美國對阿富汗塔利班發動空襲

在阿富汗政府接近撤離該國的最後階段時，美國進行了空襲以支持他們。

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2021 年 7 月 23 日 12:12

一名美國陸軍軍官站在阿富汗坎大哈北部一輛燃燒的車輛附近。

（照片來源：鮑勃·斯特朗/路透社）

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在以美國為首的外國軍隊進行撤出阿富汗的最後階段時，美國進行了空襲以支持受到塔利班壓力的阿富汗政府軍。

五角大樓發言人約翰柯比周四告訴記者，最近幾天的空襲是為了支持阿富汗安全部隊，但沒有提供細節。

塔利班發言人 Zabihullah Mujahid 說，襲擊發生在周三晚上在南部城市坎大哈的郊區，炸死了三名戰士並摧毀了兩輛汽車。

“我們確認這些空襲，我們最強烈地譴責這一點，這是一次明顯的攻擊和違反多哈協議，因為他們在 5 月之後無法開展業務，”他說，指的是美國與塔利班之間的一項協議為美軍撤離掃清道路。

“如果他們進行任何操作，那麼他們將對後果負責。”

路透社無法立即聯繫到駐阿富汗美軍發言人以確認襲擊的時間和地點。

根據特朗普政府促成並在卡塔爾首都簽署的美國和塔利班最初的撤軍協議，如果塔利班得到安全保證，所有外國軍隊預計將在 5 月前撤離。

喬拜登總統在 4 月宣布美軍將在 9 月 11 日之前撤出，這激怒了原本預計在 5 月完成撤軍的塔利班。

自拜登決定退出以來，武裝分子發動重大攻勢，佔領地區和重要邊境口岸，包圍或接近包括坎大哈在內的幾個省會，暴力活動急劇上升。

除了保護駐喀布爾大使館和首都機場的美軍外，幾乎所有美軍都已離開該國。

敵對的阿富汗雙方在多哈舉行了和談，但進展緩慢。

坎大哈省歷來是塔利班的據點，最近幾週那裡的戰鬥很激烈，叛亂分子佔領了南部與巴基斯坦的主要過境點 Spin Boldak。

路透社記者丹麥西迪基上週五在報導阿富汗安全部隊與塔利班武裝分子之間的衝突時在該地區被殺。

US carries out airstrikes against Taliban in Afghanistan

The US carried out airstrikes in support of the Afghan government, as they approach the final stages of their withdrawal from the country.

By REUTERS

JULY 23, 2021 12:12

A US ARMY officer stands near a burning vehicle north of Kandahar, Afghanistan.

(photo credit: BOB STRONG / REUTERS)

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The United States has carried out air strikes to support Afghan government forces who have been under pressure from the Taliban as US-led foreign forces carry out the final stages of their withdrawal from the country.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Thursday the air strikes were in support of Afghan security forces in recent days but did not provide details.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes were on Wednesday night on the outskirts of the southern city of Kandahar, killing three of their fighters and destroying two vehicles.

"We confirm these air strikes and we condemn this in strongest term, it is a clear attack and violation of the Doha deal as they can't have operations after May," he said, referring to an agreement between the United States and the Taliban clearing the way for the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

"If they conduct any operation then they will be responsible for the consequences."

Reuters could not immediately reach a spokesperson for U.S. forces in Afghanistan to confirm the time and location of the strikes.

Under the original withdrawal deal between the United States and the Taliban, brokered by the Trump administration and signed in Qatar's capital, all foreign troops were expected to be gone by May if the Taliban met security guarantees.

President Joe Biden announced in April that U.S. troops would withdraw by Sept. 11, angering the Taliban who had expected the withdrawal to be completed by May.

Since Biden's withdrawal decision, violence has risen sharply with the militants launching major offensives, taking districts and important border crossings and encircling or closing in on several provincial capitals, including Kandahar.

Almost all U.S. troops, except those protecting the embassy in Kabul and the capital's airport, have left the country.

The rival Afghan sides have held peace talks in Doha but progress has been slow.

Kandahar province has traditionally been a Taliban stronghold and fighting there has been heavy in recent weeks with the insurgents capturing the main border crossing with Pakistan in the south, at Spin Boldak.

Reuters journalist Danish Siddiqui was killed in the area last Friday while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters.

