Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein is adamant in his position, rejecting a request from Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau Shlita to permit an outside attorney represent the Chief Rabbinate of Israel’s interests. The dispute surrounds Weinstein’s opinion to the court to permit outside private hashgachos and end the Chief Rabbi’s monopoly over kashrus. Rabbi Lau wants to bring in outside legal counsel to present the Rabbanut’s case, which Weinstein rejects.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday morning 24 Iyar sided with the Chief Rabbinate, rejecting Weinstein’s position that a “second opinion” should not be heard. In fact, in his response to the chief rabbi, Weinstein said there cannot be “shteiblach” in the High Court, insisting there is no place for any view other than his own, which opposes the Rabbanut.

Elchanan Glatt, who serves as the director-general of the Ministry of Religious Services and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, explains the necessity for a second opinion to protect the state’s kashrus. In an interview with Israel Radio’s Reshet Bet on Wednesday morning, Glatt insists that while there are problems that must be corrected, the Chief Rabbinate must remain the exclusive hashgacha in the state because for the Rabbanut, it is about kashrus, not money. He cited for the private agencies such as the so-called ‘badatzim’ do provide kashrus but it is about money and entering into an open-market situation would be disastrous for kashrus in Israel.

After the Wednesday hearing it has been decided that the Chief Rabbis will be permitted to present their case in the Supreme Court despite the objections of the attorney general.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)