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While the orthodox community may number 20% of the Israeli Jewish population, the rabbi's position holds power over all Jews, whether they're religious or not. For example, women in Israel who seek an abortion must gain the consent of a government sanctioned rabbi. The rabbi has the final say over whether the woman is allowed to terminate pregnancy.
The Sephardi Chief Rabbi is a paid position by the government. He is one half of The Chief Rabbinate Council, which holds immense power over the lives of all Jews in Israel, not just orthodox or haredi.
"The Rabbinical courts are part of Israel's judicial system, and are managed by the Ministry of Religious Services. The courts have exclusive jurisdiction over marriage and divorce of Jews and have parallel competence with district courts in matters of personal status, alimony, child support, custody, and inheritance. Religious court verdicts are implemented and enforced—as for the civil court system—by the police, bailiff's office, and other agencies
With the Rabbinate existing as a government department, there have been calls for the entire department to be shut down, and for things to return to a localised model of rabbinate. These calls have increased in recent times because of two former Chief Rabbis being convicted of fraud, and the increasing encroachment of the religious institutions on the lives of Israelis. There are also charges that the office has become a political, rather than a religious, office, and that it has become beholden to the Haredi world and become their "puppets"."
How chagos can sit there and distort the truth day after day is a mystery to me.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Rabbinate_of_Israel
The Sephardi Chief Rabbi is a paid position by the government. He is one half of The Chief Rabbinate Council, which holds immense power over the lives of all Jews in Israel, not just orthodox or haredi.
"The Rabbinical courts are part of Israel's judicial system, and are managed by the Ministry of Religious Services. The courts have exclusive jurisdiction over marriage and divorce of Jews and have parallel competence with district courts in matters of personal status, alimony, child support, custody, and inheritance. Religious court verdicts are implemented and enforced—as for the civil court system—by the police, bailiff's office, and other agencies
With the Rabbinate existing as a government department, there have been calls for the entire department to be shut down, and for things to return to a localised model of rabbinate. These calls have increased in recent times because of two former Chief Rabbis being convicted of fraud, and the increasing encroachment of the religious institutions on the lives of Israelis. There are also charges that the office has become a political, rather than a religious, office, and that it has become beholden to the Haredi world and become their "puppets"."
How chagos can sit there and distort the truth day after day is a mystery to me.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Rabbinate_of_Israel