Israeli Food Business Compliance

Step 1: Determine Ministry of Health Licensing Requirements

Israeli food businesses require a business license (rishyon esek) under the Business Licensing Law. Requirements vary by business type:

For each type: identify required documents, inspection criteria, and renewal schedule. See references/health-ministry-requirements.md for detailed requirements per business type.

Step 2: Guide Kashrut Certification (Rabbanut Application)

Most Israeli restaurants and food businesses seek kosher certification from the local Rabbanut (rabbinical authority).

Process:

1. Contact local Rabbanut office (varies by municipality)
2. Submit application with: business license, menu, list of suppliers, kitchen layout
3. Mashgiach (kosher supervisor) visit — inspects ingredients, equipment, procedures
4. Ongoing: mashgiach visits (frequency depends on kashrut level)

Kashrut levels:

• Standard kosher (כשר) — basic supervision
• Mehadrin (מהדרין) — stricter standards, more frequent supervision
• Badatz (בד"ץ) — ultra-strict, private certification bodies

Prepare for mashgiach inspection:

• All ingredient labels visible with kosher certification marks
• Separate meat and dairy areas clearly marked
• Shabbat/holiday operation plan (if applicable)
• No banned ingredients (not listed on approved kosher lists)

Step 3: Set Up Certification/License Renewal Tracking

Configure scheduled alerts for renewal dates:

• Business license: typically annual renewal
• Kashrut certificate: annual renewal, requires re-inspection
• Health inspection: periodic (frequency varies, typically every 6-12 months)
• Fire safety certificate: annual renewal
• Pest control documentation: quarterly

Send reminders 60 days, 30 days, and 7 days before expiration. Track required documents for each renewal. Store renewal history. If persistent memory is unavailable, export as compliance-tracker.json.

Step 4: Generate Hebrew Food Labels

Israeli food labeling requirements (based on regulations from the Ministry of Health):

• Product name in Hebrew
• Ingredients list (in Hebrew, descending order by weight)
• Allergen declarations (חובת סימון אלרגנים):
  • Must declare: gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, tree nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulfites, lupin, mollusks
  • Format: bold or highlighted in ingredients list + separate allergen warning
• Nutritional information per 100g and per serving
• Net weight/volume
• Country of origin
• Manufacturer/importer details
• Production date and expiration date
• Storage instructions
• Kashrut mark (if certified)
• Barcode (Israeli standard)

See references/labeling-requirements.md for detailed format specifications and example label template.

Step 5: Guide Food Import Regulations

Importing food to Israel requires:

• Import license from Ministry of Health
• Food item registration (for first-time imports)
• Hebrew label approval before import
• Port inspection and sampling
• Kashrut certification (if kosher market)

Required documents:

• Certificate of origin
• Health certificate from country of origin
• Lab analysis results
• Hebrew label proof
• Customs declaration

Step 6: Prepare for Health Inspections

Generate inspection preparation checklist by business type.

General checklist (all food businesses):

• Valid business license displayed
• Current kashrut certificate displayed (if applicable)
• Staff health certificates (teudat briut) up to date
• Handwashing stations functional with soap and towels
• Temperature logs maintained (refrigerators, freezers, hot holding)
• Pest control documentation current
• Food stored off the floor, properly labeled with dates
• Cleaning schedule documented and followed
• No expired products on premises
• First-in-first-out (FIFO) rotation practiced

Additional for restaurants:

• Kitchen ventilation functioning
• Grease trap maintained
• Separate prep areas for raw and cooked food
• Allergen information available for customers

Example 1: New Restaurant Seeking Business License and Kashrut

User says: "I'm opening a restaurant in Jerusalem and need all the permits" Actions:

1. Determine business type: restaurant (מסעדה) — identify MOH requirements
2. List required permits: business license, kashrut from Jerusalem Rabbanut, fire safety, health inspection
3. Generate document checklist: kitchen layout, ventilation plan, supplier list, menu
4. Guide kashrut application process for Jerusalem Rabbanut
5. Set up renewal tracking for all certifications
6. Prepare health inspection checklist Result: Complete permit roadmap with timeline. Business license application prepared, Rabbanut application checklist ready. Renewal tracking configured with alerts starting 60 days before each expiration.

Example 2: Creating Food Labels for a New Product

User says: "I'm launching a hummus product and need Hebrew labels" Actions:

1. Determine product category: ready-to-eat chilled food
2. Collect: ingredients list, allergen info, nutritional data
3. Generate Hebrew label with all required fields (ingredients, allergens, nutrition table)
4. Highlight allergens: sesame (שומשום), chickpeas (note: not in mandatory list but common allergen)
5. Add storage instructions ("יש לאחסן בקירור עד 4°C")
6. Format per Israeli labeling regulations Result: Complete Hebrew food label ready for printing. Includes: bilingual product name, full ingredients in Hebrew (descending by weight), allergen warning box, nutrition per 100g and per serving, manufacturer details, expiry format, and storage instructions.

Example 3: Preparing for Health Inspection

User says: "We have a health inspection next week, help me prepare" Actions:

1. Determine business type and last inspection results (if available)
2. Generate comprehensive inspection checklist
3. Identify high-priority items: temperature logs, staff health certificates, pest control docs
4. Walk through common failure points: expired products, improper storage, missing documentation
5. Create day-of-inspection quick checklist
6. Suggest last-minute fixes for common issues Result: 32-item inspection checklist organized by priority. Top 5 critical items highlighted (temperature logs, health certificates, handwashing stations, food labeling, pest control). Day-of checklist for the morning before inspection.

References

• references/health-ministry-requirements.md — Ministry of Health licensing requirements by food business type: required documents, facility standards, inspection criteria, and renewal schedules. Consult when determining licensing needs in Step 1 or preparing for inspections in Step 6.
• references/labeling-requirements.md — Israeli food labeling regulations: mandatory fields, allergen declaration requirements, nutritional information format, Hebrew label template, and import labeling rules. Consult when generating food labels in Step 4 or guiding import regulations in Step 5.

Error: "Business license application rejected"

Cause: Missing documents, facility doesn't meet requirements, or zoning issue. Solution: Check rejection reason from the municipal licensing authority. Common issues: kitchen layout not approved, ventilation insufficient, or business location not zoned for food service. Address specific deficiency and resubmit. Consider hiring a licensed consultant (yo'etz rishuy) for complex cases.

Error: "Kashrut inspection failed"

Cause: Non-kosher ingredients found, or separation requirements not met. Solution: Review mashgiach's report for specific findings. Common issues: supplier without proper kosher certification, cross-contamination between meat and dairy areas, ingredients not on approved list. Replace non-compliant ingredients and request re-inspection.

Error: "Food label rejected by MOH"

Cause: Missing required fields or incorrect format. Solution: Verify all 12 mandatory fields are present (see Step 4). Common issues: allergen declaration not in correct format (must be bold/highlighted), nutritional info missing per-serving data, Hebrew translation inaccurate. Use references/labeling-requirements.md as checklist.

Error: "Health inspection violation notice"

Cause: Critical violation found during inspection (temperature abuse, pest evidence, expired products). Solution: Address critical violations immediately. Temperature abuse: discard affected food, recalibrate thermometers, document corrective action. Pest evidence: call licensed pest control immediately, document treatment. Expired products: remove and document disposal. Inspector typically allows 7-30 days for correction depending on severity.