From the Liveblog of
Monday, August 3, 2026
Ministry ordered to reveal qualifications of state-funded local rabbis
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
The Jerusalem District Court orders the Religious Services Ministry to disclose the work experience and qualifications of the heads and staff of state-funded local religious councils following a lawsuit by the ITIM nonprofit, which helps Israelis navigate the country’s religious bureaucracy.
In its ruling, the court states that such information on public officials’ professional experience is not private and must be provided to ITIM within 30 days, following the ministry’s refusal to disclose it. The ministry is also ordered to pay ITIM’s legal fees.
Municipal religious councils, which are taxpayer funded, have long been dogged by charges of nepotism and shady handouts of plum jobs.
The judgment is “a victory” not only for the plaintiff, “but for the entire Israeli public,” says ITIM chairman Rabbi Seth Farber.
“Religious councils are supposed to serve all citizens and manage public funds with integrity and sensitivity, and the public has every right to know that those who manage these bodies possess the required skills and experience and were not appointed out of political considerations,” he adds. “For two years, we fought against attempts to hide this information, and the court made it unequivocally clear: religious services in Israel are not immune from criticism and the duty of transparency.”
The Times of Israel Community.