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7 Teves 5767 - December 28, 2006 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Petition to Require that Dayanim Have Legal Training

By Betzalel Kahn

A belligerent petition submitted to the High Court includes a demand that the Justice Minister, the Chief Rabbinate Council and the Dayanim Appointment Committee appoint "dayanim who are attorneys."

Filed by Atty. Diana Har-Even, the cantankerous petition claims that a prospective dayan's ability to issue correct halachic rulings is irrelevant. Rather the appointment committee should evaluate whether the candidate "has a degree in legal studies from a recognized academic institution and did an internship or advanced training in the area of family law."

The petitioner argues, "Rabbinical dayanim are not familiar with the relevant civic legislation and court rulings and frequently the result of religious judgment differs from the result of civilian judgment [causing] serious discrimination among civilians in need of court assistance as a result."

Rabbonim and dayanim were appalled by the petition, saying it represents another attempt by legal figures to interfere in the work of the rabbinical botei din and to undermine their independence by raising faulty ideas intended to further undermine the authority vested in the botei din and dayanim.

Court officials said that even according to the Rabbinical Courts Judgment Law botei din are required to consider marriage and divorce based on din Torah. When questions of jurisdiction arise periodically dayanim conversant in civil law are consulted along with Atty. Shimon Yaakobi, who serves as legal advisor for the botei din.

Dayanim say the petition has its origins among law academicians and was designed to pave the way for the appointment of dayanim with Reform worldviews who are associated with Reform women's organizations.

In the past national-religious and Reform women's organizations attempted to bring a dayan with extremely lenient views on conversion and coercive gittin into the beis din system.

Dayanim are subordinate to the authority of gedolei haposkim, said leading dayanim last week, and this petition is an attempt to find dayanim who would not subordinate themselves to gedolei Yisroel.

 

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