ITIM, an Israeli organization advocating for religious pluralism, has called on the Chief Rabbinate to guarantee equal conditions for women in the upcoming state certification exams, raising concerns about the planned division of exam locations in Jerusalem. The exams, scheduled to take place within the next month, follow a historic but contentious first sitting for female candidates in April.
In a letter sent last Thursday, ITIM requested that the Chief Rabbinate ensure that women’s exams start and finish on time, are graded anonymously, and occur under the same physical and administrative conditions as those for men. The group also urged the appointment of qualified staff to address candidates’ questions during the tests, protections against outside disruptions, and clear accommodations for pregnant and nursing women, as well as reservists and their spouses.
The Rabbinate recently announced the exam schedule and indicated that tests will be held at two Jerusalem venues: the International Convention Center and the Ministry of Religious Services. While it did not specify which candidates would be assigned to each location, ITIM anticipates that men will be seated at the convention center and women at the ministry’s offices. The organization argues that segregation of venues could amount to improper exclusion unless the Rabbinate can demonstrate that the conditions for women will be equal or superior.
ITIM has sought clarification from the Rabbinate since early August but reports that its requests, including a reminder in September, have gone unanswered. The latest letter calls for a detailed response “as soon as possible” and suggests that legal action may follow if timely assurances are not provided.
The dispute is the latest chapter in an eight-year legal battle over women’s access to the Rabbinate’s state-administered certification exams. In 2018, six female Torah scholars requested to register for the exams but were denied, as the Rabbinate does not ordain women. Together with legal advocates, including ITIM, the women petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice in 2019. In a unanimous July 2023 decision, the court held that women could not be barred from the exams, distinguishing between ordination itself and access to a professional certification system that carries significant financial and career implications.
Certificates issued by the Rabbinate affect eligibility and salary levels for certain public-sector positions and may, under some circumstances, be equivalent to academic degrees. They also influence pay scales for teachers of religious studies. The court rejected a proposal for an alternative exam track for women, ruling that separate systems would not provide genuine equality of recognition.
Women gained the right to register for the exams in February 2024. However, during the April 27 sitting on the laws of mourning, the three female test-takers were separated from men and placed at the Religious Services Ministry, where their exam began roughly four and a half hours after the men had started. According to ITIM, no professional staff were available to address their questions, and their completed exams were collected in a box labeled “women’s classroom,” raising concerns over anonymous grading integrity.
“It is imperative that the Chief Rabbinate ensure fair and equal examination conditions,” said ITIM attorney Timna Guttel. Rabbi Seth Farber, ITIM’s founder, called the lack of clarity regarding exam conditions and accommodations “particularly concerning” given how close the next exam date is.