousands of their customers, can already eat in places that are certified kosher by Tzohar with the authority and permission of the Chief Rabbinate, starting yesterday evening.” — Tzohar spokesperson
- “Therefore, this approval has no power and cannot be acted upon.” — Yehuda Avidan, Director General, Religious Services Ministry
- “We welcome the decision to authorize Tzohar Kashrut to operate as a recognized kosher certification body. This is a historic step toward strengthening a state-recognized, professional, and supervised kosher certification system that operates in accordance with Jewish law and serves the broader public responsibly.” — Rabbi Emanuel Gdage, CEO, Tzohar Kashrut
- “Today the world of kosher is controlled exclusively by the Rabbinate, which very often is subject to the dictates of Haredi or extremely religious elements.” — Benjamin Porat, Director, Institute for Research in Jewish Law, Hebrew University
Future Outlook
The issue will likely influence the September-October Knesset elections; the Rabbinate may enforce or retract the license, while further legal challenges are expected until a court definitively rules on the director-general’s authority.
