There is an important clarification regarding the recent news of the IDF now intending to begin drafting women into the roles of mashgichot kashrut for IDF kitchens..

The Chief Rabbi of the IDF, Rav Eyal Krim, has clarified what is happening.

I will sum up his words rather than translate the entire post - it is too long for that, but you can read the original below..

Rav Krim says that the original notice in the news was inaccurate. The IDF is not being forced or pressured to take women in as mashgichot. He himself made this decision 5 years ago in his previous role. It was not acted upon at the time, but the IDF Rabbinate's position has not changed since then.
1. There is no problem for women to serve as mashgichot kashrut. The first Tosfot in Chulin, today's portion in the Daf Yomi cycle, says there is no difference between men and women regarding the "neemanus", trustworthiness, regarding kashrut.
2. The IDF has a shortage of kashrut supervisors. It is not a popular position in the army and only religious soldiers can work in it.
3. In recent years, the IDF has been privatizing some kitchens, specifically of the more remote army bases. Many of these kitchens have females working there, even a majority of female employees, and in such situations it would be better, from both the perspectives of atmosphere and of tzniyus, for female mashgichot rather than male mashgichim to be working in these kitchens.

Many of the criticisms leveled over the news report are not based on the reality of the situation in the IDF but are based on misconceptions and inaccuracies.

The original is embedded here:

According to reports, the IDF will now be drafting female soldiers into the Rabbinic division of the army to serve as kashrut supervisors in IDF kitchens. The decision was actually made in 2004, but change is slow, as is bureaucracy, and between that and the opposition of the IDF Rabbinate, it has not been implemented until now. Despite their opposition, they have now been ordered to proceed with drafting women for this purpose.

The drafted female recruits will be trained in the relevant tasks as kashrut supervisors and will then be attached to various units and divisions to keep things kosher.

The IDF spokesperson has responded to queries saying that the IDF is committed to integrating women with equality and according to the needs of the system.

We all know women can be mashgichot, even if it is not common, so this is not a big deal.

The article does not say if they are drafting religious women for this task or if the role will be open to all recruits regardless of religious affiliation. Drafting not religious young women into this role could be a problem, as they would have to have halachic trustworthiness to be effective, and someone who himself (or herself) does not keep kosher would not have that level of trustworthiness for kashrut issues. If, however, they are going to be drafting specifically religious women into this role, that should be fine.

Just  over a week ago I was "surprised" to read about someone from Beitar Ilit arrested for growing marijuana.

Little did I know, I would be even more surprised by more details of this story that just came to light.

Not only was this woman a resident of Beitar Ilit, but she is someone involved in the "non hashgacha" "anti-rabbanut" hashgacha called "Hashgacha Pratit", run by Rabbi Aaron Lebovitz.
source: Srugim

It does not bother me in a moral sense that she grew marijuana, as I don't consider it a bad thing, but it is, at least right now, illegal and she was caught and has to pay the price. She was arrested, she has been put out to pasture by the hashgacha pratit people, at least until she is found guilty or innocent, and that's that.

So, my additional surprise is not that someone involved in anti-rabbanut activity would break the law. My additional surprise is that someone from beitar is involved in this hashgacha pratit organization that wants even less kashrut supervision than what the rabbanut provides.

The battle to get the Rabbanut to certify and authorize women as mashgichot kashrut has moved forward after many delays. Yesterday the Rabbanut allowed 9 women to take the exams to become certified as mashgichot kashrut. This is the first time the Rabbanut has allowed women to take the exam, making this a historic change in policy.

Interestingly, the main opposition to women serving as mashgichot remains in their being unfit for the position, rather than any pure halachic objections. The opponents claim women are unfit because they are softer, weaker, and likely will not stand up to a strong-willed, obstinate, loud-mouth business owner.
source: Kikar and Ladaat

In my opinion it is not much of an issue - a woman who is not appropriate for the job will not get that job. If a woman does not have the strength or confidence to stand up and enforce her decisions, she will be put in a position where that is less necessary. Just like I would expect in most other situations a potential job candidate will usually not be given a job he or she cannot handle and is not appropriate for.

Some women are tough characters, and they could be given such jobs, while others are meeker and would be given other jobs. Just like men. Some men are tougher and would be appropriate for a position that requires standing up to a tough owner, while others  are meeker and would be more appropriate to be in a position where toughness is not a requirement. It could be, as Rav Moshe Feinstein is quoted as saying, that most frum women are meeker, but that does not preclude that some are tougher and could take such jobs.

I heard Rav Shmuel Eliyahu on the radio last night. Rav Eliyahu has been a supporter of allowing women to become certified mashgichot. He agreed that the problem exists, but said there are ways to solve it, such as by having supervisors who will support the stance of the mashgichot against the tough owners and give them backing in a way that they wont be out there all alone standing up to a tough owner against their nature.

I don't see the problem as a reason to keep a policy to not allow women in these positions. Find the women who are appropriate. Find solutions for the ones who are meeker. It can all be done. And keep an eye on the situation - someone who is found to be not effective in a certain position despite all the solutions implemented, will surely have to be moved to a different position. Kashrut cannot be allowed to be adversely affected by this, but there is almost no reason it has to be.

