The High Court of Justice rejected a petition seeking to block the appointment of Rabbi Eliyahu Hyshrik Shlita to the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Supreme Beis Din. The petition was filed by Hiddush and the Religious Freedom & Equality organization.

Attorney Yossi Chavilov represented the petitioners, seeking to have the court undo the decision made by the Dayanim Appointment Committee. Their objections to the appointment stems from an interview given by the dayan seven years ago in which he stated when he addresses custody issues, of education of children, he prefers religious education over secular. The petitioners feel “it undermines the basic values of the State of Israel” pertaining to equality.

Justices Uzi Fogelman, Yitzchak Amit and Tzvi Zilbertal rejected the petition stating among other things that Dayan Hyshrik was announced as a candidate over two and a half years ago. Now that the process has played out and the committee appointed the rav, the court does not wish to hear the petition.

The court also ruled there were no grounds for its intervention basing a case on a single newspaper interview dating back seven years. The court explained some would argue a news article is not worthy to present in court but whatever the case may be, since the committee interviewed the rabbi it has the needed data to reach its decision.

The newly-appointed dayanim are scheduled to appear at the President’s Residence on Sunday, 25 Tammuz, at which time they will be officially inserted as dayanim.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)