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 from these exams is unlawful discrimination. Despite repeated attempts to circumvent that ruling, justice prevailed.
The Rackman Center is proud to have been part of this effort.
At the same time, this milestone came with serious concerns:
• Women were forced to wait more than four hours before receiving the exam. During this delay, the Rackman Center—together with the petitioners and our partners Itim and Kolenu—filed an urgent motion.
• The exam was administered in gender segregated locations. While this may be presented as logistical, we remain clear: separate is not equal. We will continue to monitor this closely.
Even with these challenges, today marks real progress.
We are proud of the women who sat for the exam and honor their courage and determination. Their achievement is a meaningful step forward for equality and women’s rights in Israel.
Photo – Daniel Grubeis, Gal”t
Read more: Women Taking Rabbinical Certification Exams Ignite Debate Over State Hampering Rabbinical Autonomy – VIN News
