The Tzohar organization of Orthodox rabbis and Emunah, the National Religious Women's Organization on Tuesday petitioned Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann, demanding that the appointment of 15 new rabbinical judges (dayyanim) be revoked.

Last week, the board for the appointment of dayyanim, chaired by Friedmann, appointed 15 new judges, all of whom are endorsed by ultra-Orthodox sages: Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and United Torah Judaism spiritual leader Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv.

This move raised concerns that the rabbinical courts, already notorious for the pro-male rulings, would only increase their bias against women.

	Advertisement

According to Tzohar, the appointments "run contrary to the Jewish values of the State of Israel and deliver a harsh blow to the public's trust in the rabbinical court system."

The Orthodox women group Kolech has said it intends also to petition the High Court of Justice against the appointments in the coming weeks. In a letter to the justice minister, the organization heads wrote that "by backing the appointment method and the actual appointment of these dayyanim, you are betraying an entire public that is forced to deliberate at this court system, a public that includes miserable women, wrecked families and the oppressed members of society."

"All of them carry their eyes at you with the confidence that upon entering the court their fate would not be left at the mercy of unworthy office bearers. Thus far you have not given a solution to any of them (the oppressed), but have joined forces with those who turn their heads away from them in cold resoluteness," the letter said.