With ongoing efforts for sweeping reforms in Israel’s religious systems, Yael Mashinsky-Yirmiyahu, a resident of Modi’in, has been appointed the nation’s first-ever non-frum ombudswomen of the nation’s rabbinical courts.

The 31-one-year mother of two, Mashinsky-Yirmiyahu, a former executive in Teva Pharmaceuticals, admits that when she came in for the interview, she was wearing pants and now she is pleased to say it did not have an impact on the decision-making process. She explains she is excited about her new job, for in her former life she dealt with pharmaceuticals and now she is being exposed to an entirely new world. When asked how she will function amid the overwhelming male majority, she responded “I don’t believe I will feel inferior to anyone.”

“I’m secular and traditional and I was happy to see that there was no discrimination.”

Her supporters realize she will have her work cut out for her as a 2008 report released by State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss revealed 80 percent of the cases heard by rabbinical court system are mishandled. The report cited many issues, including 26% of the cases were heard before incomplete judicial panels, and that the rabbinical courts were plagued by unusually cumbersome bureaucracy, as well as numerous filing and archiving errors, leading to months of delays. Lindenstrauss also criticized the rabbinical court system for failing to hire women.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)