The court administration paid about 47,<> shekels for a portrait of retiring President Esther Hayut, which will be hung in the closed corridor of judges in the Supreme Court. This is done as part of a longstanding tradition whereby all retiring Supreme Court presidents receive tributes of appreciation – painting their portraits.
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The painter Michael (Misha) Rapoport, who painted President Hayut while she was sitting in front of him, is also the one who painted the previous president, Miriam Naor (at the time the cost of the painting was about 44,35 shekels). Another painter immortalized Naor's predecessor, former President Asher Grunis, for about 31,<> shekels, while the cost of a portrait of President Aharon Barak was about <>,<> shekels. This is according to Freedom of Information data previously published on the "Transparent" website.
The painting of President Hayut is the most expensive painting paid by the Supreme Court to date to commemorate its presidents, but according to the Ministry of Finance's Price Increases Index, the price paid for her painting is similar in value to that paid for the portrait of President Naor.
Less extravagant alternatives
But not all Supreme Court presidents have embraced this cherished honor and preferred less expensive alternatives. Thus, for example, former President Justice Dorit Beinisch chose to give up the extravagant custom because of the heavy cost that falls on the shoulders of the public purse – she made do with an artistic photograph of herself that costs only NIS 5,300.
President Dorit Beinish. She chose to give up the extravagant custom, photo: Dudi Vaknin
The court administration approved the cost of commemorating President Hayut as a painting on canvas (a decision made even before the outbreak of the war), but it turns out that not only was it not necessary to choose the prestigious painter Misha Rapoport, but in the past the court administration even chose much cheaper alternatives. Thus, for example, the Tel Aviv District Court features a painted portrait of the murdered judge Adi Azar, which cost "only" NIS 10,000. Moreover, unlike the portraits of the presidents of the Supreme Court, which hang in the closed corridor of judges, Azar's portrait is open to the general public.
A spokeswoman for the courts said in response: "As previously reported in inquiries on the subject that were published, with the opening of the Supreme Court in its current structure, in 1992, the legacy of commemorating the presidents of the Supreme Court through the ages began by painting their portraits and placing them in the Hall of Justice. According to the decision of the building's architects, the paintings are hung in the foyer of the judges' floor.
The Supreme Court, photo: Lior Mizrahi (archive)
"The amount paid for the portrait of former President Esther Hayut is similar (in 2023 values) to the amounts previously paid for portraits of presidents painted by the same painter." The very large expenditure on the painted portraits of the retired judges has drawn sharp criticism in the past.
According to the Government Procurement Administration, the justification for leaving the judges' painting in the hands of one painter, however expensive, is due to the desire to ensure a "uniform work" for all painters. That is, there will be no differences in level and style between judge and judge.
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