Rabbinate

Law widening religious courts’ role in civil disputes sparks debate over choice, rights - analysis

Critics also challenge one of the law’s intended benefits of easing pressure on the civil courts, arguing that the state is instead giving an existing judicial body additional authority.

Activists protest against a bill that would give more authorities to the rabbinical courts outside the Rabbinical Court of Tel Aviv, December 11, 2024.
Head of Shas party Aryeh Deri and Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef visit at the scene of suspected arson and vandalism at a Jerusalem synagogue which is often frequented by Rabbi Yosef, June 8, 2025.

Shas fills local rabbi posts with loyalists, sidelining community choice - opinion

Photo of Sarah M., one of the 12 cases resolved this month by Yad La’Isha of Ohr Torah Stone.

From tragedy to protection: The fight against agunah status - opinion

THE RABBINICAL Court’s Division for Agunot in Jerusalem.

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


‘Aguna’ – a midcourse Jewish history correction

Anecdotes are not scientific research. But these and 100 others like them define the widely held communal paradigm regarding iggun. Let us extrapolate some views:

THE BUILDING of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel in Jerusalem.

Rabbis with knives between their teeth are needed

How is it possible the religious parties have failed to inspire the majority of Israelis to feel closer to Judaism and to foster a greater appreciation for the Jewish way of living?

THE RABBINATE High Court of Appeals, Jerusalem, 1959. From left: Rabbi Yaakov Ades, Rabbi Ovadia Hedaya and Rabbi Betzalel Zolty.

Court rules against Liberman, in favor of Jewishness DNA testing

In the majority decision, penned by Justice Neal Hendel, it was determined that the petition didn't present sufficient evidence proving that the rabbinate's actions were discriminatory.

Israeli High Court hearing on whether Netanyahu can form next government despite indictment he faces. (December 31, 2019)

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