Just less than two months ago Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau seemignly put to end a long-standing open issue with the Rabbanut - whether or not women would be given jobs as mashgichot - kashrut supervisors. After much waffling of the Rabbanut, Rabbi Lau said there is nothing wrong with female mashgichot and the Rabbanut should begin to employ women in that capacity.

Which makes me not understand the following article on Kooker, a haredi news site. Kooker reports that because the Rabbanut is refusing to hire women as mashgichot, because of "tzniyus concerns", the "Yerushalmim" organization has found a way to circumvent the Rabbanut.

Yerushalmim is hiring women to act as mashgichot, and are offering their supervision to restaurants around Jerusalem. They have signed contracts with 6 restaurants to date, and supposedly have another 20 ready to sign. It should be noted that a clause in the contract is that both parties commit to following halacha, so this should not be thought of as a way of avoiding the Rabbanut in order to be not kosher.

1. to provide kashrut services, one must be a registered and approved organization. That is why the Rabbanut regularly announces unapproved organizations working in the field of kashrut and warns the public to beware of certificates from the unauthorized organizations. Will this group be added to that list or have they reuqested approval and authorization from the Rabbanut?

2. More curiously, how does this fit with Rabbi Lau's statement? Perhaps despite Rabbi Lau's statement, the Rabbanut is in practice still refusing to employ female mashgichot? Just because he said it is ok does not necessarily mean the bureaucrats in the Rabbanut are going to follow along so quickly...  Does anybody know facts on the ground on this issue?

for someone who was considered the haredi candidate for the job, and was supported by the haredi parties, Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau is sure turning into a surprise. Granted, it is not that much of a surprise if you listened to him then when he said he is not particularly haredi, served in the army, says hallel on Yom Haatzmaut, style in psak, etc.. but remembering the fights during the election season for the chief rabbinate where he was regularly considered haredi, it is a surprise..

The latest from rabbi Lau is that he announced yesterday that he has absolutely no problem at all with women being appointed to jobs as mashgichot. He said that the involvement of the Supreme Court in the matter was entirely superfluous, as there is nothing that should prevent women from becoming mashgichot.
source: Kipa and INN

Of course he meant halachically. Until now the chief rabbis have postponed dealing with the issue and had never given a final response - just the bland "we are looking into it". Rabbi Lau's positive response is definitely a change of direction.

If Rabbi Lau is Haredi, sign me up!

The issue of women serving as mashgichei kashrut, kashrut supervisors, for the Rabbanut has been an open case for a couple of years now. The Emuna organization has even field a lawsuit against the rabbanut for not allowing women to serve as kashrut supervisors and for continued delaying tactics.

Those days are now over. The Rabbanut has appointed its first female mashgiach.

While some might expect that the women in the eye of the storm would be a feminist activist, maybe someone who is associated with Reform or Conservative Judaism... It turns out that the first woman mashgicha is a mother of 7 from beitar Ilit named Avivit Revia. Beitar is not exactly a bastion of Reform Judaism nor a hotbed of feminist activity, so I think it is safe to say that she is probably an Ultra-Orthodox woman.

According to Srugim, the Rabbanut has finally responded to the Supreme Court saying they have decided to reform the system and allow any organization to run a course to train mashgichim, rather than the previously limited list of approved courses. This decision will de facto open the doors for women to be certified as kashrut supervisors. they can now take a course and the exam just like everyone else.

Revia told Srugim that naturally women are more involved with food, as politically incorrect as that sounds, and she expects her new position with the Rabbanut will be especially significant.

While I am not quite sure why it was such a big deal in the first place, while perhaps not overly common, it was never uncommon for women to serve as kashrut supervisors both in the US and less commonly but also in Israel for private organizations, I would note that I think Chief Rabbi Lau has shown anybody who was afraid of him as being too haredi or promoting the hard-core Haredi positions because they supported him as Chief Rabbi that they have nothing to fear. With Rabbi Lau's declared position on hetter mechira and now being the first to allow female kashrut supervisors, he is not exactly the extreme-haredi rabbi some people expected. As a matter of fact, he seems to be far more liberal than many expected, and I would not be surprised if some of his original supporters (during the election period) are even a bit miffed by some of his positions...

As this post was about to go online I saw that Rav Shlezinger, rav of Gilo and one of the leading rabbonim in Jerusalem and heavily involved in the Rabbanut, said that halachically there is no problem with women serving as kashrut supervisors, but in general women are not so appropriate for the job. Rav Shlezinger said religious and Haredi women are normally very timid, and part of the job of mashgiach is to be a policeman and to be strong and suspicious... so while it is not a halachic problem, usually women are not appropriate for such a job.
(source: Kikar)

While Rav Shlezinger might be right and such a timid woman should not be hired as a mashgiach kashrut, I don't know that such a rule is appropriate. There are aggressive women, in the frum community too, just like there are aggressive men, and there are timid men just like there are timid women. Whether hiring a man or a woman for the job, for any job, it would be prudent and best to hire one that is appropriate for the work involved.