Rabbinical court

Petition to High Court seeks to strike down new rabbinical courts arbitration law

“The powers of the Rabbinical Courts should be curtailed, not expanded,” Israel Hofsheet CEO Uri Keidar said in a statement.

Activists protest against a bill that would give more authorities to the rabbinical courts outside the Rabbinical Court of Tel Aviv, December 11, 2024; illustrative.
Activists protest against a bill that would give more authorities to the rabbinical courts outside the Rabbinical Court of Tel Aviv, December 11, 2024.

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

THE CHIEF RABBINATE’S Supreme Court for Appeals in Jerusalem: Israelis deserve a religious court system that honors both Halacha and human dignity, the writer asserts.

Knesset passes law expanding powers of Israel’s rabbinic courts to arbitrate civil matters

Finance Committee chair MK Hanoch Milwidsky leads a Finance committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, during the war with Iran and Hezbollah, March 15, 2026.

Rabbinical, Sharia courts to be allowed to arbitrate civil disputes, Knesset decides


Private court annuls marriage of long-term ‘agunah’

In cases where a man refuses to grant a divorce for an extended period of time, voiding the marriage on the basis of an invalid witness is an effective tool in freeing the agunah, or chained woman.

Oshrat Ben-Haim (center) stands before the rabbis of the independent rabbinical court alongside her rabbinical court representative and Mavoi Satum director Attorney Batya Kehana-Dror

Law for rabbinical courts to hear non-Israeli divorce cases approved

The law is seen as controversial since it expands the jurisdiction of the state rabbinical courts to non-citizens on the highly charged issue of divorce refusal.

File photo: Divorce.

Groundbreaking ruling in rabbinical court frees 23-year 'chained woman'

Annulment of Zvia Gordestski’s marriage could and should pave the way for private rabbinical courts for divorce, says Center for Women’s Justice.

Zvia Gordestski (left) holding the rabbinical court document freeing her from her marriage, alongside Center for Women’s Justice attorney Nitzan Caspi-Shiloni

Rabbinical court judges to get female legal advisers

This is the highest position ever achieved by a woman in Israel’s rabbinical courts.

THE RABBINICAL court in Tel Aviv

Walking the desert... to help unchain women

"Chained women" and allies from across Israel gather for a hike for support and sisterhood.

Agunot and former agunot during Yad L’Isha’s  first-annual Eshet Hamidbar (Woman of the Desert) 22-kilometer walk

Would-be converts must marry or leave partners, Knesset committee told

The practice has been called "coercive and unfair."

Tania Beider in 2018

Haredi MKs advance legislation to expand rabbinical courts' jurisdiction

Gafni argues that the bill is a matter of multiculturalism and designed to allow religious Jews the right to chose their legal forum.

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman of the United Torah Judaism party sits with other ministers in Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government during a Knesset session, November 23

Rabbinical racket

There are quite a few municipal rabbis who do little in return for the monthly salary they receive from the state coffers.

Haredi political rally in Bnei Brak, March 11, 2015

A second woman receives divorce after not telling police about abuse

Conditions of divorce were ‘totally illegal,’ says legal scholar.

Divorce Illustration

Rabbinical court tells Israeli woman 'no divorce' if she files rape complaint

Jewish law requires that a husband willingly agree to give a divorce and a wife willingly accept it for a divorce to be valid.

File photo: Divorce.