The cabinet on Sunday, 10 Sivan 5773, was expected to appoint the election committee that will oversee the election of the nation’s new chief rabbis, however this did not occur. It appears officials believe that if the electoral body numbering 150 people is not increased to 200, adding many women, the Emunah religious women’s organization will take its case to the High Court of Justice.

The cabinet was planning to appoint Dayan Rav David Malka, former NRP Minister Rabbi Yitzchak Levy and Natan Natanson to the election committee but the move was postponed. This body, which regulates the election, is responsible for selecting the body of 150, with the latter composed of rabbonim and public officials. Emunah has sent a clear message to the cabinet, that if two women are not appointed to the body of 150, the organization will take the matter to the High Court based on the obvious ‘exclusion of women’ on the voting body.

As such, the cabinet removed the item from the agenda. Srugim reports that Minister of Religious Services (Bayit Yehudi) Naftali Bennett called upon MK (Bayit Yehudi) Shuli Moalem-Refaeli to appoint two women, adding she selected Yehudit Shilat and Yaffa Gissar.

However, it appears the cabinet is not convinced that this will suffice since there are many who demand passage of the Stern Bill, which among other changes demands increasing the voting body to 200, towards adding many women to the voting body.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)