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

The organization Atim submitted a petition to Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday against the Chief Rabbinate, its Examination and Certification Department, and the Ministry of Religious Services. The petition demands that the Chief Rabbinate adjust its registration procedures for rabbinical certification exams to require all candidates to provide proof of legal military status. Currently, a key eligibility criterion for these exams is at least three years of study in a yeshiva or kollell. Atim argues that based on Supreme Court rulings, Torah study undertaken without proper military status constitutes an illegal act, and thus the Rabbinate cannot recognize these years of study as meeting exam prerequisites.

The petition highlights that passing the rabbinical exams grants candidates significant certifications and benefits, including equivalency to an academic degree for public tenders, eligibility for government jobs, and higher salary grades. Allowing candidates who studied during periods of draft evasion to receive these benefits contradicts the Supreme Court's position that civil advantages should not be granted for draft avoidance. Data obtained by Atim via a freedom of information request shows the median age of exam candidates is 30, with hundreds of young people in prime draft age taking the exams annually.

Atim filed the petition after multiple inquiries and warning letters sent to the Chief Rabbinate's legal office since November went unanswered. Rabbi Shaul Perver, Atim's chairman and president, stated, "When the security burden on the serving public is immense, it is essential to ensure religious institutions do not indirectly encourage draft evasion. The public expects future spiritual leaders to be the first to fulfill their military duties, uphold the law, and support our collective security effort."