In a blow to haredi rabbis, according to the new law, rabbis need a special license to
conduct weddings. The license will be granted only after special
training. Any rabbi who conducts a wedding without a license to do so
will be subject to penalties, including a two year jail sentence.
Arutz Sheva reports on the new "Tzohar" marriage law easily passed by Israel's Knesset last night:
…Until now, Israelis who sought to marry needed to register in the community where they lived. If the couples lived in different cities they would register with the Rabbinate of the husband's home town. Many people have complained that they did not get along with the rabbi in charge of their town, and that they were forced to abide by strictures that were not required by Jewish law, but were stringencies that the rabbi followed as a personal or [local Orthodox or haredi] community custom.
According to the law, rabbis will be issued a special license to conduct weddings. The license will be granted only after special training. Any rabbi who conducts a wedding without a license to do so will be subject to penalties, including a two year jail sentence.…
Related Post: Haredi Near-Monopoly Over Marriage Shattered.