In Israel, Haifa Chief Rabbi To Be Indicted Over Payoffs In Kashrut Supervision

In Israel, prosecutors last week informed the Chief Sephardic Rabbi of the city of Haifa, Shlomo Chelouche, that he is likely to be indicted for improper conduct in his supervision of kosher food purveyors. According to Thursday's Arutz Sheva, in two instances Chelouche solicited donations to a charitable organization he heads from companies to which he was granting kashrut certificates.  In the case of one of those companies he also arranged a job for a family member. He is also accused of removing the kashrut certificate of a third company, a catering hall, to pressure it to rehire his personal secretary as their kashrut inspector after the individual had been fired. Israel's Justice Minister Tzippy Livni said that because of the charges she would move to suspend Rabbi Chelouche from his positions as Chief Rabbi and religious court judge.