美國副國務卿下周訪問北京，討論朝鮮問題

在朝鮮拒絕就拆除核計劃進行談判的提議之後，美國和中國將討論如何重啟談判。

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2021 年 7 月 23 日 09:31

2019 年 7 月 30 日，在中國上海舉行的貿易會議前，中美兩國國旗飄揚

（圖片來源：路透社/ALY SONG）

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美國副國務卿溫迪謝爾曼週五表示， 美國正在尋求一種“可靠、可預測和建設性”的方式，以確保與朝鮮陷入僵局的無核化談判取得進展。

謝爾曼是在亞洲之行的第二站在首爾與韓國外交部副部長崔鐘坤會晤後發表上述言論的。

在朝鮮無視拜登政府的會談提議，為拆除其核計劃和導彈計劃的前景蒙上陰影后，雙方討論瞭如何重新開始談判。

謝爾曼對記者說：“我們期待與朝鮮建立可靠、可預測、建設性的前進道路，”他指的是朝鮮的官方名稱朝鮮民主主義人民共和國。

“鑑於大流行及其對糧食安全的意義，我們都為確實面臨所有最困難情況的朝鮮人民感到同情。”

雖然朝鮮沒有報告任何冠狀病毒病例，但領導人金正恩表示，糧食形勢“緊張”，理由是大流行導致朝鮮關閉與中國的邊界、貿易中斷，以及去年的颱風破壞了農作物。

在與朝鮮打交道方面擁有豐富經驗的謝爾曼表示，美國已提出“坐下來對話”，重申她週四表示希望早日做出回應。

謝爾曼說，儘管與中國的關係“複雜”，但她期待著周日去北京時討論朝鮮問題。

“它有競爭的方面。它有挑戰的方面和我們可以合作的方面，”她說，指的是中美關係。

“共同思考實現朝鮮半島完全無核化當然是一個合作領域。”

謝爾曼還呼籲韓國和美國在應對冠狀病毒和氣候變化以及為半導體和 5G 電信網絡建立“安全和有彈性”的供應鏈方面加強合作。

崔說，美國的領導、韓國的能力和日本的財政資源應該結合起來，以解決大流行和氣候變化等問題。

韓國外交部表示，雙方同意根據 5 月份文在寅總統和喬·拜登總統在峰會期間建立的疫苗夥伴關係，加大力度增加全球 COVID-19 疫苗供應。

謝爾曼週三晚從東京抵達首爾後會見了文在寅總統和其他高級官員，併計劃於週五前往蒙古，然後訪問中國。

US Dep. Sec. of State to visit Beijing next week, discuss North Korea

US and China will discuss how to reopen negotiations after North Korea brushed off proposals for talks over dismantling nuclear programs.

By REUTERS

JULY 23, 2021 09:31

Chinese and US flags flutter before a trade meeting in Shanghai, China July 30, 2019

(photo credit: REUTERS/ALY SONG)

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The United States is seeking a "reliable, predictable and constructive" way to secure progress in stalled denuclearization talks with North Korea, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on Friday.

Sherman made the remarks following a meeting with South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun in Seoul on the second leg of her Asian tour.

The two sides discussed how to reopen negotiations after North Korea brushed off the Biden administration's proposals for talks, casting a cloud over prospects for dismantling its nuclear and missile programs.

"We are looking forward to a reliable, predictable, constructive way forward with the DPRK," Sherman told reporters, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"We all feel for the people of the DPRK who are indeed facing all of the most difficult circumstances given the pandemic and what it means as well for their food security."

While North Korea has not reported any coronavirus cases, leader Kim Jong Un said the food situation was "tense," citing the pandemic that led to North Korea closing its border with China, disrupting trade, and a typhoon last year that damaged crops.

Sherman, who has considerable experience in dealing with North Korea, said the United States had offered to "sit and dialog," reiterating hopes she expressed on Thursday for an early response.

Sherman said despite "complicated" relations with China, she was looking forward to discussing the North Korea issue when she goes to Beijing on Sunday.

"It has aspects that are competitive. It has aspects where it is challenging and aspects where we can cooperate," she said, referring to Sino-US ties.

"Thinking together about bringing the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is certainly an area for cooperation."

Sherman also called for more cooperation between South Korea and the United States on tackling the coronavirus and climate change and building "secure and resilient" supply chains for semiconductors and 5G telecom networks.

Choi said US leadership, South Korea's capabilities and Japan's financial resources should be combined to address issues such as the pandemic and climate change.

Both sides agreed to intensify efforts to ramp up global COVID-19 vaccine supplies in line with a vaccine partnership forged during a summit in May between President Moon Jae-in and President Joe Biden, South Korea's foreign ministry said.

Sherman met President Moon Jae-in and other top officials after arriving in Seoul from Tokyo late on Wednesday, and is scheduled to leave for Mongolia on Friday before visiting China.

