Ynet has released a report which claims if one wishes to “circumvent the arduous and, according to many, demanding process of getting confirmed as Jewish” for marriage, one need only visit the marriage registration of the chareidim. Needless to say this report will result in the next storm between religious and non-religious and the chareidim against the dati leumi community.

One case that was followed by Ynet claims the kallah is from the United States and she ran into difficulties proving her Jewishness to a local religious council which is the arm of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. The couple then went to a “chareidi beis din” and report they received all the necessary paperwork in five minutes. Ynet reports documenting a number of similar stories in recent months in which the state religious councils make demands which are ignored by the chareidi registration officials. Ynet admits the staff was skeptical at first so they set up a couple of their own, and this couple “Ran through the entire marriage registration at the Eida Chareidis Court in Jerusalem”, stating it is one of the chareidi options in the capital that is permitted to register couple for marriage and recognized by the state.

Ynet explains that when asked to show a kesuva of parents to show Jewishness, they simply filled in a standard kesuva and the process was pain free. This permitted being registered with the Ministry of the Interior as a couple since the marriage is recognized by the state. Belz is also recognized to register couples as is Rabbanei Tzohar, which caters to the dati leumi and non-religious communities.

Ynet contends that the reason there is so much opposition to permitting others to register and perform marriage is simply because of money, explaining it costs NIS 700 to be registered (NIS 420 for yeshiva students) and contrary to the Rabbinate, this service does not include the bureaucracy, clerks or investigation, just registration.

In one case Ynet found a yeshiva student, Shlomo, who was willing to play the role of chosson and he had no difficulties getting through the Eida Beis Din. They told him his certificate attesting to be single lacked a stamp or logo and was not good. The certificate from the bridal counselor for the kallah were good, with Ynet explaining they made them up on their own as was the certificate itself bogus. Shlomo went as far as registering as married in the Interior Ministry, showing how easily he was approved by the badatz to get married.

According to Ynet, many people outside of the chareidi tzibur has become aware of this and are going to the Eida instead of the local religious councils. Couples explain “it’s a breeze compared to the Rabbanut”, Ynet explains, citing all the documents required they made up on their own and they were all accepted.

Tzohar Rabbonim has recently demanded a police investigation into alleged fraud in the Haifa Religious Council pertaining to marriage registration.

Following the publication of the Ynet report, Tzohar head Rabbi David Stav Shlita announced “the earth will tremble when the tzibur learns what is really taking place with marriage registration”. While constantly under fire by the Rabbinate, Rabbi Stav insists the Tzohar registration is friendly but far more stringent than the Chief Rabbinate and the Eida Chareidis.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)