Rabbinical Court (Israel)

The system, inherited from the previous British mandate system, grants religious courts jurisdiction over personal status matters such as marriage and divorce.

There are twelve local Rabbinical courts in Israel, in Jerusalem, Ariel, Ashdod, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Rehovot, Safed, Petah Tikva, Netanya, Tiberias, Ashqelon and Be'er Sheva.

The non-religious aspects of divorce proceedings, such as child custody, child support, visitation rights and division of property can also proceed in civil courts.

According to the Bill, parties may elect to have their claims heard by the rabbinical courts instead of through the civil judiciary.

[3] Critics state that there are cases in which a husband may require the wife to consent in advance to using rabbinical courts in the event of a future divorce, preventing the wife's ability to use the civil system.

The lobby of the former Great Court in the Heichal Shlomo in Jerusalem