The Knesset plenum today (Wednesday) rejected in a preliminary reading the bill to weaken the Chief Rabbinate, which was first published in "Israel Today".
This is a bill introduced by MK Moshe Tor-Paz of Yesh Atid in coordination with Minister of Religions Matan Kahana.
MK Moshe Tor-Paz, Photo: Knesset Spokeswoman
During the Semitic vote, a riot broke out in the plenum after opposition members claimed that MK Nir Orbach (right) said in the rounds that he did not participate but then voted in favor. Meanwhile, MK Ahmad Tibi said: Ten years".
The Knesset Plenum after the vote on the bill to weaken the rabbinate // Photo: Knesset Spokeswoman
The plenum went on hiatus to find out, and after the inquiry, Knesset Speaker Miki Levy announced: "I made a decision to bring MK Nir Orbach to watch. We trust his integrity, he watched the film several times and he also did not know how to decide, but because of his integrity he said that because there is doubt then there is no doubt and therefore he will not be able to vote." Equality 51 was recorded in the vote and therefore the law was not passed.
MK Nir Orbach, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
A bill by MK Moshe Tor-Paz, first published in Israel Today, seeks to reduce the power of the chief rabbinate in the body that elects the chief rabbi, and on the other hand to strengthen much more liberal elements.
Under current law, the Electoral Assembly has 150 members, including 80 rabbis, ten of whom are elected by the chief rabbis.
However, according to MK Tor-Paz's bill, the number of members of the assembly will be reduced to 120, and representation for the chief rabbinate will be limited to only 50 rabbis. Ten of them will be elected by the Minister of Religions, Matan Kahana, along with six kibbutz rabbis who are considered more liberal , And will also be elected by the Minister. In the proposal, MK Tor-Paz adds to narrow the steps of the Chief Rabbinate, by removing 18 heads of religious councils from the Electoral Assembly.
The bill strengthens the Knesset in the Electoral Assembly, with eight representatives from among the Knesset members (compared to five in the existing law).
Moreover, in contrast to the current situation, where members of the Assembly elect only two ministers, the proposed law includes four ministers: the Minister of Religions, the Minister of Diaspora, the Minister of Immigration and Absorption and another minister elected by the government.
Alongside the meeting will be, among others, the chairman of the Student Association and his deputy, the chairman of the Histadrut, ten public figures from the fields of spirituality, education and culture, three representatives of women's organizations in the fields in which the Chief Rabbinate operates. Liberals in the body that elects the chief rabbis.
The meeting will also include 25 major mayors and six major local councilors.
The bill emphasizes female representation in the assembly, and in many of its parts there is an obligation to introduce female representation among public figures.
"Over the years, halakhic arbitrators with Zionist views and public responsibility have been elected to the position of chief rabbis," MK Tor-Paz wrote in his explanatory statement to the bill. Tor-Paz for "Israel Today", "The choice of rabbis will reflect the variety of opinions and voices in Israel."
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