伊拉克：美國準備正式調整作戰任務

目前在伊拉克有 2,500 名美軍，專注於打擊伊斯蘭國的殘餘勢力。預計此舉不會產生重大影響。

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2021 年 7 月 23 日 00:52

2014 年 9 月 7 日，一名庫爾德自由鬥士戰鬥機在前線對抗伊斯蘭國的前線使用火箭榴彈 (RPG) 發射器佔據陣地。哈里發。在幫助下

（圖片來源：路透社/艾哈邁德·賈達拉）

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美國官員周四表示，預計 美國和伊拉克將在年底前正式結束華盛頓在伊拉克的作戰任務，並繼續向訓練和向伊拉克部隊提供諮詢的過渡。

目前在伊拉克有 2,500 名美軍，專注於打擊伊斯蘭國的殘餘勢力。預計此舉不會產生重大影響，因為美國已經轉向專注於訓練伊拉克部隊。

但這一宣布將在喬·拜登總統下週在華盛頓與伊拉克總統會面之後發布，對伊拉克政府來說將是一個政治上微妙的時刻，可以被視為在巴格達國內取得的勝利。

“你將聽到的關鍵點，我認為非常重要，拜登政府希望留在伊拉克，因為伊拉克政府已經邀請我們並要求我們繼續這樣做，”一名高級辯護人一位不願透露姓名的官員說。

“任務沒有改變……我們正在談論如何支持伊拉克安全部隊擊敗伊斯蘭國的任務，”這位官員補充道。

這位官員表示，將重點關注後勤、設備維護以及幫助伊拉克軍隊進一步發展其情報和監視能力。

在國內，伊拉克總理穆斯塔法·卡迪米面臨來自與伊朗結盟的政黨和準軍事組織越來越大的壓力，他們認為他站在美國一邊。

Iraq: US set to formalize readjustment of combat mission

There are currently 2,500 US troops in Iraq focusing on countering the remnants of Islamic State. The move is not expected to have a major impact.

By REUTERS

JULY 23, 2021 00:52

A Kurdish peshmerga fighter takes up position with a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher at the front line against the Islamic State, in Khazir September 7, 2014. Islamic State launched a lightning advance through northern and central Iraq in June, declaring an Islamic caliphate. With the help o

(photo credit: REUTERS/AHMED JADALLAH)

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The United States and Iraq are expected to formalize the end of Washington's combat mission in Iraq by the end of the year and continue the transition toward training and advising Iraqi forces, US officials said on Thursday.

There are currently 2,500 US troops in Iraq focusing on countering the remnants of Islamic State. The move is not expected to have a major impact since the United States has already moved toward focusing on training Iraqi forces.

But the announcement, set to come after President Joe Biden meets his Iraqi counterpart in Washington next week, will be at a politically delicate time for the Iraq government and could be seen as a victory domestically in Baghdad.

"The key point that you're going to hear conveyed and I think is just incredibly important, is that the Biden administration wants to stay in Iraq because the Iraqi government has invited us and requested that we continue to do so," a senior defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said.

"The mission doesn't change … how we support the Iraqi security forces in the defeat ISIS mission is what we're talking about," the official added.

The official said there would be a focus on logistics, maintenance of equipment and helping Iraqi forces further develop their intelligence and surveillance capabilities.

At home, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi faces increasing pressure from Iran-aligned parties and paramilitary groups who perceive him as siding with the United States.

聯合國兒童基金會：黎巴嫩 71% 的人口面臨無法獲得安全用水的風險

聯合國兒童基金會表示，如果公共供水系統崩潰，由於供水將從私人供水商處獲得，因此每月的水費可能會上漲 200%。

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2021 年 7 月 23 日 23:21

2021 年 6 月 28 日，在黎巴嫩貝魯特，一名男子在抗議日益嚴重的經濟困難時走近擋住道路的燃燒的火。

（圖片來源：路透社/ISSAM ABDALLAH）

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聯合國周五警告說，由於資金、燃料和供應短缺影響抽水，黎巴嫩有超過 400 萬人，包括 100 萬難民，可能無法獲得安全用水。

“聯合國兒童基金會估計，在接下來的四到六週內，全國大部分抽水活動將逐漸停止，”聯合國機構的一份聲明說。

黎巴嫩正在與一場經濟崩潰作鬥爭，這場經濟崩潰已導致其一半以上的人口陷入貧困，其貨幣在不到兩年的時間裡貶值了 90% 以上。

由於美元枯竭，金融危機已轉化為燃料和藥品等基本商品的嚴重短缺。

聯合國兒童基金會表示，如果公共供水系統崩潰，由於供水將從私人供水商處獲得，因此每月的水費可能會上漲 200%。

該聯合國機構表示，它每年需要 4000 萬美元來確保維持關鍵系統運行所需的最低燃料、氯、備件和維護水平。

“除非採取緊急行動，否則醫院、學校和基本公共設施將無法運作，”聯合國兒童基金會駐黎巴嫩代表 Yukie Mokuo 在聲明中引述說。

UNICEF: 71% of Lebanon's population risks losing access to safe water

UNICEF said that should the public water supply system collapse, water costs could jump by 200% a month as water would be secured from private water suppliers.

