Chief Rabbinate Extends Exam Accommodations for Reservists Amid Ongoing Service

The Chief Rabbinate Council has approved an extension of exam accommodations for candidates serving in the military reserves, applying to certification exams scheduled for the months of Av 5786 and Marheshvan 5787. This decision responds to the continued active reserve duty of many individuals during this period. The resolution, drafted by Council Secretary Rafael Frank and approved via a phone vote last Thursday, grants candidates in all exams except rabbinical judiciary subjects an additional hour of exam time if they have completed at least 30 days of reserve service and their exam date is within six months of completing service.

For rabbinical judiciary exams, including those for rabbis, kashrut supervisors, and military rabbis, candidates with at least 30 days of reserve duty are also entitled to an extra hour, provided the exam occurs within one year of their service completion. The decision maintains a previous accommodation for rabbinical judiciary exams held from Simchat Torah 5784 through Tishrei 5786, allowing candidates with 30 or more reserve days to pass with a minimum score of 65 if the exam is taken within one year of service end. The passing score for other certification exams remains 60.

The Chief Rabbinate Council emphasized that the extension aims to address the reality of ongoing security responsibilities borne by reservists and to enable them to take exams under conditions that fairly consider their service commitments.