Why Israel’s kashrut reform matters for the diaspora

In mid-July, Israel’s minister of religious affairs proposed a bill that would reform the country’s kashrut industry. Although this most directly affects Israeli businesses and consumers, by definition as the centre of the Jewish world, it will have practical and broader implications for Jews across the globe.

Perhaps the next time you come to Israel – and may we be blessed to see the full re-opening of our borders speedily – or even when you purchase products manufactured here, you might initially be confused by these new developments. It’s therefore important that you understand that the ramifications of this process will be increased effectiveness and greater integrity, while always promising that the ultimate commitment remains steadfastly to preserving halachic standards and ethics which are at the very heart of our tradition.

Beyond the practical aspects of this reform, it deserves to be heralded as a major step forward in making Jewish observance in Israel something which can be embraced by all its people as food is so central to celebrations and family gatherings. Therefore, alongside many other aspects of daily Jewish life, it cannot be something which is held hostage or controlled based on political or personal considerations in the hands of one agency or rabbinical group.

In many ways, the passage of this bill should be viewed as a victory for all people who have long sought out this more transparent, effective, and competitive kashrut infrastructure, but also for those who strive for a more inclusive and just Israeli Jewish society.

In Israel, kashrut has always been managed under one centralised monopoly in the form of the chief rabbinate of Israel. Such a centralised system, by definition, leads to inefficiency and sadly, even corruption. A widespread presence of such irregularities was the conclusion of a comprehensive report on Israel’s kashrut industry issued several years ago by Israel’s state comptroller.

It’s important to stress that such corruption and operational failure isn’t because the chief rabbinate is seeking to impose anything other than a high level of kashrut. But when you have a system with no competitors and limited oversight, it’s only natural that it will lead to cutting corners, improprieties, increased costs, and sadly, be truly broken.

It’s also well worth pointing out that many within Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community recognise this, and even the very individuals who are involved in overseeing the rabbinate’s kashrut don’t trust it when it comes to the food they eat. Israel’s high court has found that the current system is problematic because of the existence of illicit compensation relationships between business owners and supervisors. Operationally, the very structure through which local rabbinates are meant to supervise local businesses is also broken. At present, there are about 30 municipalities, including major cities like Tel Aviv and Haifa, where for several years, there have been no local rabbis overseeing the religious councils – an absurdity that lends itself to lax kashrut standards and supervision.

In business, no one would accept such a scenario, so it’s hard to believe that the people of the Jewish state should accept it when it comes to one of our most important and sacred traditions.

In February 2018, following an intensive review of the report and options under law to begin to reform kashrut, the Tzohar Rabbinical Organisation, which I founded and chair, opened a programme to act as a kosher supervising agency. Due to restrictions under the law to keep the rabbinate’s power centralised, we were prohibited from using the word “kosher” in our certification. Although we faced intense political, public, and communal pressure, we knew that this process needed to take place if we wanted to increase the level of integrity of kashrut in Israel.

The reform bill introduced in July intends to make that vision of alternative kashrut supervision the operating standard. Should the bill be passed into law, multiple agencies, fully committed to strict halacha, would be able to provide kosher certification.

It’s once again critical to explain that in spite of the ill-informed criticism that has been made against the proposed changes by political rivals, this process will in no way weaken halachic standards – in fact to the contrary. The very structure of the bill ensures that halachic oversight and regulation will remain in the hands of members of local rabbinates – people who I know to be G-d-fearing advocates of strict halacha whose goal is to ensure that kashrut observance is accessible and managed in a reliable, professional, and transparent way.

While the details are complex to the point that they cannot be fully explained in this forum, on a technical level, this reform will allow groups of qualified city chief rabbis to certify independent kashrut organisations to provide kashrut across the country. The practical significance of this change in the law is that independent agencies – like Tzohar kashrut but certainly others that we look forward to welcoming into the marketplace – will now be able to provide full kashrut services all over the country. The key point is that there will be a clear separation between the role of rabbis, who will set the standards, and independent organisations who will certify the eateries.

Costs will be reduced and as importantly, de-centralisation will allow for far better oversight that translates to enhanced efficiency from both operational and halachic perspectives.

I know that there are those who fear that such a move delegitimises the chief rabbinate or will lead to reduced stringency in kashrut supervision. But as explained above, the effect will be just the opposite because it will preserve the standards of the chief rabbinate as halachic regulator while promising that operational implementation will be placed in more competent hands.

For Jewish life in Israel to be observed in a way that respects us all, it ultimately needs to be conducted in a manner that’s first and foremost driven by real Jewish values – values only possible when they are guided by integrity, justice, and respect. This is an understanding that deserves to be embraced by every Jew, regardless of where we find ourselves on the globe.

• Rabbi David Stav is the chairperson and founder of the Tzohar Rabbinical Organisation in Israel.