The Ministry of Religious Affairs traditionally had primary responsibility for meeting Jewish religious requirements, such as the supply of ritually killed and prepared (kosher) meat; overseeing rabbinical courts and religious schools; and looking after the autonomous religious needs of the non-Jewish communities. Long an issue of political contention, the Ministry of Religious Affairs officially ceased to exist on 31 December 2003, with its units divided among various government ministries and local authorities.
Historical Dictionary of Israel. Bernard Reich David H. Goldberg. Edited by Jon Woronoff..