Divorce cases of members of the Bene Israel community still in India, will be dealt with by the Israeli or British chief rabbinates, according to arrangements completed with Bene Israel leaders by Rabbi Lev Gotthold, director of the Diaspora Department of the Israel Ministry for Religious Affairs.
Rabbi Gotthold returned here today after a two-month visit to India. His visit was sponsored jointly by the British Chief Rabbinate, the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada, and the Jewish Agency. During his stay in India, Rabbi Gotthold said that he set up a provisional Beth Din to deal with some 30 divorce cases still pending.
The marriage and divorce practices of the Indian Bene Israel community had resulted in difficulties in some cases of members of Bene Israel, now living in Israel, seeking to marry Israelis of different origin.
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