Cake Fight in Israel

The Media Line carries an article today that reports that the Israeli High Court has gotten involved in the issuance of Kashrut certificates. Specifically, whether a Kashrut certificate can be denied to a Messianic Jew. Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar wants the Knesset to draft a law that would ban the Israeli courts from getting involved in Kashrut

The chief rabbi's request follows a ruling by the high court that the Rabbinate had illegally revoked the kosher certification of a pastry shop owned by a woman who believes in Messianic Judaism, a movement that combines elements of both Judaism and Christianity.

This would seem to be a simple case of discrimination. Certainly a non-Jew can operate a Kosher establishment. But, buried in the article, is an important point that has me agreeing with those who argue that the High Court ruled incorrectly and should not have gotten involved:

The rabbinate had demanded that a kosher supervisor be given the keys to the pastry shop so as to ensure that kosher standards were adhered to.

Normally, I am as ready as any secular Israeli to assume the worst of the Rabbinate, but in this case, I think that they have a point.If they refuse to grant a Kashrut certificate under any circumstances, that is grounds to argue discrimination. However, implied by the article, they would grant the certificate if they were able to adequately inspect the facility operated by a non-Jew. So long as this approach is consistent with what they would do for any facility owned and operated by a non-Jew and does not preclude the owner from running his or her business, it seems to be a legitimate step to ensure that the store that they have certified as Kosher actually is.