After two month during which the Dayanim Appointment Committee did not convene and years of negligence the state’s batei din are now short 80 dayanim. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked promises to bring an end to this and appoint tens of dayanim in the immediate future. The lack of dayanim has resulted in an enormous backlog of cases in the rabbinical court system.

Shaked promises 31 appointments in the coming month, which would deliver significant relief to the batei din system. Shaked made her statement on Wednesday, 6 Menachem Av, prior to the vote to appoint members of the Dayanim Appointment Committee. Shaked explained that seven of the 31 dayanim that will be appointed in the coming month will serve on the Chief Rabbinate Supreme Court and the others as dayanim in the nation’s batei din system.

Working in Shaked’s favor is the fact that 15 dayanim have already completed the screening process and therefore, they can be immediately appointed if she wishes.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)