Shopping and kosher food in Ashdod: certificates, markets, malls and supermarkets

Most food businesses in Ashdod are under local supervision, but the levels differ and not everything that looks kosher is. Here's how I'd find my way around.

Who supervises kashrut in Ashdod

Kashrut in the city is supervised by the Ashdod Rabbanut / Religious Council, at Henrietta Szold St 1 (Religious Council (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)). See the Religious Council listing.

• Kashrut department: 08-8630640, reception Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 08:30-12:30, by appointment.
• Department WhatsApp: 050-5583414.
• The council's website has English, Russian and Amharic versions alongside Hebrew (Religious Council (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)).

On 5 October 2026 the Ministry of Religious Services kashrut portal listed 419 supervised sites under the Ashdod Religious Council (Ministry portal (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)). The portal confirms that a business is supervised, but it does not show the level.

The three certificate colours

The Ashdod Rabbanut issues three certificate levels. The level is set in an interview with the business owner (Religious Council (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)). The council's 2024 kosher guide describes them like this (2024 guide (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)):

• White: regular kashrut. Products approved by the Chief Rabbinate only.
• Yellow: Mehadrin. Products under various badatzim, with all cooking per the Beit Yosef.
• Light blue: "Badatz Kehillot Ashdod". The guide calls this level "Mehadrin min HaMehadrin": only Eda Haredit, Rav Landau and Rav Rubin products.

At every level there is no permanent mashgiach, only visits. Leafy vegetables come from special growers and are washed and soaked by the mashgiach (2024 guide (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)).

The same guide warns that pizza with tuna at regular-level pizzerias suits only those who rely on the lenient ruling.

These descriptions come from the summer 2024 edition. I haven't confirmed whether there is a newer one, or which name the council now uses for the blue certificate, so if the level matters to you, ask the kashrut department.

How to check a certificate

The council tells consumers to ask for a valid original certificate showing the business's name and whether it is parve, dairy or meat. It also warns against food carts and stalls in parking lots and malls that don't have one (Religious Council (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)).

The council's free guide, "Kasher Letayel BeAshdod" (summer 2024, 16 pages), lists certified bakeries, pizzerias, ice-cream shops, confectioneries, restaurants and Shabbat ready-food shops, plus the eruv and mikvaot. It is distributed in mailboxes and shopping centres, and you can download it (Religious Council (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)). I'd keep a copy on your phone for the first few months.

Markets and shopping streets

• The Wednesday sea market runs in the Lido beach car park: winter 07:30-17:00, summer 07:30-18:00 (municipal hotline 08-8545454) (Visit Ashdod (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)). Note that the council's guide says this market is not under Rabbanut supervision for kashrut or Shabbat, and that photos of certificates shown by stallholders should not be relied on (2024 guide (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)). See the Lido beach listing.
• Shuk Merkaz Bet, the Rova Bet market, is described as the oldest market in the city. The tourism site says Hebrew, Russian, French, Arabic and Moroccan are all heard there (Visit Ashdod (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)).
• Rogozin St, one of the oldest central streets, is a pedestrian street in the heart of Rova Alef (Visit Ashdod (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)).

Supermarkets, bakeries and chains

The kashrut portal's Ashdod list includes Shufersal (Deal, Sheli and Extra), Yochananof, Victory and Yesh Chesed (Ministry portal (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)). In the directory:

• Shufersal Extra (HaBosem) and Shufersal Sheli (Rova Yud-Alef)
• Yochananof, Victory (Rova Yud-Gimel) and Yesh Chesed
• Rami Levy, at HaYahalomim 9 in the northern industrial area (Rami Levy (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה))

The portal also lists the Dahari French bakery chain (about 10 outlets) and the Boutique HaPita chain (about 14 outlets) (Ministry portal (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)). Try Dahari in Rova Zayin, the Dahari patisserie in Rova Yud-Bet or Boutique HaPita in the City.

The kosher McDonald's is at the Star Center, with regular Rabbanut kashrut per the 2024 guide (2024 guide (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)). See the listing. For pizza, see Pizza Bella.

Because the portal doesn't show levels, I'd look at the certificate in each branch rather than assume a chain is the same everywhere.

Malls

• BIG Fashion Ashdod (Derech HaRakevet 1): about 130 brands. Open Sunday-Thursday 09:30-21:30, Friday 09:00-14:30 and Saturday 10:00-23:00 (BIG Centers (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)). Listing
• Star Center (Jabotinsky 43): about 114 shops. Open Sunday-Thursday 09:30-22:00, Friday 09:00-15:00 and Saturday 10:00-23:00 (Ari Group (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)). Listing
• City Mall, which houses the central bus station, and C-Mall: see the City Mall and C-Mall listings. I haven't confirmed their street addresses yet.

Both BIG Fashion and Star Center open on Saturdays. The municipality also lists the Super-Pharm branches at the City (1 HaBanim St), Star Center and BIG Ashdod as duty pharmacies that are open on Shabbat (Municipality (נפתח בכרטיסייה חדשה)).

For more, browse the food, restaurant and shopping directories, and see Shabbat in Ashdod for Shabbat ready food.