In its response to a petition filed with the Supreme Court of Israel by the Ne’emanei Torah Va’Avodah Movement, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel is committing to transparency and uniform standards.

The movement’s leaders’ stress that they made five different attempts to deal with Chief Rabbinate officials directly, but when all of these requests were ignored, they felt compelled to address the matter in the Supreme Court. The core issue if the arbitrary decisions made regarding testing criteria for candidates seeking certification as chief rabbis of cities. The movement learned that in literally hundreds of cases over the years, the Chief Rabbinate decided, at its own digression and without revealing when and why, to eliminate the need for a rabbi to take the qualifying exams to become certified as eligible to serve as a chief rabbi of a city.

The petitioners explain that over the years the Rabbinate has permitted individuals whom they select to become appointed as chief rabbis of a city without taking the exams to become certified for that position. “It is clear that hundreds of individuals have not taken these exams” the petition explains.

The movement officials’ explain they turned to senior Chief Rabbinate officials numerous times in an effort to address the alarming situation but their pleas fell on deaf ears.

In an agreement reached with the Chief Rabbinate of Israel after the petition was filed with the Supreme Court, the Ne’emanei Torah Va’Avodah Movement has agreed to withdraw the petition in exchange for a guarantee from the Chief Rabbinate that in the future, no one will be certified as a chief rabbi of a city without taking the required exams. If the Rabbinate does wish to continue with the bypass track for some reason, then the criteria for eligibility to become certified without taking the exams will be announced, transparency will be maintained and the criteria will apply to all suitable candidates equally. The Ne’emanei Torah Va’Avodah Movement will have the right to challenge the list of criteria if and when it is published.

Deputy Court President Justice Miriam Naor commented on the unacceptable practice and questioned how it has been permitted to continue. She added that if the movement did not agree to withdraw its petition, the court would have issued a show cause order against the Rabbinate at the start of proceedings. Justice Elyakim Rubinstein added the situation is “bleak and sad”, particularly because the Chief Rabbinate to this very day is yet to reveal who these rabbis are, those who were appointed without taking the required exam. (Rubinstein is Shomer Shabbos)

Attorneys for the petitioner, Rachel HaKohen and Prof. Aviad HaKohen released the following statement: The brief but penetrating discussion by the justices says it all. This procedure was wrong and discriminatory, lasting for many years and it is an injustice to the thousands of people who spend many years studying and passing the certification exam, difficult as it is – while others, mostly because of being well connected rather than skilled, enjoyed the bypass lane and were exempt. This unacceptable phenomenon was so widespread that there were people who offered to put a sign on the Chief Rabbinate saying “Cheder Kosher” (Gym) and not “Yosher” (Honest)”, with the latter being a play on the Hebrew.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)