Supreme Court dismisses interim injunction blocking new laws for electing municipal rabbis

Supreme Court Justice Khaled Kabub dismisses an interim injunction preventing the government from implementing a new set of regulations overhauling the system for electing municipal rabbis, and schedules a hearing on the matter for mid-January.

The national religious Itim and Tzohar organizations recently filed suit against the new regulations approved last month by Religious Services Minister Michael Malkieli. The regulations dilute the voting power of local government officials in elections for city rabbis, do away with term limits, and allow the state-funded clerics to also pull a paycheck from a second job.

An interim order preventing the state from implementing the new regulations was in place until last Thursday, when the government was required to file its response to the Itim/Tzohar suit. In its filing, the government argued that the regulations constituted valid secondary legislation “in the public interest” which allows the state to jumpstart the electoral process for clerics in dozens of locales that do not currently employ state rabbis.

“The court’s refusal to grant the temporary injunction is reflective of the intimidation tactics of the government towards the court. The court is much more hesitant to intervene these days, even though this will allow the ministry to continue its irresponsible actions, which cause unnecessary spending during a time of war and create jobs which will end up being paid by local residents,” Itim head Rabbi Seth Farber tells The Times of Israel.

“At a time where the cost of living is going up dramatically, it is unfortunate that the court cannot stop the job machine of the Religious Affairs Ministry.”

Malkieli’s spokesman does not immediately respond to a request for comment.