By REUTERS

JULY 23, 2021 23:21

A man walks near a burning fire blocking a road, during a protest against mounting economic hardships, in Beirut, Lebanon June 28, 2021.

(photo credit: REUTERS/ISSAM ABDALLAH)

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The United Nations warned on Friday that more than four million people in Lebanon, including one million refugees risked losing access to safe water as shortages of funding, fuel and supplies affect water pumping.

"UNICEF estimates that most water pumping will gradually cease across the country in the next four to six weeks," a statement by the UN body said.

Lebanon is battling an economic meltdown that has propelled more than half of its population into poverty and seen its currency lose over 90% of its value in less than two years.

The financial crisis has translated into severe shortages of basic goods such as fuel and medicine as dollars run dry.

UNICEF said that should the public water supply system collapse, water costs could jump by 200% a month as water would be secured from private water suppliers.

The UN agency said it needed $40 million a year to secure the minimum levels of fuel, chlorine, spare parts and maintenance required to keep critical systems operational.

"Unless urgent action is taken, hospitals, schools and essential public facilities will be unable to function," UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, Yukie Mokuo, was quoted as saying in the statement.

輝瑞稱美國政府購買了 2 億支。更多劑量的 COVID-19 疫苗

該公告使向美國供應的總劑量達到 5 億劑，其中大約 2.08 億劑已經交付。

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2021 年 7 月 23 日 17:01

在這張 2021 年 3 月 19 日拍攝的插圖圖片中可以看到帶有輝瑞 BioNTech 和 Moderna 冠狀病毒病 (COVID-19) 疫苗標籤的小瓶。

（照片來源：路透社/DADO RUVIC/插圖/文件照片）

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輝瑞公司和德國合作夥伴 BioNTech 週五表示，美國政府已經購買了 2 億劑額外的COVID-19疫苗，並且可以選擇購買針對該病毒新變種的疫苗更新版本。

根據政府週四的數據，該公告使向美國供應的總劑量達到 5 億劑，其中大約 2.08 億劑已經交付。

輝瑞去年與美國政府簽署了一項協議，以近 20 億美元的價格購買 1 億劑疫苗，並可選擇再購買 5 億劑。

兩家公司表示，大部分新劑量將在年底前供應，其餘 9000 萬劑將在明年 4 月 30 日之前交付。

美國疾病控制與預防中心主任周四表示，美國 7 天的平均新增病例比前一周增加了 53%。Delta 變種首先在印度發現，佔全國新病例的 80% 以上。

輝瑞本月早些時候表示，兩家公司計劃尋求美國和歐洲監管機構的授權，以增加其 COVID-19 疫苗的劑量。

兩家公司已經設計了一種針對 Delta 變體的新版本疫苗，他們計劃在未來幾週內進行測試，但表示目前的疫苗也可以提供針對該變體的保護。

Pfizer says US govt buying 200m. more doses of COVID-19 vaccine

The announcement brings the total number of the doses to be supplied to the United States to 500 million, out of which roughly 208 million doses have already been delivered.

By REUTERS

JULY 23, 2021 17:01

Vials with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine labels are seen in this illustration picture taken March 19, 2021.

(photo credit: REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/ILLUSTRATION/FILE PHOTO)

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Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech said on Friday the US government had purchased 200 million additional doses of their COVID-19 vaccine and had the option to buy an updated version of the vaccine targeting new variants of the virus.

The announcement brings the total number of the doses to be supplied to the United States to 500 million, out of which roughly 208 million doses have already been delivered, as of Thursday's data from the government.

Pfizer last year signed the deal with the US government for 100 million doses of the vaccine for nearly $2 billion, with an option to buy 500 million more doses.

A majority of the new doses will be supplied by the end of the year, and the remaining 90 million will be delivered by April 30 next year, the companies said.

The director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday the seven-day average of new cases in the United States is up 53% over the previous week. The Delta variant, which was first found in India, comprises more than 80% of the new cases nationwide.

