Israel’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi, HaRav David Yosef, sharply criticized a High Court ruling requiring the Chief Rabbinate to allow women to take rabbinical certification exams, vowing that as long as he remains in the system, women will not receive ordination certificates.
The ruling requires the Chief Rabbinate to permit women to sit for the certification exams that lead to rabbinical qualification. In response, Rabbi Yosef made clear that he intends to prevent the move from being implemented.
“The very fact that women turn to the secular court to force the Rabbinate — what do you want from us?” Rabbi Yosef said in remarks reported by Channel 13. “If you recognize the court, then receive your rabbinical certificate from the court.”
He also promised that steps would be taken to ensure the ruling is not carried out, saying, “Soon everyone will know and understand that we will take actions so that they will not receive them. It will not help them.”
According to the report, senior Rabbobim are now working to advance a provision that would contradict the High Court’s directive requiring the Rabbinate to allow women to take the certification exams. The effort has reportedly triggered a dispute between the Rabbinate’s legal advisers and the rabbis themselves.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
8 Responses
The court did not order that they be granted Smicha – it ordered that they be allowed to take the exams, since under Israeli law, one who passes them.is entitled to be treated as having a degree for civil service purposes, which gives certain financial benefits. The women in question did not ask for Smicha.
an Israeli Yid
“Jewish State” where the secular Anti-Judaism court tell the Beth Din what to do!
Maybe when they start pushing mosques to accept female imams ill go with it
anIsraeliYid, you are 100% correct; the CR fears a slippery slope without any basis.
anIsraeliYid, thanks for the explanation. another question: people who get financial benefits for learning – do they pass a comparable examination to receive the benefits?
Can someone please explain what the issue is here? Why are the Rabbis against women taking the exam?
Dear Fellow Americans: Please abandon any ideas you may have about moving to live in Israel, at least if your Yiddishkeit is worth anything to you. Israel is a left-wing woke state with no respect for anything holy. Stay away!
G-d Bless the venerated esteemed Chief Rabbi Moreinu HoRav דוד Yosef שליטא.
Meanwhile How dare sohlberg ימח שמו וזכרונו lift his hand against the פסק of the Holy Chief Rabbi.
How dare maira baharav ימח שמה וזכרונה lift her hand against the פסק of the Holy Chief Rabbi.