MK Rotem. Rejoicing
Photo: Noam Moscowitz
Civil Marriage possible by weekend
Knesset approves fee for civil marriage certificate, allowing non-Jewish Israelis or citizens defined by State as lacking religious denominationto to wed without Chief Rabbinate. 'Law will solve a problem faced by thousands of people,' says law's initiator, MK David Rotem
The Knesset's Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee on Wedneday approved a fee of NIS 600 ($165) for civil marriage certification in Israel, effectively paving the way for the instatement of these marriages within the coming days.
Once official guidelines are published, non-Jewish Israelis, or citizens defined by the State as lacking religious denomination, will be able to marry without the Chief Rabbinate and be recognized by the state.
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Rotem added that he planned to push a wider bill soon, which will allow civil marriage in other cases as well. He had no comment on the extent of haredi backlash to such a bill.
But the legal advisor to the rabbinic courts, Rabbi Attorney Shimon Yaakobi, told Ynet that the courts would fight to make sure only non-Jews make use of the new law. He explained the system by which they would do so, which involves checking the applicants' names in the census registration to make sure neither is listed as Jewish.
The new law allows non-Jewish Israelis, or citizens defined by the State as lacking religious denomination, to marry via the soon-to-be-formed marriage registrar bureau.
There are currently 60,000 people in Israel how are defined as "non-denomination" Israelis and therefore cannot marry through the Chief Rabbinate.
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