Pfizer earlier this month said the companies plan to seek authorization from US and European regulators for a booster dose of their COVID-19 vaccine.

The companies have designed a new version of the vaccine targeting the Delta variant, which they plan to test in the coming weeks, but have said the current vaccine could also provide protection against the variant.

在宗教革命中，餐館放棄拉比納特的猶太潔食認證

替代卡什魯特權威 Tzohar 一直是那些試圖避開以色列首席拉比的人的首選；現在新的立法可能會給予政府充分的認可

通過琳達格拉德斯坦今天，上午 10:48

2020 年 5 月，坐在耶路撒冷 Cafe Kadosh 的顧客。這家餐廳是以色列數百家在以色列首席拉比的主持下選擇猶太潔食認證的餐廳之一。（約納坦·辛德爾/Flash90）

JTA — The Eucalyptus 是一家位於耶路撒冷舊城外的餐廳，通過提供“正宗的聖經美食”來吸引食客，這些美食由聖經中的食材和菜餚製成。

廚師 Moshe Basson 有一種不同尋常的方式來採購他的食物，他在耶路撒冷周圍的森林和田野中尋找一些聖經時代的草藥。因此，當他在 1997 年決定認證餐廳為猶太潔食時，他與以色列首席拉比納特做了特殊安排，讓他可以繼續為自己尋找草藥，而不是從經過認證的商人那裡購買。

“我使用了所有的‘Sheva Minim’，聖經中提到的七種植物，以及各種野生藥草，”巴森告訴猶太電報社。“我與拉比有書面協議，我可以繼續這樣做，只要我按照他們指示的方式檢查他們是否有錯誤。”

但是其他廚師開始抱怨他們不允許使用巴松允許使用的產品。最終，三年前，首席拉比暫停了他的 kashrut 證書，巴鬆開始尋找其他選擇。

他找到了 Tzohar，這是一群相對自由的東正教拉比，他們提供替代的猶太認證服務。當巴森問年長的東正教食客是否接受 Tzohar 的認證時，他說，“一半說是，一半說不。” 年輕顧客的反應更為熱烈。

他說：“我去了每張有人穿著 kippah 的桌子，問他們是否願意接受 Tzohar kashrut。” “而且幾乎所有年齡在 20 到 50 歲之間的人都同意。”

Eucalyptus 是 200 多家以色列餐廳之一，它們避開了首席拉比納 (Chief Rabbinate) 的猶太潔食認證，而選擇了 Tzohar's。這是最近的一個跡象，表明曾被分為“宗教”和“世俗”兩大陣營的猶太以色列人現在正在尋求更廣泛的方式來實踐他們的宗教——其中許多不受首席拉比的控制。

現在，kosher 認證的多樣性得到了政府的支持。週三，宗教事務部長馬坦·卡哈納 (Matan Kahana) 宣布了一項改革以色列猶太認證體系的計劃，有效地將首席拉比轉變為 Tzohar 等私人猶太認證機構的監管機構——這是它以前從未扮演過的角色。

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宗教事務馬坦·卡哈納 (Matan Kahana) 於 2021 年 6 月 28 日在以色列議會發表講話。 (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

首席拉比將繼續為有需要的餐廳提供自己的猶太潔食監督。但像 Tzohar 這樣的私人機構也會得到政府的認可，在這種情況下，首席拉比的角色將轉移到確保這些機構遵守一套普遍和透明的標準。目標是為餐廳提供更廣泛的 kosher 認證選擇，同時讓那些想要避免與拉比直接接觸的人有這個機會。

以色列議會必須批准該計劃。

“猶太革命將有史以來第一次引入猶太認證的競爭，”卡哈納在一份聲明中說。“這一舉措將改善猶太認證、簡化服務、降低價格並使餐廳經營者、酒店經營者和整個食品行業的流程更容易。”

首席拉比拒絕了改革認證體系的嘗試，並成功地讓競爭對手的日子不好過。根據以色列現行法律，Tzohar 的證書不能使用“kosher”一詞或其衍生詞，這是首席拉比的專有名詞。取而代之的是，典型的證書會說“所有原材料都經過 Tzohar 拉比組織的檢查和批准。”

以色列首席拉比委員會成員拉比 Eliezer Simcha Weisz 告訴 JTA，首席拉比的認證仍然是餐廳及其顧客確保他們吃猶太食品的最佳方式。

“我來自英國，我很欣賞以色列拉比教派的 kashrut 比世界上任何提供 kashrut 的組織的巨大優勢，”他說。“顯然，它已合法化並且是政府的一部分，這是一個很大的優勢。”

