Petition: Divulge names of neglectful mohels

Freedom of Information Movement says Rabbinate ignoring court order, endangering public health

Kobi Nahshoni|Published: 10.10.10 , 14:42

The Movement for Freedom of Information has demanded that Israel's Chief Rabbinate divulge the names of mohels (ritual circumcisers) who were found to have performed botched circumcisions.

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The movement claims that the Rabbinate is violating a High Court of Justice order by keeping the names secret, and petitioned the court to find the violators in contempt and subject them to the resulting fines and sentences.

A year ago the petitioners asked the court to "maintain public health" by forcing the Rabbinate to publish the names of the circumcisers, who were said to have caused their subjects health problems.

The court found in favor of the petitioners and ordered the names to be handed over to them within 30 days. However, according to the movement, the Rabbinate ignored this order.

Letters of request for the names were cited in the petition. "The conduct of the respondents after the verdict was handed down constitutes a direct continuation of their conduct until the petition was filed," the movement explained.

"They continue to evade the orders of the Freedom of Information Law and express contempt for the court's orders."

Roy Peled, who chairs the movement, accused the Rabbinate of purposefully keeping citizens in the dark. "I have no doubt they want to keep the dirty laundry inside and cover for the mohels," he told Ynet.

"They think they can solve these issues on their own… It's difficult to believe that a state authority ignores court rulings so easily in order to protect these mohels. The Rabbinate is behaving irresponsibly towards parents."