🚨 Just In – Knesset Approves Expanded Role for Rabbinical Courts in Civil Disputes
In a significant development for Israel’s legal and religious landscape, the Knesset has just passed legislation granting rabbinical courts greater authority to serve as arbitrators in civil matters.
The bill, advanced primarily by ultra-Orthodox lawmakers including Moshe Gafni of United Torah Judaism, allows these courts to handle consensual disputes in areas such as financial contracts, property issues, labor conflicts, and certain family related matters, provided both parties explicitly agree to the process.
The legislation builds on prior efforts, including a temporary measure from 2025 that expanded rabbinical jurisdiction over child support in divorce cases. Proponents argue that the change restores long-standing religious dispute resolution options that had been limited by earlier court rulings, offering a voluntary alternative rooted in halachic principles for those who prefer it.
The vote came amid heated debate in the plenum, with coalition members securing passage as part of broader negotiations tied to budget approvals and other priorities.
