"Victory for women against rabbinical courts
The judges of the High Court of Justice ruled that women could be appointed to senior positions in the rabbinic court administration. "This is a historic decision" Yair Altman Published: 16.08.2017 14: 273
A victory for women's organizations.
Following a petition filed by the Na'amat and WIZO organizations, the Supreme Court on Wednesday annulled the restrictions set by law to appoint women to the position of director-general of the rabbinical courts.
The court did not limit itself to the appointment of Michal Goldstein to the post of deputy director of the rabbinical courts and ordered the cancellation of the conditions that prevented women from running for the position of director of the rabbinical courts, so that women could also be appointed to senior positions.
A panel of three justices ruled that from now on anyone can stand for the position if he meets the following conditions: "He is a resident of Israel, has a rabbinic claim or is a lawyer with a master's degree in Jewish law or the Talmud - with the advantage of an attorney who is also a rabbinic advocate; He has at least 7 years of experience in rabbinic courts, and in terms of his character and way of life, he is worthy of serving as director of the Rabbinical Courts ... The conditions are aimed at both female and male. "
"At a time when women occupy a place of honor in a variety of positions in the public service, it is inconceivable that proper representation will not be given to the Rabbinical Courts. Only to the public as a whole, but also to strengthening the status of the court, in which public trust is a vital condition for its functioning. " "Historical judgment"
The legal adviser to Naamat, who represented the petitioners, Attorney Gali Etzion, responded to the verdict and said, "This is a historic judgment. In an era in which women occupy a place of honor in a variety of public service positions, it is unacceptable that their representation in the rabbinical courts will not be properly reflected. "
Attorney Batya Kahana-Dror, the director of Mavoi Satum and the petition's author, also praised the decision: "This is the first time that gender discrimination in matters under the responsibility of the religious establishment is defined as an infringement of a basic right to equality. The appointment of a director-general of the Rabbinical Courts will become a guiding principle in all matters of religion in the State of Israel. I am glad that I had the right to lead the process that brought about this important amendment. This is a historic milestone in the struggle to strengthen the values of Judaism and democracy, and for the women of Israel who are discriminated against in the rabbinical courts. "
Chairwoman Naamat, Galia Voloch: "Opening the gates of the court to women in administrative positions is especially important in a system in which the main avenue of management is composed mainly of men. The petition has already appointed a deputy director general for the courts. We will continue until women are moderated as religious women. "
In response to a High Court of Justice ruling, Halutz said that "even at a time when politics proves progress is backward, it is good to know that the Supreme Court continues in its role as a defender of civil rights, values of equality and freedoms The individual ". Regev added that despite the verdict, "we expect with concern that the ultra-Orthodox political system and the ultra-Orthodox tendencies will not welcome the verdict, and that it is liable to join the emascultion campaign and undermine the independence of the supreme judicial authority in Israel."
Attorney Irit Rosenblum, the founder and CEO of "new family", said that "this is one of the most significant decisions made in the field of equality in Israel, a decision that eradicates illegal discrimination in the legal system of a democratic state. This is the opportunity to reiterate that the State of Israel owes all its citizens a civil solution for all those who do not want or can not avail themselves of the services of the rabbinate, of course similar law should apply to the courts of the other communities in Israel. "