The Committee for the Appointment of Dayanim is scheduled to make selections in the coming days barring any last minute delays. Five new dayanim are expected to be appointed to the Rabbinical Supreme Court in addition to 14 dayanim to the state’s area batei din.

Members of that committee include Justice Minister Tzipi Livni who serves as chairwoman, Rishon L’Tzion HaGaon HaRav Yitzhak Yosef Shlita, Chief Rabbi HaGaon HaRav David Lau Shlita, HaGaon HaRav Tzion Boaron Shlita, HaGaon HaRav Tzion Algarbeli Shlita, Minister of the Interior (Likud) Gideon Saar, MK (Shas) Eli Yishai, MK (Bayit Yehudi) Shuli Muallem, attorney Mordechai Eisenberg, attorney Asher Axelrod and attorney/ rabbinical advocate Rachel Levmore.

There are 74 dayanim vying for the 14 regional positions. Two candidates have familiar names, including Rabbi Eliyahu Amar, the son of the former Rishon L’Tzion and Rabbi Yinon Boaron, the son of HaGaon HaRav Boaron, who serves as a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council. Also on the list is Rabbi Ariel Switzer, a brother-in-law of Rabbi David Lau.

The deal-making is underway and each member of the panel has its candidates, leading to the quid pro quo in the hope of committee members attempting to get as many of their candidates into a post.

A complaint is being probed by State Comptroller Yosef Shapira, who has already ordered Livni to check into allegations that some of the people on the eligibility list secured their place by being family members or connected rather than because of their true qualifications to serve as a dayan.

The contenders to serve on the Chief Rabbinate Supreme Beis Din include Rabbi Aaron Katz, Rabbi Yisrael Shachor, Rabbi Nachum Gerler, Rabbi Masud Elchadad, Rabbi Yaakov Zamir, Rabbi Eliyahu Abarjil, Rabbi Oriel Lavie, Rabbi Amish Michal, Rabbi Eliyahu Haishrik, Rabbi David Malka, Rabbi Eliezer Igra, Rabbi Yekutiel Cohen, Rabbi Avraham Sheinfeld, Rabbi Mordechai Toledano, Rabbi Yosef Goldberg, Rabbi Shlomo Stessman, Rabbi Yaakov Eliezrov, Rabbi Nachum Fruber, Rabbi Yitzchak Elmaliach and Rabbi Avraham Sheinfeld.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)