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Last update - 08:12 08/07/2009
Rabbi offers unorthodox solution to civil marriage debate
By Yair Ettinger, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Chief Rabbinate, israel news 

A national-religious rabbi frustrated with the impasse in talks on easing Israeli marriage procedures is advocating an unorthodox solution: competition. Rabbi David Stav proposed Tuesday that couples be allowed to register to get married at any Chief Rabbinate office they please, as opposed to being required to sign up at their municipal branch.

Speaking at a conference on Judaism at Kfar Blum in the Upper Galilee, Stav said opening up marriage registration would create competition and ease cumbersome procedures for couples seeking to wed.

"Nowadays any marriage registrar in some nowhere place in Israel can drive a couple crazy with demands," Stav said.
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In Israel, the Chief Rabbinate holds the monopoly over marriages, which has drawn criticism from groups that want to see civil marriages allowed. While Stav makes clear that the Chief Rabbinate retains the monopoly over marriage in Israel, he says his proposal is an attempt to reach out to couples who have encountered difficulties.

Kadima MK Otniel Schneller is thus drawing up a bill that would permit couples to register at any Chief Rabbinate branch. "The top rabbinate establishment sees this proposal favorably," he said.

Meanwhile, Rabbi Ariel Picard of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem offered his own solution to the deadlock on marriages. Picard proposed having marriages be carried out according to traditions associated with Noah in halakhic texts. Such partnerships, he says, would offer an alternative to partners who aren't recognized as Jews.
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  1.   My Own Solution 09:43  |  Nomi 08/07/09
  2.   Having a monopoly 09:50  |  Chris Linthwaite 08/07/09
  3.   observation 09:53  |  potobac 08/07/09
  4.   Mr. Ettinger, what makes this solution better than . . . 09:58  |  Zev Davis 08/07/09
  5.   The way marriage/divorce is being run is a scandal & a Chillul H 10:31  |  PETER SM 08/07/09
  6.   Go to Prague or Cyprus or the UK 10:36  |  JO 08/07/09
  7.   Another solution: make then Jewish 11:37  |  Mike 08/07/09
  8.   Any time when you speculate about Israeli membership in the EU 11:41  |  Axel 08/07/09
  9.   Primitive marriage law in Israel good for Cyprus hotels... 12:14  |  Hannah 08/07/09
  10.   #8 Israel member of EU 12:21  |  Hannah 08/07/09
  11.   @ JO - Don`t get married in Prague 14:27  |  Ben 08/07/09
  12.   Definitely primitive... 09:36  |  UlfT 09/07/09
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