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Weisz 說，包括 Tzohar 在內的數十家私人認證機構聲稱提供 kashrut 監督，但不可信。

“我想知道有多少人檢查了這些聲稱提供認證的不同組織的所謂 kashrut，”他說。“沒有人知道他們是誰或他們是什麼。在任何其他情況下你都不會想到這一點，但是當談到宗教時，每個人似乎都認為他們可以控制它。”

儘管數十年來世俗以色列人提出抗議，政府一再試圖削弱其權力，但首席拉比仍然對以色列的宗教生活保持廣泛控制。除了主導猶太認證之外，該機構還壟斷了官方認可的以色列猶太人的結婚、離婚和葬禮。

2019 年 12 月 31 日，以色列首席拉比的代表向耶路撒冷市中心的一家當地餐館提供猶太潔食證書。 (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

Tzohar 聲稱擁有 1,000 多名拉比和教育工作者作為成員，他一直是提供替代正統以色列人的先驅，這些人被首席拉比的嚴格政策或曲折的官僚機構拒之門外。它成立於 1995 年，當時一名猶太極端分子刺殺了伊扎克·拉賓總理，旨在克服猶太社會的分裂，同時提供一種更容易接觸猶太教的方法。

該組織還主持婚禮，並且由於其拉比接受東正教的祝聖，因此這些工會在事後得到首席拉比的認可。相比之下，由非正統拉比主持的婚禮，或由其任命不被首席拉比認可的拉比主持的婚禮，不會得到政府的承認，從技術上講是非法的，儘管許多以色列人還是選擇了婚禮。

Tzohar 在像贖罪日這樣的猶太節日提供免費祈禱服務，當時猶太教堂的名額可能很少，儘管首席拉比反對，但其猶太潔食業務仍在增長。

“Kashrut Tzohar 已成為一個合理的選擇，事實是我們每週都在增長，”Tzohar 負責食品監督的拉比奧倫杜夫德瓦尼說。“就在今天，簽署了兩份新合同。如果餐館問我們這件事，我們會說'問問你的顧客'。”

該組織在全國僱用了 40 名 kashrut 主管——三分之一是女性——以及五名高級 kashrut 檢查員，其中包括兩名女性。首席拉比的主管都不是女性。

首席拉比的主管來到餐廳只是為了檢查是否遵守了所有規則，而 Tzohar 主管則在廚房工作。他們檢查蔬菜或米飯中是否有可能使食物變得不潔的蟲子，並經​​常切菜甚至做飯。

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“我們不知道需要多長時間，但我們確實期望他們會對法律做出一些改變，”Duvdevani 在宣布改革認證計劃之前接受 JTA 採訪時說。“但我們也知道，政治家有時對他們能做的事情有自己的局限性。”

猶太認證計劃可能只是現任政府推行的多項宗教改革中的第一個，也是六年來第一次不包括哈雷迪東正教政黨。該聯盟最大的政黨 Yesh Atid 長期以來一直主張放寬宗教法規，民意調查顯示大多數以色列人會支持。

根據倡導宗教多元化的組織 Hiddush 進行的調查，絕大多數以色列猶太人希望以色列提供公證婚姻並接受更廣泛的猶太人皈依。在 2020 年的一項調查中，Hiddush 發現只有 11% 的猶太以色列人信任首席拉比作為一個機構。

對首席拉比的要求感到惱火的餐館老闆似乎正在採取行動。以成立於 1967 年的耶路撒冷麵包店和餐廳 Cafe Kadosh 為例。

2018 年 10 月 21 日，耶路撒冷市中心 Cafe Kadosh 麵包店的景色。 (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

今年早些時候，首席拉比告訴咖啡館，它必須在其產品上貼上標籤，說它們是乳製品，並將羊角麵包做成三角形。後一項任務是首席拉比納 (Chief Rabbinate) 試圖制定一項全國性標準的一部分，在該標準中，乳製糕點將被塑造成三角形，以使其更易於識別。

“拉比真的開始煩我們了，”老闆伊齊克·卡多什告訴 JTA。“每個人都知道我們所有的羊角麵包都是乳製品。我沒有辦法改變形狀或在上面貼上貼紙。我去吃沙威瑪，沒有貼紙說它是肉。”

在 Kadosh 公開抗議後，首席拉比拿走了餐廳的認證，並在 Facebook 上發起誹謗活動，稱它在安息日開放，這不是真的。

就在那時，卡多什決定聯繫佐哈爾。他說 Tzohar 的女主管檢查了他的 300 多種產品，以確保它們是猶太潔食。卡多什說，Tzohar kashrut 每月的費用比首席拉比多 200 謝克爾，但主管每天工作三個小時檢查麵粉和清洗蔬菜。此外，由於主管是 Tzohar 的員工，而不是餐廳，因此他不必支付她的福利。

