The Knesset on Tuesday night voted 46-41 to give final approval to legislation restoring the Chief Rabbinate’s exclusive control over kosher certification, one of a series of laws that the ultra-Orthodox parties demanded be passed in exchange for support for key coalition bills.

The law, which was championed by the Shas party, will reverse reforms from the previous government that allowed private Orthodox organizations to issue kosher certificates in their own name, provided they meet the state’s standards.

Opponents of the bill argue that it will eliminate competition and ultimately increase costs for and harm businesses and consumers.

The approval came just a week after the Chief Rabbinate appeared to authorize the liberal Tzohar Rabbinical Organization to issue kosher certificates under Israeli law for the first time, following a High Court ruling last month ordering it to withdraw its refusal to recognize the group — a move that prompted pushback from the current Religious Services Ministry. But within hours, the decision came under dispute, with senior officials saying the approval had not been properly authorized and therefore had no legal standing.

The new bill approved Tuesday would enshrine that only the Chief Rabbinate can issue kosher certification.

In Israel, the right to use the word “kosher” on food labeling is highly regulated, with only certification bodies recognized by the Rabbinate allowed to recognize a product or establishment as meeting religious requirements. Unlike in other countries, where kashrut is seen as a strictly religious matter, in Israel any business claiming to be “kosher” without receiving certification from a........

© The Times of Israel