If one taking any of the exams to earn Chief Rabbinate of Israel semicha or dayanus wishing to challenge the grade, one will have to pay money to have the challenge processed. The Knesset Interior Committee on Monday approved the fee, charging either 125 or 166 shekels.

If one’s claims are accepted, and the grade is changed significantly, or the difference is passing or failing, the person dealing with the case may opt to refund the money paid.

The Director-General of the Chief Rabbinate, Rabbi Moshe Dagan, told the committee that every year about 10,000 people are tested for rabbinic and dayanus exams, saying: “A neighborhood rabbi must pass eight tests before he is authorized and dayan has 6 exams. Each year about a third of the examinees do not pass the exam. Each examination is examined by two examiners, and the score is the weighing of both.”

Over the years, there were quite a few failures that sought to undermine the results of the test, and therefore the Rabbinate created a platform for appeals. The fee is intended to finance the cost of the examination, which is NIS 80 for examination of the rabbinical examination and NIS 120 for examining the examination for the dayanus. In addition, there is an operating cost of NIS 45 per exam.

Furthermore, in order for the Rabbinate not to be overwhelmed with appeals, it was decided that only a person with a score of less than 10 points from a passing grade would be able to submit an appeal. A passing grade for a rabbinical examination is 65, so those who received 55 or more points could appeal. The passing grade for the examination of a case is 70, and those who received 60 or more points will be able to appeal.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)