Justice Haim H. Cohn, of the Israel Supreme Court, was married here yesterday to a woman who had been divorced from her first husband, then married a second man, who died. Because Justice Cohn is a “cohen, ” a member of the Jewish priestly tribe, his marriage raised the question as to whether his union is valid under the rules of the Israeli rabbinate, which forbids a “cohen” to marry a divorced woman.
The ceremony was conducted in a hotel suite here by Rabbi Edward Sandrow, president of the New York Board of Rabbis and spiritual leader of Temple Beth El, a Conservative congregation in Cedarhurst, L. I. He said after the ceremony that the validity of Justice Cohn’s marriage under the rules of the Israeli rabbinate, which is Orthodox, is a matter of interpretation. “I consulted a number of my Orthodox colleagues, ” he said, “and it was agreed that the bride was a widow, and not a divorcee. ” Justice Cohn’s bride is the former Michal Smoira, an Israeli music critic.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
