The Knesset plenum approved on first reading the Jewish Religious Services Bill, initiated by Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Eli Ben Dahan.
According to the bill, it is proposed to amend the Jewish Religious Services Law and stipulate that the Minister of Religious Services may - after consultation with the President of the Chief Rabbinate Council - appoint a committee to examine the need to transfer a city rabbi from his position before the end of his term, if there is concern that the city rabbi is not performing his duties properly.
The review committee will consist of a dayan or retired dayan appointed by the Minister; a city rabbi appointed by the President of the Chief Rabbinate Council; and a legal advisor to a government ministry or a supporting unit of a government ministry appointed by the Minister and the President of the Council.
The committee will recommend to the minister to remove the city rabbi from his position, after he has been given the right to be heard before it.
The explanatory notes to the proposal state: "The difficulty facing the authorized entities in the Ministry of Religious Services and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel is the lack of tools to provide a response in exceptional cases in which, for various reasons, a rabbi does not fulfill his duties as required.".
Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Eli Ben Dahan: "A central and important part of the role of the city rabbi is that the general public have confidence in his position. Since a city rabbi is not up for election every few years, but is elected for many years, we need to strengthen the public's trust in rabbis. This bill is intended to do this. It comes to correct cases where city rabbis are not performing their duties properly, and unfortunately there are such cases.
"This is not about disciplinary problems, but about functional problems, and there is no way to end the rabbi's term, which is why the need for this proposal arose. The proposal was prepared in full cooperation with the Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Lau.".
He added, slamming the Haredi MKs: "Who are you protecting? A rabbi who receives fees in his home? For 11 years, there was a Torah minority in your watch? I appoint 69 rabbis in the settlement...""
MK Uri Maklev: "I can't believe that the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs is standing here and talking about an impeachment committee for rabbis. The vilification of the conversion system wasn't enough today, here's another attack and another erosion of the status of rabbis. Do judges have such an equivalent? This is not an inspection committee, this is an impeachment committee. You are the ones who will decide what is a functioning rabbi and what is not? Examine yourselves first.
MK Aliza Lavie: "I congratulate Deputy Minister Ben Dahan on the proposal, but who will be the one to examine the rabbis? This committee is also composed entirely of men. It is appropriate that this committee also include a woman.".
MK Yitzhak Cohen: "Only Moshav Teresh and the Jewish House managed to completely destroy the Jewish identity of the State of Israel, and they still have the audacity to demand that Abbas recognize this. When Titus came to destroy the Temple, he was afraid to enter, so he looked for one of them and found one. The Jewish House is like that.".
The proposal was supported by 54 MKs and opposed by 11, and will be forwarded to a Knesset committee that will decide where it will be included for second and third reading.
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