In a statement Tuesday evening, Sephardic Chief Rabbi David Yosef declared that no woman will receive a certificate of kosher supervision during his term, and that he intends to take steps against those who petition the High Court of Justice on the matter. The remarks, delivered in a recording published by journalist Yuali Barim, escalate the ongoing dispute over women's involvement in kashrut certification.
Sephardic Chief Rabbi David Yosef on Tuesday evening made his most explicit statement yet against the granting of kashrut supervision certificates to women. In a recording circulated by journalist Yuali Barim, Rabbi Yosef says: "In my tenure no woman will receive a certificate, and they still dare to petition the High Court of Justice — we will take steps against the High Court." The remarks come amid an ongoing legal and religious controversy over whether the Chief Rabbinate may certify women as kashrut supervisors (mashgichot). Several petitions on the matter are pending before the High Court of Justice. Rabbi Yosef's declaration signals that he intends to resist any court ruling that would mandate female certification. No official response from the High Court or from advocacy groups has been reported yet. The recording has been shared widely on Israeli social media and news channels. The exact context and event where the recording was made are not specified in the source material. This develops a thread The Zioneer has been tracking: the Chief Rabbinate's position on gender and kashrut certification has been a recurring point of tension, with previous chief rabbis taking varying stances. As The Zioneer reported earlier this month, a coalition of women's organizations petitioned the High Court in May 2026 seeking to compel the rabbinate to train and certify women as kashrut supervisors. Rabbi Yosef's statement appears to be a direct response to that petition.
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