Kosher Australia is the largest Australian based kosher certification agency. As of 2018 they had certified over 500 companies both in Australia and abroad.[1] It was initially called Mizrachi Kashrut, followed by Melbourne Kashrut before becoming Kosher Australia in 2004.[2]
Kosher Australia began in 1968 when Rabbi Baruch Abaranok, the then rabbi of the Mizrachi organisation in Melbourne, started providing supervision to local community caterers. A team of volunteer community members investigated companies for kosher compliance and by 1976, annual kosher guides were made available to the kosher community.[3] Over the years it has expanded to employ a number of staff[4] and is recognised internationally by other kosher authorities.[5] The rabbi responsible for the organisation's policies is Mordechai Gutnick, who also sits on the Melbourne Beth Din.
Kosher food in Australia has come under attack as a part of the alt-right's attack on halal food, led by MP Pauline Hanson. It has been part of investigations in Parliament, although there have been no ramifications for the kosher industry yet.[6] There have also been a number of attacks on kosher slaughter, and the community has stood up to defend itself.[7][8]
