Just about a year ago Life in Israel noted the beginning of a process of creating a new type of kashrut supervision - for barbers. A year later, and that is now in place.

As reported now on Walla News, this new barbershop kashrut supervision has started functioning. So far it seems to have taken somewhat of a hold in towns like Beitar, Modiin ilit, Rechasim and Bnei Braq. For now they just have to adhere to a list of rules and submit to supervision, but not pay for the certificates of kashrut.

To get the certificate, the barber has to sign a commitment to acquiesce to any demand made by the supervising agency and the city rabbis. As well, the barber must commit to only cutting hair with a hair-cutting machine and no scissors. Sidelocks, peyos, must be cut no shorter than 5mm - though any client insisting on having the peyos cut shorter base don his personal rav's opinion, can have it cut to as short as 3.5mm but no shorter than that no matter what his rav says. Beard and mustache can only be cut and trimmed with scissors or a machine certified as kosher with a hashgacha acceptable to the supervising agency.

The "mashgiach" will be given access to come into the barbershop at his will, whenever he wants, and check to ensure the rules are being kept and the equipment used is kosher. Any barber caught breaking the rules accepts that it will be announced that people should not patronize his barbershop.

And these cute pashkevils have been spotted around relevant towns....




Will these kashrut organizations be monopolies in their towns or will there be competition, with different agencies each setting different sets of standards?

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