At least two women will be on a 10-member committee to appoint rabbinical judges – if the Knesset passes a bill the coalition plans to support. The bill requires at least one of the committee's two Knesset representatives and one of the Israel Bar Association representatives to be female. Earlier this month, the High Court of Justice ruled that it was unacceptable for a committee that appoints judges for the rabbinical courts to be made up solely of men. The committee had at least one female member for 12 years, but that changed in November through a back room deal and the issue ended up in the High Court.
MK Tzipi Hotovely
Netanyahu coalition to support women's return to rabbinic judge panel
New bill requires at least one of two Knesset representatives and one of the Israel Bar Association representatives on committee for appointing rabbinical judges to be female.
By Jonathan Lis • Ha’aretz
At least two women will be on a 10-member committee to appoint rabbinical judges, if the Knesset passes a bill the coalition plans to support.
MK Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) said she welcomed Sunday's decision by the Ministeral Committee for Legislation to have the government back her bill, which stipulates that the panel that selects rabbinic judges must include at least two women.
"This is a significant change that will ensure that women's interests in selecting rabbinic judges, who exert influence over divorce proceedings, will be taken into consideration," said Hotovely.
The bill requires at least one of the committee's two Knesset representatives and one of the Israel Bar Association representatives to be female.
A preliminary reading will take place in the Knesset on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, the High Court of Justice ruled that it was unacceptable for a committee that appoints judges for the rabbinical courts to be made up solely of men. The committee had at least one female member for 12 years, but that changed in November and the issue ended up in the High Court.
When Hotovely first proposed the bill two weeks ago, ultra-Orthodox pressure pushed it temporarily off the table. Ultra-Orthodox parties argued that the law would change the status quo.
"This is far more important than narrow political considerations, which don't have the slightest thing to do with retaining the status quo or impinging on religion," said Hotovely.
As long as they are going the quota route. I hope that all groups get represented, haredim, reform, conservative, secular, sefardim, and Ethopians.
Posted by: KJ | January 30, 2012 at 10:11 AM
It should be simple. Do you want to live as a secular? Fine, then you can live on the upper east side and belong to "temple" emmanuel with Bloomberg and Spitzer and listen to a shiksa cantor on the 'Sabbath" playing an organ. But Eretz Yisroel is for us, not them, and they need to mind their own business and stay out of ours.
Posted by: Waiting4Moshiach | January 30, 2012 at 10:21 AM
Definitely do agree with KJ statement that represantation should be based on competency and not any other qualifications.
At the same time..... Waiting4Moshiach....what is your statement has anything to do with the article????
Posted by: Yid Hapashut | January 30, 2012 at 12:46 PM
There is reality and there is ideology. If there are no women at all, it is very likely that many very qualified women have not been chosen because of their sex. Quotas are needed until we all can refrain from being sexist and racist. I don't see this happening anytime soon.
Posted by: mimi | January 30, 2012 at 02:34 PM
if israel is a democracy, shouldn't it be half women?
Posted by: Proton Soup | January 31, 2012 at 01:42 AM