Religious Services Minister Matan Kahana said in private discussions with kashrut supervisory bodies that the Chief Rabbinate's kashrut fraud department – tasked with preventing forged kashrut certification and the sale of non-kosher foods – is expected to be shut down as part of the ministry's planned reforms to the kashrut system in Israel.
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Kashrut supervisors are worried the step will massively hinder the quality of kashrut supervision in Israel and lead to a broad-scale spike in forgeries. The Religious Services Ministry, however, maintains that the new supervisory body will consist of more supervisors and have more authorities, such that kashrut supervision not only won't be harmed but will also be improved.
The Chief Rabbinate's kashrut fraud department is a relatively small body that consists of just four supervisors who work throughout the country to prevent fraud. Several months ago, the department uncovered a slaughterhouse in the north that had sold non-kosher meat to dozens of kosher businesses across the country.
Department officials are concerned the new and inexperienced body proposed by the Religious Services Ministry will have to rely too heavily on private kashrut organizations motivated by the desire to earn more money, which could prevent them from reporting errors.
Last week, several dozen kashrut supervisors gathered for a particularly tense meeting with Kahana, during which he said there was no reason for the Chief Rabbinate to have a fraud department and that the newly appointed body will handle such matters moving forward.
Some officials in the Religious Services Ministry, however, argue that Kahana's measure will, in fact, severely impede kashrut supervision.
"The ministry views the fraud department as a threat, as an arm of the Chief Rabbinate that they want to mitigate as much as possible," one kashrut supervisor said. "Business owners are waiting impatiently for the day after the fraud department is closed. The business owners tell us, 'Know that very soon none of you will be here.' If there is no enforcement from the Chief Rabbinate, which doesn't mind 'getting dirty' or going against the economic interest, kashrut will lose its meaning."
The Religious Services Ministry said in a statement: "The accounts presented in this article were never said. The addendum to the kashrut bill, which will be presented for a vote in the Knesset next week, enhances the enforcement powers of the Chief Rabbinate and grants it authorities it has never had. The body entrusted with supervising kashrut in the Chief Rabbinate will be able to impose fines of up to tens of thousands of shekels, and even launch criminal proceedings."
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