80% support the opening of the kashrut certification market to competition

Another nail in the Chief Rabbinate's coffin

Hiddush welcomes the announcement that Tzohar rabbis will be entering the kashrut certification market with its own private certification in direct competition with the Chief Rabbinate's state empowered monopoly. This religiously coercive monopoly is unparalleled in the democratic world.

Uri Regev 26/02/2018 13:04

Tags: Tzohar ·  kashrut ·  kosher certification ·  Chief Rabbinate

A kashrut certificate issued by the Israeli Chief Rabbinate, credit: Zeevveez, Flickr

Every erosion of the Chief Rabbinate's monopoly is a blessing, leading us to the day when its monopoly will be cancelled. Its power is founded on nothing more than political horse trading, and goes directly against the public's will. Tzohar's initiative will also expand women's representation in the market of religious services in Israel.

80% of the Jewish public in Israel favors opening the kashrut market to competition, based upon the 2017 Israel Religion & State Index, conducted by the Smith Polling Institute. 52% of Jewish Israelis favor opening the kashrut certification market to any professional of any Jewish religious stream, and 28% favor opening the market to any Orthodox kashrut professional.

95% of secular Jewish Israelis favor the opening of the kashrut market to competition

95% of secular Jewish Israelis favor the opening of the kashrut market to competition, as do 96% of traditional Jews who are not so religious, 67% of traditional-religious Jews, and 50% of Zionist Orthodox sector. 73% of ultra-Orthodox Israelis favor maintaining the monopoly of the Chief Rabbinate, but 22% of the ultra-Orthodox sector supports opening the kashrut certification market to Orthodox parties outside the Rabbinate.