Israeli rabbinate

Rabbinate accused of defying court as Israeli women left waiting for exams

Rabbi Seth Farber, the founder and head of ITIM, said the women had been left waiting for hours and that the organization was trying to get them food for lunch.

Three women who arrived in the morning to sit the Rabbinate exams finally do so at a four-hour delay, April 27, 2026
SUPREME COURT Justice Noam Sohlberg attends a ceremony for fallen Israeli soldiers whose burial place is unknown at Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on March 6.

Rabbinate seeks retrial on ruling allowing women to take exams, blames 'halachic noncompliance'

 Ten Israeli couples with a member serving in the IDF taking part in a mass wedding ceremony part of Chabad of Savyon’s “Marrying the Warriors”, in Tel Aviv Port, March 5, 2024.

Israelis want civil marriage, to break rabbinic monopoly in new Tu B'Av poll

Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef speaks during the funeral of Yehuda Deri, the chief rabbi of Beersheba, in Jerusalem, July 9, 2024

New interim chief rabbi appointed, previous resigned over inclusion of female rabbis


Ahead of Tu Be’av, activist groups recommend halachic prenups

Signing is ‘the ultimate realization of true love,’ says Tzohar organization.

Jewish wedding (Illustrative)

Women to get greater representation on local religious councils says AG

According to statistics provided by the Hiddush religious pluralism lobbying group there are 49 women serving on 40 of the total 132 religious councils in the country.

The rabbis of the Council of the Chief Rabbinate

Supreme Rabbinical Court gets nine new members

Chief Rabbi Yosef: Appointments committee should listen to rabbis when choosing new rabbinical judges.

PRESIDENT REUVEN RIVLIN addresses the new members of the Supreme Rabbinical Court yesterday during their investiture at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.

Examining appointments to Israel’s highest rabbinical court

After eight years of no appointments of rabbinic judges and the amendment of the law, the committee was tasked with appointing 24 regional judges and the entire complement of seven High Court judges.

The dayanim of the new Supreme Rabbinical Court met with the chief of the court Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef

Rabbi Lookstein cancels RNC appearance following student petition

Former students who had signed the petition urged Rabbi Lookstein to withdraw his participation stating that the future of his own legacy is at stake.

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks as (L-R) his wife Melania, daughter Ivanka and Ivanka's husband Jared Kushner listen

Bayit Yehudi accused of ‘capitulating’ to Shas over rabbinical court judges

Mavoi Satum director Batya Kehana Dror said the organization would be submitting a petition to the High Court of Justice to prevent Elmaliach’s appointment.

Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef at the Western Wall

Eisenkot stands by appointment of incoming IDF chief rabbi despite past comments

The rabbi said that the Torah’s “war” was directed against dealing with the issue of homosexuality as a banner for freedom and liberty.

Rabbi Col. Eyal Karim (left), nominated to become IDF chief rabbi, sits next to his predecessor, Bri

A challenge to far more than just one rabbi

That is a tragic lesson that could be so easily avoided if those in the Chief Rabbinate were to simply appreciate the danger of their ways and realize the impact of decisions such as these.

Rabbi Haskel Lookstein

The scandal-ridden chief rabbinate must be restructured

Failure by Orthodox leaders and organizations to stand up and be counted on this will have catastrophic repercussions on the Jewish values that should represent the foundation of the nation.

The rabbis of the Council of the Chief Rabbinate

Chief Rabbi Lau criticizes Edelstein, Herzog over letter on conversion furore

The decision generated international headlines as Lookstein has also converted Ivanka Trump, daughter of US presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Chief rabbi David Lau