Historic First: Women Sit for Israel’s Chief Rabbinate Exam
April 27, 2026 — a historic day in Israel and the Jewish world.For the first time ever, women were allowed to sit for the Chief Rabbinate certification exam.This moment didn’t happen overnight. It came after years of legal struggle, a petition to the High Court, and a landmark ruling that made it clear: excluding women […]
The Knesset approved the expansion of rabbinical court jurisdiction.
Last night (March 23rd, 2026), amid an ongoing war on multiple fronts, the Knesset voted and approved, in its second and third readings, the bill to expand the jurisdiction of rabbinical courts. What it means: Rabbinical courts will have the authority to adjudicate civil disputes — contracts, labor relations, property — according to Jewish […]
Breakthrough: The Chief Rabbinate Opens Rabbinical Exams to Women
Breakthrough: The Chief Rabbinate Opens Rabbinical Exams to Women. Following a High Court of Justice ruling, in response to a petition we filed at the Rackman Center together with Itim and Kolech on behalf of six petitioners, the Rabbinate has announced the opening of exam registration to women as well. The High Court ruled […]
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 […]
Rackman Center Opens New Academic Year for Legal Aid and Emotional Support Programs
The Rackman Center Faculty of Law has just opened the new academic year. We welcomed new students to the Legal Aid Clinic for Women in Family Matters. We also welcomed new interns to our program for emotional support of women going through divorce proceedings. Last week, we held an orientation day. It was led by […]
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. […]