Bill permitting inter-religious adoption progresses

Yesh Atid's Kol proposes bill after receiving complaints from secular parents who attempted to adopt non-Jewish children.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Yesh Atid MK Adi Kol 370 (photo credit: Courtesy Yesh Atid)
Yesh Atid MK Adi Kol 370
(photo credit: Courtesy Yesh Atid)
Parents will be able to adopt a child of another religion, according to bill by MK Adi Kol (Yesh Atid) that passed in its preliminary Knesset reading Wednesday.
Kol proposed the bill after receiving complaints from secular parents who attempted to adopt non-Jewish children and have them converted to Judaism. Some rabbinical conversion courts would not allow the child to convert if he was not going to be raised in a home that keeps Shabbat and kosher, by parents who pray and commit to giving the child a religious education.
As such, there is discrimination against secular, Conservative and Reform parents in the adoption process.
The original law is meant to take the child's culture into consideration. However, Kol's bill, which passed with 39 in favor and 10 opposed, allows family courts to make exceptions in such cases.
The adoption bill also marks the end of Kol's punishment.
In July, when Kol voted against coalition discipline on electoral reform, Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Yesh Atid faction chairman Ofer Shelah condemned her to not being able to submit any legislation until November.