Haifa's Sephardi chief rabbi suspected of graft

Rabbi and head of northern religious court allegedly gave jobs to friends, awarded kashrut certificates in exchange for donations

Haifa’s Sephardi chief rabbi was questioned by police over suspicion that he committed a series of graft offenses, Maariv’s NRG website reported Thursday.

According to the report, Shlomo Shalush is suspected of issuing kashrut certificates to restaurants and factories that made donations on his behalf, hiring friends and acquaintances, and forcing a kashrut inspector to provide him evidence of wrongdoing by a political enemy.

Shalush, who also serves on the northern region Beit Din, or religious court, faced suspicions last year that he had extorted the owner of an events hall.