Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital
Hadassah Ein Karem HospitalIsrael news photo: Flash 90

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel has announced that it has removed the kashrut approval from the two Hadassah hospitals in Jerusalem – at Har HaTzofim and Ein Karem.

"Based upon information received from the Jerusalem Local Rabbinate," the Chief Rabbinate announced, "it turns out that its kashrut certificates for the compounds of Hadassah Har HaTzofim and Hadassah Ein Karem have not yet been regulated and it has no responsibility for the kashrut situation there, even though the hospital management has been warned to regulate the matters of Shabbat supervision and the number of supervision hours required there. 

"The certificates presented at the location and signed by kashrut supervisors – cannot serve as a substitute for a legal kashrut certificate. Let the public know and beware."

Hadassah Hospital issued a statement rejecting the rabbinate's position. "Fifty years ago, Hadassah was declared by Rav Frank z"l [the Rabbi of Jerusalem at the time] as an independent entity that is not subordinate to the Jerusalem Rabbinate. For this reason, Hadassah never held a kashrut certificate from the Jerusalem Rabbinate, and the matter of kashrut was under the supervision of Rav Rakovsky z"l, who served as the Rabbi of the Hadassah Medical Centers, and the supervisors he appointed. This team continues to do its work, without change, at present. 

"After the passing of Rav Rakovsky, we looked into the possibility of transferring the matter of kashrut to the Jerusalem Rabbinate, but this possibility was rejected," Hadassah stated. "A new rabbi for the Hadassah hospitals will soon be selected. Hadassah continues to serve the kashrut-observant public."

The Chief Rabbinate also said that the food outlets in the IKEA compound in Netanya are also not under kashrut supervision.