ITIM demands equal conditions for women in Rabbinate exams — Jerusalem Post
In Israel, the ITIM organization has demanded that the Chief Rabbinate ensure women have conditions equal to those of men during the upcoming qualification exams in Jerusalem. The organization warned that it may return to court, as the Rabbinate again announced that the tests would be held at two separate venues. This was reported by The Jerusalem Post.
In a letter dated September 17, ITIM called for guarantees that exams for women would begin and end on time and that papers would be graded anonymously. The organization also demands that testing be held under the same physical conditions as for men, that qualified staff be present to answer questions, and that female participants be protected from outside interference.
Two venues for the exams
On September 16, the Chief Rabbinate published the dates of exams in various subjects and said they would be held at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem and at the Ministry of Religious Services. The distribution of candidates between these locations has not yet been announced.
ITIM said that, based on the previous session, it expects the exams for men to be held at the convention center and those for women at the ministry premises. In the organization’s view, separating the venues may in itself constitute unlawful exclusion of women. The Rabbinate, ITIM believes, must at a minimum confirm that such a decision will not result in worse conditions for female candidates.
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According to ITIM, it contacted the Rabbinate on August 3, asking for an advance explanation of the exam procedures, locations, and conditions available to candidates. A reminder was sent on September 3, but the organization said it received no response to either letter.
Delay during the first exam
The dispute continues following women’s first participation in the state Rabbinate exams in April. Three female candidates who took a test on the laws of mourning on April 27 began their work shortly before 3:00 p.m. — about four and a half hours after the exam for men began. According to ITIM, the women were directed to the Ministry of Religious Services, while the men took the exam at the convention center.
The organization also said that no specialist was present during the testing to answer questions, and that the candidates placed their completed papers in a box marked “women’s room.” ITIM expressed concern that this could have allowed graders to determine the gender of the papers’ authors.
In July 2025, the High Court of Justice unanimously ruled that women cannot be excluded from these exams. The court distinguished between the issue of ordination, which was not considered, and access to the state examination system, whose results have professional and financial consequences. Rabbinate certificates may affect eligibility to apply for certain positions, salary levels, and, under certain conditions, be equivalent to an academic degree.
