Rabbis who scrutinize the authenticity of people’s Judaism have been criticized by senior Supreme Rabbinical Court judge Rabbi Shlomo Shapira for what he said was overstepping the bounds of their job of helping courts determine who is Jewish for the purpose of marriage or divorce, Jewish advocacy center ITIM has said.
The critique, part of a recent ruling by Shapira and Rabbis Michael Amos and Eliezer Igra, said that the inspectors are “undermining the authority of the rabbinical courts, causing thousands of people to have their Jewishness rejected,” ITIM added.
“Judaism inspectors are responsible for verifying the Jewishness of those seeking to marry or divorce, particularly focusing on immigrants whose Jewish identity is in question,” ITIM explained.
“More than 30,000 immigrants have had their Jewishness questioned by the rabbinical courts, and according to Israeli law, it is the rabbinical courts that have the responsibility to determine Jewishness for purposes of marriage.”
ITIM highlighted that less than 80% of those seeking to have their Jewish status confirmed for marriage or divorce in 2023 and 2024 were approved, citing court statistics released in February 2024.
Shapira said in his ruling that the certification department has increasingly interfered with the court’s rulings and bypassed the court’s authority, even hiding information from judges, according to ITIM.
“The fact that less than 80% of those asking to have their Jewishness certified were approved is a blight on the rabbinical courts,” said ITIM director Rabbi Seth Farber, adding that “anyone turning to the rabbinical courts should have a presumption of Jewishness.”
ITIM aims to support immigrants in proving their Jewishness
ITIM has represented immigrants in their attempt to prove their Jewishness, the organization said, adding that this included an Israeli soldier who had served in Gaza and was seeking a divorce.
“After previously confirming her Jewishness at the time of her marriage, she was asked to undergo a second examination to clarify her Jewish identity. This new investigation included genetic tests to evaluate her genetic heritage, with some questioning her Jewish status based on the age of her mother at the time of her birth,” ITIM said.
“It is exceptionally rare to have a chief Rabbinical Court justice criticize the entire system of the rabbinical courts. In this case, it is justified,” Farber added.
“This long-standing injustice, especially affecting immigrants from the former Soviet Union, must come to an end. We hope this ruling will push for a shift in policy, placing more emphasis on a person’s identity and existing halachic presumptions, rather than his or her DNA. It’s time for a change.”