卡多什說，他的生意沒有受到影響，甚至哈雷迪或極端正統的猶太人也繼續光顧他的餐廳。

“拉比的行為就像黑手黨，”他說。“也許人們曾經害怕他們，但我拒絕被勒索。我對他們說：“好吧，拿我的證書吧。明天我就去佐哈爾。”

Alternative kashrut authority Tzohar has been the go-to for those trying to avoid Israel’s Chief Rabbinate; now new legislation may give it full government recognition

By LINDA GRADSTEINToday, 10:48 am

Customers sitting at Cafe Kadosh in Jerusalem, May 2020. The restaurant is one of hundreds in Israel that has opted for kosher certification outside the auspices of Israel's Chief Rabbinate. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

JTA — The Eucalyptus, a restaurant just outside Jerusalem’s Old City, draws in diners by offering “authentic biblical cuisine” — made from ingredients and dishes found in the Bible.

The chef, Moshe Basson, has an unusual way of sourcing his food, foraging for some of the biblical-era herbs in forests and fields around Jerusalem. So when he decided to certify the restaurant as kosher in 1997, he made special arrangements with Israel’s Chief Rabbinate that would allow him to keep finding the herbs for himself rather than buying them from a certified merchant.

“I use all of the ‘Sheva Minim,’ the seven species mentioned in the Bible, as well as all kinds of wild herbs,” Basson told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “I had a written agreement with the Rabbinate that I could continue to do that, as long as I checked them for bugs the way they instructed me to.”

But other chefs began to complain that they were not allowed to use products that Basson was allowed to use. Eventually, three years ago, the Chief Rabbinate suspended his kashrut certificate, and Basson began to look for other options.

He landed on Tzohar, a group of relatively liberal Orthodox rabbis who offer an alternative kosher certification service. When Basson asked older Orthodox diners if they would accept Tzohar’s certification, he said, “half said yes and half said no.” The response from younger patrons was more enthusiastic.

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“I went to each table that had someone wearing a kippah and asked them if they would accept the Tzohar kashrut,” he said. “And almost all of them between the ages of 20 and 50 said yes.”

The Eucalyptus is one of more than 200 Israeli restaurants that has eschewed the Chief Rabbinate’s kosher certification in favor of Tzohar’s. It’s the latest sign that Jewish Israelis, who had been divided into the two broad camps of “religious” and “secular,” are now seeking a greater range of ways to practice their religion — many of them outside the Chief Rabbinate’s control.

Now that increased diversity in kosher certification is getting government backing. On Wednesday, Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana announced a plan to reform Israel’s kosher certification system, effectively turning the Chief Rabbinate into a regulatory agency for private kosher certifiers like Tzohar — a role it hasn’t played before.

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Religious Affairs Matan Kahana speaks at the Knesset on June 28, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

The Chief Rabbinate will continue to provide its own kosher supervision to restaurants that want it. But private agencies like Tzohar would also get government recognition, and in those cases, the Chief Rabbinate’s role would be shifted to ensuring that the agencies are complying with a set of universal and transparent standards. The goal is to give restaurants a broader range of kosher certification options while allowing those who want to avoid direct contact with the Rabbinate that opportunity.

Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, must approve the plan.

“The kosher revolution will introduce competition to kosher certification for the first time ever,” Kahana said in a statement. “It’s a move that will improve kosher certification, streamline services, reduce prices and make the process easier for restauranteurs, hoteliers, and the entire food industry.”

The Chief Rabbinate has pushed back against attempts to reform the certification system and has succeeded in making life difficult for its competitors. According to current Israeli law, Tzohar’s certificates cannot use the word “kosher” or its derivatives, which are exclusive to the Chief Rabbinate. Instead, a typical certificate will say “All raw materials were checked and approved by the Tzohar rabbinic organization.”

Rabbi Eliezer Simcha Weisz, a member of the Chief Rabbinate council of Israel, told JTA that the Chief Rabbinate’s certification remains the best way for a restaurant, and its patrons, to make sure they are eating kosher food.

“I come from England and I appreciate the tremendous superiority of the Israeli Rabbinate kashrut over any organization that gives kashrut throughout the world,” he said. “Obviously the fact that it’s legalized and it’s part of the government is a big advantage.”

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Weisz said there are dozens of private certifiers, including Tzohar, that profess to offer kashrut supervision but cannot be trusted.

