Rabbi Moshe Dagan, the Chief Rabbinate's director general, is threatening to oust Rabbi David Stav from his post as rabbi of the Shoham local council, if the Tzohar rabbinical organization he heads establishes an alternative kashrut body.
The threat of Rabbi Stav's dismissal comes against the background of the Supreme Court ruling that the Chief Rabbinate is the only unit authorized to issue kashrut certificates. However, businesses selling food can specify the standards regarding their products and the manner of preparing the food. Rabbi Dagan explained in a letter to Rabbi Stav, that since Stav is ordained to serve as a city rabbi, he is forbidden to grant kashrut to compete with that of the Chief Rabbinate." Thus, Dagan conclude, "We would like to clarify that in our opinion, insofar as an independent kashrut system is established by Tzohar, this may cast doubt on your continued tenure as rabbi of the local council, in view of the conflict of interest between the two occupations."