A session of the Knesset Interior Committee Chaired by MK Miri Regev on Wednesday 13 Sivan was halted after a question regarding the legality of Tzohar Rabbonim was raised. The committee was speaking about a bill backed by Tzohar that would forbid state employed rabbonim from accepting money for performing a chupah.
MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Rabbi Uri Maklev presented information that based on his research, Tzohar Rabbonim who perform chasenahs around Israel are doing so illegally. He challenged the legality of the organization’s operation. His opinion was backed by the committee’s legal advisor as well as a legal official from the Ministry of Religious Services.
Maklev feels the bill is a waste of time and is intended solely for the purpose of besmirching the good names of these rabbis.
“The regulations that pertain to civil servants apply to these rabbis too and this bill seeks to limit something that does not exist and is illegal. Therefore the bill is solely to delegitimize the good name of these rabbonim” he feels.
“Even if there are loopholes in the existing law, it is legitimate to demand the Ministry of Religious Services to regulate the matter, not to introduce a bill which is intended solely to stoke public persecution of Rabbanei Yisrael”.
Maklev feels the cat is out of the bag and many of the Tzohar Rabbonim are not registered [and thereby recognized by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel] and prohibited from conducting a chupah. Maklev stated they usually demand more money to open a file than a local official religious council. Maklev pointed out the bill does not impact Tzohar Rabbonim for it is a private organization, not civil service, explaining that the organization is operating illegally by permitting non-registered rabbonim to perform marriages.
Regev halted the discussion pending a legal ruling on the legality of the Tzohar Rabbonim organization’s performing weddings.
Maklev points out in a letter to the media that many committee members were surprised to see Tzohar lobbying to pass the bill when it appears the organization operates in violation of state law.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
This is really stupid. In Judaism you don’t need a rabbi to get married!
I don’t know where he gets his facts from, because all Tzohar rabbanim have semicha and they only charge travel costs for actually getting to the wedding.
The local Rabbanut should provide a free option, or at most only charge minimal travel costs. If a couple prefers that a specific Rabbi come to officiate the marriage, I don’t see a problem with them charging even if they are civil servants, but only if there is a free option as well. Currently, the couple is told that the only option for them to get married is to pay over 1500 ILS to have a specific Rabbi officiate the marriage. Otherwise, they will not grant the marriage certificate. This needs to change.