The following release was sent by Rabbi Dr. Seth Farber and the directorate of the ITIM organization.

This month ITIM returned to Israel’s Supreme Court (twice!) petitioning the state and religious authorities. In the first case, we sued the Chief Rabbi of Rishon Lezion, Rabbi Yehuda Wolpe, who illegally refers persons registering to marry to private investigators to “clarify their Judaism.” In the second petition, we asked the Ministry of Interior to recognize private conversions and allow the conversion process to be fair and accessible, breaking the monopoly of the state system. Underlying these two petitions are personal stories of thousands of people who want to live Jewish lives in Israel, but the state institutions, for various reasons, do not allow them to do so.

I have to admit that for me, as an Orthodox rabbi, the use of secular courts to impose laws on other rabbis and the Chief Rabbinate, is not trivial.

Two years ago, before we petitioned the Supreme Court on the conversions from the IDF, I went to several rabbis and rabbinical organizations known to be moderate and pleaded with them to join us in the struggle for justice. Everyone’s answer was the same- taking rabbis to court is unorthodox and contemptuous. But I decided then that given the gravity of these issues for the future of Israel – even petitioning to the court against the religious establishment is a legitimate measure.

Indeed, our struggle then bore fruit. It raised public awareness and resulted in the state crafting a solution whereby each IDF convert would automatically be approved. In the end, even Rabbi Ovadia Yosef certified the conversions of the IDF. Since then, the rabbis who did not want to process marriage applications of converts think twice due to concern about the possible consequence of their disobeying the law. I am gratified that at ITIM we were able to remove an obstacle that has helped thousands of people.

Today, when we again petition the Supreme Court, I am confident in my position that we are obligated to use all legitimate means to remove the barriers to Jewish life created by the rabbinate and the state. While dealing with this matter has many subtle complexities, it touches the foundation of our existence as a Jewish and democratic state

END of MEDIA RELEASE

The petition in January 2013 resulted in the High Court compelling Rabbi Wolpe to explain why he compels couples seeking to marry to turn to a private agency to have their Jewishness verified, as was reported by YWN-ISRAEL.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)