Haredi Leaders Want Expansion Of Rabbinic Courts’ Powers

“We need to understand that we are in a cultural war [with those] who don’t want the rabbinical courts to have any standing. During the last Knesset term we succeeded in preventing any anti-religious legislation being passed, and not a day goes past on which they don’t try and pass such laws. In the coming Knesset, the haredi representatives will unite to fight for whether this is a Jewish state or not, in the struggle is over the world of Torah, yeshiva students, the rabbinical world and the status of rabbinical courts.”

Sefardic Chief Rabbi of Israel Shlomo Amar, left, and Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger, right

Haredi Leaders Want Expansion Of Rabbinic Courts’ Powers
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com

State rabbinical courts in Israel are only allowed to judge issues of marriage, divorce, conversion and certain other matters relating to personal status, but they cannot rule on monetary matters or property law.

But that will change if senior haredi leaders get their way.

According to a report in the Jerusalem Post, at the annual conference of the World Center of Torah Law held yesterday in Jerusalem, haredi leaders called for an expansion of rabbinical courts’ authority.

MK Moshe Gafni, who chairs the Knesset Finance Committee, gave the opening speech and was the first to raise the issue.

“We need to understand that we are in a cultural war [with those] who don’t want the rabbinical courts to have any standing. During the last Knesset term we succeeded in preventing any anti-religious legislation being passed, and not a day goes past on which they don’t try and pass such laws.

“In the coming Knesset, the haredi representatives will unite to fight for whether this is a Jewish state or not, in the struggle is over the world of Torah, yeshiva students, the rabbinical world and the status of rabbinical courts,” Gafni reportedly said.

Gafni also claimed that despite coalition agreements which supported expanding the powers of the state rabbinical courts, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had prevented haredi politicians from passing laws to bring that hoped for expansion of powers to fruition.

Sefardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar also spoke at the conference and called for increased authority for the state rabbinical courts.

“It’s unbelievable that the Jewish state prevents two people from voluntarily turning to the rabbinical courts for a case [of monetary or property law], while in every other place around the world they give authority to recognized arbitrators,” Amar reportedly said.

One of the main goals of the World Center of Torah Law is to pass civil laws based on Torah law – in other words, a form a ‘shariah law’ – something Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman agrees with.

“Torah has answers to all the social issues with which we are dealing with today. The solution to many of these problems is mutual responsibility,” he reportedly said.

Rabbi Ratzon Arusi, the principal organizer of the conference, is a member of the Chief Rabbinate’s Council.

“We must remember that there is no need to search for legal answers from the laws and justice [systems] around the world when we have God’s Torah and the laws of the Torah…The state must allow rabbinical judges in rabbinical courts to hear cases of monetary and property law...which would allow the huge community which wants the rabbinical courts to have this authority to be judged according to Torah law,” Arusi reportedly said.

Comments

[Bob Guthrie]

"One of the main goals of the World Center of Torah Law is to pass civil laws based on Torah law – in other words, a form a ‘shariah law’ – something Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman agrees with"

The whole intent, plus more placements of Extremist Chareidim in Israeli government positions, in a nutshell.

"May you live in interesting times." =P

[Atheodox Jew]

In the coming Knesset, the haredi representatives will unite to fight for whether this is a Jewish state or not

It is a fight over the Jewish character of the State. The fight is between those who believe that Jewish law is best left as a choice and those who believe it must be enforced. The latter is largely a reaction of fear, and it's not a groundless fear.

But in the end, enforcement and the sense people have that Halacha is encroaching into their lives against their will - that will only turn people away from Torah.

[Pokey]

How about cases of "alleged" rape, molestation, and abuse? Oh, and while you're at it, add tax evasion and draft dodging too. Sounds like Eutopia (minus rock and roll).

[Friar Yid]

“We need to understand that we are in a cultural war [with those] who don’t want the rabbinical courts to have any standing. "

Yes, and the more authoritarian and needlessly strict you make halacha and try to shove it down people's throats, the more this sentiment will grow. Keep it up, Gafni.

[seymour]

the same group that does not put their live , or their children, or followers on line in Israel want more and more control and more and more money

what chutzpah

[jancsipista]

seymour- chutzpah is an understatement theese power hungary rebbes are identical to the muhlahs in iran were they took power and destroying iran from within they are like megalomaniacs on steroid.

[Jeffry]

In politics the name of the game is to try to increase the power and numbers of your political party. The democrats do it, the republicans do it.

Politics as usual.

[Lamed Vovnik]

This is typical of ALL religious fundamentalists whether Jewish, Muslim or Christian. They all want their governments to give them more power and to enforce their beliefs on the general population in the name of the Torah, the Koran, the Bible or whatever. It's particularly disturbing in Israel where the haredim contribute less and demand more than any other group.

[Blahblah]

Shmarya, If I may give you a word of advice, use pictures that have a larger resolution than many of those that you use. It just looks nicer.

[John Nagle, Silicon Valley, CA]

The grim determination of the haredim leadership to copy the worst ideas from Islam continues. This is a pathetic end to centuries of progressive Jewish culture.

[ah-pee-chorus]

mohammed morsi for PM of israel!! yippeeee

[Sarek]

If they want a theocracy, who gets to be God?

to paraphrase a bumper sticker,
We in the U.S. tried a theocracy once. We got Salem.

(non-US readers: Google "Salem witch trials")