The Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, passed a child adoption law last night which, among other provisions, limits the jurisdiction of the Rabbinical courts in cases of dispute over adoption.
The provision limiting rabbinical jurisdiction was passed by a vote of 41 to 20 in spite of the fact that it was hotly contested by the General Zionists, Herut and the religious parties, including the National Religious party and the Poalei Agudat Israel faction who are members of the Government coalition.
The new law now requires the approval of the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Attorney General of all decisions of Rabbinic courts affecting the adoption of children under 13 years of age. Cases are referred to religious courts if both the parents and the adopted parents of the child agree to abide by a Rabbinic court decision. Hitherto Rabbinical and civil courts enjoyed parallel jurisdiction in such cases.
Another provision of the law forbids the publication of the names of the parties in an adoption case without their consent. The law also provides that the adoption cannot be finally approved until the child has spent a trial period of six months with the adopting parents. No adoption may be approved, according to the law, without the consent of the parents and of the child, if the child is old enough to express consent.
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