Rabbinate

Knesset panel advances bill to expand rabbinical courts’ power over civil matters

Critics have warned of the bill's democratic implications, including those involving women's rights, which may deepen the rift between the haredi and secular communities.

THE RABBINICAL Court’s Division for Agunot in Jerusalem.
YEHORAM GAON

Popular Israeli singer Yehoram Gaon marries partner Ella Lusa at age 86

Hannah and Ally Karpel-Pomerantz met as rabbinical school classmates at Hebrew Union College. They are set to be ordained at the end of the school year.

Surging LGBTQ enrollment in Jewish seminaries signals ‘astounding’ shift in US rabbinate

Inside a synagogue sanctuary, as new research sheds light on how fewer rabbis are choosing pulpit life.

First-ever empirical study of US rabbinate finds ‘shortage’ is more about fit than numbers


Man who refused wife divorce demands embryo in return for annulment

Women’s rights group says the rabbinical court pressured the man's wife to accept a deal in order to obtain her divorce.

A medical technician prepares embryo and sperm samples for freezing at the Laboratory of Reproductive Biology CECOS of Tenon Hospital in Paris, France, September 19, 2019

The rabbinate’s own wake-up call

Israel’s Rabbinical Court is indeed more powerful that any of its counterparts in the Diaspora. Empowered by civil law, it holds sole jurisdiction over the personal status of Jews in Israel.

A GLASS of wine is poured during a Jewish wedding ceremony.

Living with a collar around my neck

As a young ultra-Orthodox woman of marriageable age, nothing really prepared me for what ensued.

A FORMER ‘chained’ woman (left) stands in front of a rabbinic court with her lawyer after winning her case.

Amb. Dermer forms group of rabbis to bypass established organizations

"The convening rabbis will conduct a dialogue and cooperate with the Jews of Israel on issues pertaining to the entire Jewish people.

Israel's ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer (R) greets House Rep. (D) Jerrold Nadler

Rabbinical courts revoke conversion approved by Beth Din of America

Making the situation even more Kafkaesque is the fact that a sibling of the man in question got married through the Chief Rabbinate several years ago without questions raised about Jewish status.

THE RABBINICAL court of Tel Aviv. It has been said that rabbinical courts allow men to hold back consent to divorce their wives in order to extort the women into agreeing to unfair overall terms.

‘Three weddings and a statement’ challenges Chief Rabbinate on marriage

Three Israeli couples are being married in a synagogue in Washington, D.C. March 26 in protest of their own country, whose Chief Rabbinate will not allow them to marry.

Couples kiss during a mass wedding at coastal city of Larnaca

Three Israeli weddings to be held in Washington protesting rabbinate

“One is a transgender, gay couple; the second couple has one partner that Israel’s Chief Rabbinate does not consider to be Jewish."

Couples kiss during a mass wedding at coastal city of Larnaca

Skip the forms and use only your ID to get married

The new venture would allow couples to bring only their IDs to the rabbinate, and significantly speed up the process of marriage.

Illustrative photo of marriage rings

A most serious of offenses

Understanding sexual abuse through the lens of Halacha

SEXUAL ABUSE cases must be brought to light and addressed by rabbinic and community authorities.

Marriage in protest: Three weddings make a statement to Rabbinate

Same-sex couple says they will marry in DC because no recognizable entity in Israel will acknowledge their marriage

Wedding rings [Illustrative]