As a result of major budgetary cuts, the IDF is going to outsource kashrus responsibilities for some bases to an outside contractor, Haaretz reports. These private agencies will operate under the IDF Rabbanut, which will continue to certify the kashrus in military facilities around Israel.

The list contains 30 bases in which private kashrus will takeover, eliminating the need for soldiers to fill kashrus-related positions during their service. The Ministry of Defense has instructed civilian kashrus experts to probe the costs involved in moving over kashrus responsibilities to private agencies. Officials hope to be able to ultimately move 60 bases to private kosher supervision.

These private agencies will have to provide all aspects of kosher supervision including sifting, inspecting for bugs, taking challah and all else related to preparing food. Mashgichim will be civilian as well and in many cases, the mashgichim will have to have security clearance since some of the bases involved are high-security facilities. Much of the monitoring will be done by using apps and smartphones as is acceptable in many hashgachos around the world today.

Some frown over this soon-to-be reality, which they view as yet another blow to the IDF Rabbinate which has been targeted several times since IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gadi Eizenkott assumed the helm of the military. Eizenkott also decided to move responsibility for the Jewish Consciousness Unit from the IDF Rabbinate to the Manpower Branch and in recent weeks there has been an outcry over a new regulation compelling dati leumi soldiers to shave even if they declare their beards are for religious reasons.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)