Protesting alleged bias in voting
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin
Justice Ministry appoints 19 new rabbinical judges
After four years of deliberations, High Court petitions and tumultuous internal politics – the vacancies on the rabbinical courts have been filled by new judges appointed by the Justice Ministry
Following four hours of deliberations and four additional years of foot-dragging, 19 new judges were appointed Monday to the rabbinical courts by a special committee convened on the orders of Justice
Controversy
Aviram Zino
Following controversy prompted by allegedly skewed voting in favor of strictly Orthodox candidates for rabbinical positions, justice minister orders appointing committee to reconvene
Minister Daniel Friedmann.
The appointment process suffered numerous setbacks, including a petition to the High Court of Justice asserting that it was biased in favor of strictly Orthodox candidates.
In accordance with a compromise reached between strictly Orthodox and national religious representatives, 14 of the newly appointed judges are strictly Orthodox while five are from the national religious sector.
Friedmann's office voiced its contentment with the outcome of the committee's work. An official party to the negotiations between the religious sectors told Ynet that the appointments "are an impressive achievement for Minister Friedmann, who was successful in bringing about a result after four years of discord."
The official noted that this was the first time the appointment process ended with a unanimous decision.
But women's groups were markedly less pleased with the outcome. Attorney Batya Kahane from 'Dead End,' an advocacy group for agunot (women who have been denied a divorce by their husbands), said that the new appointments merely "solidify the court's standing as a patriarchal institution ruled by the strictly Orthodox community for the next four years. It perpetuates the discrimination between men and women."
"Once again in appointing these judges, women are sacrificed at the alter of political pragmatism," she said.
Meanwhile strictly Orthodox political party Shas ruled the appointments a sweeping victory. Not only are a mere five of the judges national religious and the rest strictly Orthodox, but seven of the latter are of Sephardic decent.
Neta Sela contributed to this report
