The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday evening that the Chief Rabbinate of Israel must examine whether the Tzohar organization qualifies for a license as a kashrut certifying body, in accordance with the kashrut reform law passed in 2021 at the initiative of then-Minister for Religious Services Matan Kahana.
The law, approved by the Knesset during Kahana’s tenure, allows the Chief Rabbinate to delegate its authority and grant additional bodies-meeting specific standards-the right to issue official kashrut certificates to businesses.
The reform aimed to enable independent supervisory bodies, including Tzohar’s kashrut division, to issue official kashrut certification rather than the general “oversight certificates” they had been limited to until now.
However, since the law’s passage more than two years ago, the Chief Rabbinate has refrained from implementing any measures to apply it-including opening applications for organizations seeking licensing.
In 2023, Tzohar petitioned the Supreme Court, demanding that the Rabbinate be compelled to act according to the law.
In the ruling published Thursday evening, Justice Alex Stein accepted the petition and issued a binding order requiring the Chief Rabbinate to determine whether Tzohar meets the legal requirements.
“We therefore have no choice but to accept the petition,” wrote Justice Stein, “and to issue a final order instructing the Chief Rabbinate to decide whether the petitioner is entitled to a license as a kosher-certifying body under the standards set forth in the existing Kashrut Law; and if so-to issue the petitioner a license.”
Tzohar stated in response to the ruling: "Tzohar Kashrut welcomes the decision of Israel's Supreme Court, which has instructed the state to now examine granting Tzohar Kashrut a license as a kashrut-supervising body in accordance with the existing Kashrut Law."
"As Tzohar Kashrut operates in full accordance with accepted halachic standards, and has declared its intention to comply with all the operating procedures of Israel's Chief Rabbinate, we view this as a well-deserved and just decision.
"It is our hope and expectation that the Ministry of Religious Services will act quickly to implement this decision and for the Chief Rabbinate to consider Tzohar Kashrut in the same way as any other body under its supervision- with a commitment to equality and professionalism.
"Tzohar Kashrut will continue to operate with our long-standing full commitment to halacha and operating in the spirit of fairness, transparency and a welcoming and embracing relationship with the public we are blessed to serve."