Defining Domestic Violence in Israeli Law: Welfare Ministry Supports the Bill
Israel’s Ministry of Welfare and Social Security now supports legislation to define domestic violence in Israeli law. In addition, the bill recognizes all forms of abusive behavior. Rakefet Atzmon, Director of the Division for Families, Children and Youth, chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Combating Domestic Violence. She also leads government policy in this area. Recently, […]
Protection Orders with Electronic Monitoring in Israel: A Success Story
Since 2015, the Rackman Center has promoted the Electronic Monitoring law. This law allows courts to track potentially violent partners. In 2020, we drafted the bill. It was presented by then MK Keren Barak. Since August 6, 2024, an amendment to the Prevention of Violence in the Family Law allows Israeli courts to enforce protection […]
Rackman Center Highlights Domestic Violence Challenges and Legal Initiatives
Attorney Shelly Blat Zak, Director of the Rackman Center, was interviewed by Yael Goldman on Radio 102 FM about the Center’s recent activities. She described a challenging period on several levels: Family Law Legal Aid Line – The Center is receiving an increasing number of calls from women facing domestic violence. The numbers are expected […]
Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari Calls for Uniform Child Support Law in Israel
Following the approval of a bill to expand the authority of rabbinical courts over child support, Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari spoke out. She stated: “It is time to regulate the entire issue of child support in Israel through organized legislation, but this is not the way to do it. Fifteen years ago, a state committee headed […]
High Court Orders Women Allowed to Take Rabbinical Certification Exams
In July, the High Court of Justice ruled that women must be allowed to take rabbinical certification exams. The ruling followed a petition filed by the Rackman Center, Itim, Kolech, and individual petitioners Avital Engelberg, Shlomit Flint, Sara Segal-Katz, Rachel Keren, Michelle Cohen Farber, and Shlomit Piamenta. Despite the ruling, the Rabbinate initially refused to […]
The Dangerous Expansion of Rabbinical Court Jurisdiction: A Warning for Israeli Democracy
This week, a bill to expand the jurisdiction of rabbinical courts passed its first reading. According to Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, the bill creates a parallel halakhic legal system. She warns that this situation does not exist in any other democracy. As a result, the expansion has major consequences. Rabbinical courts may rule on labor disputes. […]
Opening the New Year with a Festive Event for “Woman by Your Side” Volunteers
We opened the new year of activity with a festive event for our “Woman by Your Side” volunteers. For the first time, we brought together veteran Rackman Center volunteers, active since 2016, and volunteers from local authority programs launched in the past two years in Ramat Gan, Yehud, Harish, Be’er Ya’akov, and Migdal HaEmek, with […]
Israel Must Act Now: Defining Domestic Violence to Save Women’s Lives
he State of Israel is falling behind in the fight against violence against women, because the law does not define “domestic violence.” Since the beginning of 2025, 33 women have been murdered. Behind many of these cases are relationships marked by non-physical violence. Without a clear legal definition of domestic violence in Israel, economic violence, […]
A Landmark Victory for Women’s Rights: The Rackman Center Secures Rivka’s Freedom
rs under physical violence from her husband. Later on, he was arrested and convicted of sexually assaulting her daughter and two other young relatives. However, even after she filed for divorce, her case did not move forward for an entire year. As a result, Rivka turned to the Rackman Center for help Once our team […]
Israel Must Define Domestic Violence: The Rackman Center Calls for Immediate Action
28 women have been murdered in Israel since early 2025. The murder of Hodaya Fadida shows the urgent need to address domestic violence in Israel. Israel still has no legal definition of “domestic violence” Without a definition, it is hard to identify and prevent non-physical abuse. This includes economic abuse, emotional harm, and coercive control […]