A committee appointed by Justice Minister Ya'akov Ne'eman recommended, Thursday, that rabbinical divorce courts deal only with the divorces and leave the state's family courts to deal with child custody and distribution of property, according to Kol Yisrael government radio. The committee, headed by Executive Director Shlomo Daichovsky of the rabbinical court system, allows for the rabbinical courts to rule on these issues only if both sides agree.
A rabbinical-court source says the recommendation violates and harms the Great Rabbinical Court's principles regarding Jewish law and justice. Member of Knesset Michael Ben-Ari said removal of the rabbinical courts' authority over divorce-related matters makes them unnecessary and meaningless. The Justice Ministry said it would not comment because the committee's work is not done.