“I wonder how many people have examined the so-called kashrut of these different organizations that claim to give certification,” he said. “Nobody knows who they are or what they are. You wouldn’t think of this in any other situation, but when it comes to religion everyone seems to think they can control it.”

Despite decades of protest from secular Israelis and repeated government attempts to sap its power, the Chief Rabbinate retains broad control over Israeli religious life. In addition to dominating kosher certification, the body has a monopoly on officially recognized marriage, divorce, and burial for Israeli Jews.

Representatives of the Chief Rabbinate of Israe deliver a Kosher Certificate to a local restaurant, in central Jerusalem, on December 31, 2019. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

Tzohar, which claims more than 1,000 rabbis and educators as members, has been a pioneer in offering an alternative to Orthodox Israelis turned off by the Chief Rabbinate’s strict policies or tortuous bureaucracy. It was founded in 1995 after a Jewish extremist assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and aims to overcome the schisms in Jewish society while offering a more accessible approach to Judaism.

The organization also officiates weddings, and because its rabbis have Orthodox ordination, those unions are recognized after the fact by the Chief Rabbinate. By contrast, weddings officiated by non-Orthodox rabbis, or by rabbis whose ordination is not recognized by the Chief Rabbinate, do not receive government recognition and technically are illegal, though many Israelis opt for them anyway.

Tzohar offers free prayer services on Jewish holidays like Yom Kippur, when spots at synagogue can be scarce, and its kosher operation has grown despite the Chief Rabbinate’s opposition.

“Kashrut Tzohar has become a legitimate choice, and the fact is that we are growing every week,’ said Rabbi Oren Duvdevani, who is responsible for food supervision at Tzohar. “Just today two new contracts were signed. If restaurants ask us about it, we say ‘ask your customers.’”

The organization employs 40 kashrut supervisors throughout the country — one-third are women — and five senior kashrut inspectors, including two women. None of the Chief Rabbinate’s supervisors are women.

Whereas the Chief Rabbinate’s supervisors come to restaurants only to check that all the rules are being followed, Tzohar supervisors work in the kitchen. They check the vegetables or the rice for bugs that would make the food non-kosher, and often pitch in cutting vegetables or even cooking.

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“We don’t know how long it will take, but we do have expectations that they will make some changes in the law,” Duvdevani told JTA in an interview before the plan to reform certification was announced. “But we also know that politicians sometimes have their own limitations on what they can do.”

The kosher certification plan may be just the first of several religious reforms pursued by the current government, the first in six years not to include a haredi Orthodox party. The coalition’s largest party, Yesh Atid, has long advocated for the liberalization of religious regulations, which polls indicate most Israelis would support.

According to surveys conducted by Hiddush, an organization that advocates for religious pluralism, solid majorities of Jewish Israelis want Israel to offer civil marriage and accept a wider range of Jewish conversions. In a 2020 survey, Hiddush found that only 11% of Jewish Israelis trust the Chief Rabbinate as an institution.

Restaurant owners who are chafing at the Chief Rabbinate’s demands appear to be taking action. Take the case of Cafe Kadosh, a Jerusalem bakery and restaurant founded in 1967.

View of the Cafe Kadosh bakery in central Jerusalem, on October 21, 2018. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

Earlier this year, the Chief Rabbinate told the café that it would have to put stickers on its products saying they were dairy and make its croissants into triangles. The latter mandate was part of the Chief Rabbinate’s attempt to institute a nationwide standard in which dairy pastries would be shaped as triangles to make them more identifiable.

“The Rabbinate really started to bug us,” owner Itzik Kadosh told JTA. “Everyone knows all of our croissants are dairy. There is no way I was going to change the shape or put a sticker on it. I go to eat shawarma and there is no sticker saying that it is meat.”

After Kadosh protested publicly, the Chief Rabbinate took away the restaurant’s certification and launched a smear campaign on Facebook saying it was open on Shabbat, which wasn’t true.

That’s when Kadosh decided to contact Tzohar. He said Tzohar’s female supervisor checked more than 300 of his products to ensure they were kosher. Tzohar kashrut costs 200 shekels more per month than the Chief Rabbinate, Kadosh said, but the supervisor works three hours a day checking the flour and cleaning the vegetables. In addition, because the supervisor is an employee of Tzohar, not the restaurant, he doesn’t have to pay her benefits.

Kadosh said his business has not suffered and that even haredi, or ultra-Orthodox Jews, continue to patronize his restaurant.

“The Rabbinate behaved like the Mafia,” he said. “Maybe people used to be afraid of them, but I refused to be blackmailed. I said to them, “OK, take my certification. Tomorrow I’ll just go to Tzohar.”

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