Israeli NGO Petitions Supreme Court to Bar Draft Dodgers from Rabbinical Certification Exams

The organization Atim filed a petition with Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday against the Chief Rabbinate and the Ministry of Religious Services. The petition demands that all candidates registering for rabbinical certification exams must present proof of their military service status, effectively preventing draft dodgers from taking the tests.

Currently, the Chief Rabbinate requires candidates to have studied at least three years in a yeshiva or kollelim as a prerequisite for the exams. Atim argues that, following Supreme Court rulings and the expiration of the "Torato Omanuto" arrangement, religious studies conducted without proper military exemption constitute illegal activity. Therefore, the Rabbinate should not recognize these years of study as valid for exam eligibility.

The petition highlights that passing the rabbinical exams grants significant civil and economic benefits, including certificates equivalent to academic degrees for public tenders, eligibility for government jobs, and higher salary grades. Atim contends that allowing candidates to gain these advantages based on unlawful draft evasion contradicts Supreme Court decisions prohibiting civil benefits for those who avoid military service.

Data obtained from the Chief Rabbinate via a freedom of information request shows the median age of exam candidates is 30, with hundreds of young men in draft age taking the tests annually. Atim pursued legal action after repeated warnings to the Rabbinate's legal department since November went unanswered.

Rabbi Shaul Farber, Atim's chairman, emphasized the heavy security burden on serving citizens and the need to ensure religious institutions do not indirectly encourage draft evasion. Attorney Shaya Shlos from Atim's legal team added that the Rabbinate must comply with the law and equality principles by refusing to validate study periods linked to illegal draft avoidance. The Chief Rabbinate has not yet responded to the petition.