HaRav Binyomin Adler and HaRav Yosef Efrati received
official, written appointments authorizing them to issue
kashrus certificates in the name of the Jerusalem Rabbinate
based on a unanimous decision in a meeting of the Chief
Rabbinical Council convened by Chief Rabbi Yonah Metzger.
However so far most of the kashrus in Yerushalayim is not yet
under their supervision in practice. It is hoped that the
situation will be resolves soon, but those wishing to rely on
the kashrus of the Jerusalem Rabbinate must ensure that the
certificate issued bears at least one of the signatures of
HaRav Binyomin Adler or HaRav Yosef Efrati.
MK Rabbi Meir Porush filed a police complaint against the
Jerusalem Religious Council for violation of trust, fraud and
breach of public faith for issuing kashrus certificates
illegally after the power was given to HaRav Adler and HaRav
Efrati.
The Chief Rabbinical Council decided to grant the power to
sign kashrus certificates issued by the Kashrus Department to
HaRav Adler and by the Department of Land of Israel Mitzvas
to HaRav Efrati. The law stipulates that in the absence of a
chief rabbi for the city, as is the case in Jerusalem, the
Chief Rabbinate is responsible for appointing rabbonim in
charge of granting kashrus certification to factories,
stores, restaurants, hotels, etc.
As a result of the recent decision the Jerusalem Rabbinate
will not be able to issue kashrus certificates without the
signature of either HaRav Adler or HaRav Efrati.
On Friday Chief Rabbi Yonah Metzger publicized a letter to
the Religious Council saying all of the kashrus certificates
signed by the Jerusalem Religious Council are invalid without
those signatures.
Yet the Council continued to issue kashrus certificates
without the signatures of either of the two designated
rabbonim, including some that did not even bear the signature
of any other rov, but rather the Religious Council stamp
alone. In consultations following these incidents, maranan
verabonon determined that a legal complaint could be
filed in this case to prevent a michshol lorabbim.
"Before I went to the police I verified whether [HaRav Adler
or HaRav Efrati] had signed the kashrus certificates or
authorized someone to sign them," said Rabbi Porush. "After
confirming that the authorized rabbonim did not sign the
certificates I filed a complaint at the police against the
Religious Council for handing out kashrus certificates to
mashgichim on Sunday and Monday of this week for food
manufacturers, restaurants and stores.
"I presented police investigators with a tape of people
declaring that they received kashrus certificates signed
without authorization and aimed at misleading the public in
Jerusalem."
The public should be aware the kashrus of products not signed
by the authorized rabbonim cannot be relied on in any way,
since even the organization behind them is not responsible
for their kashrus under such circumstances.
