Aliza Lavie
Aliza LavieFlash 90

A bill will be submitted today to the Ministerial Legislation Committee seeking to include women in the assembly that elects the Chief Rabbinate, led by MK Aliza Lavie (Yesh Atid), in cooperation with Emunah.

The stated purpose of the bill is "to allow proper representation of women in the election assembly to correct the inherent discrimination and to prevent exclusion of women from the decision-making process regarding the identity of the Chief Rabbi to be elected."

According to the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Law, Chief Rabbis of Israel are elected by a body called the "Electoral Assembly" composed of 150 representatives, of whom 80 are rabbis and 70 public representatives.

Lavie said "the current situation is absolutely absurd. A body that's supposed to represent the entire public in the State of Israel can't exclude half of it. As we did in the committee for appointing dayanim and judges, just as the courts are already aware of the necessity of integrating women, it's also natural that the assembly that chooses the rabbis' identity be equal and connected to the people.

"The diversity of the mix will enable selection of rabbis aware and attentive to the needs of the general public, and will ultimately increase public trust in the system. The proposal is very proportional and suggests gradual change, so that women will finally have a foothold in this body. There is a real opportunity here to correct a long-standing injustice."