Marriage without a Rabbi – Alternatives to Religious Rabbinate
In recent years, there has been a fundamental change in the perception of relationships, particularly in everything related to the institution of marriage as we are all familiar with in its old form.
The current trend whereby more and more couples in Israel are seeking alternatives to marriage in the rabbinate, so that they do not have to enter or, God forbid, exit the relationship through the walls of the aforementioned ancient and unequal institution, has given rise to new possibilities for institutionalizing the relationship.
No matter what the reasons were that led those people to despair In the institution Rabbinate And whether these are the circumstances that forced them to seek other solutions, such as if they are same-sex couples or one of the parties is not Jewish or the decision stemmed from considerations of opposition to the institution, the alternatives are the same.
In the review before you, I explain Editor Justice Sharon Segal The three currently accepted options for marriage outside the rabbinate, so that you too can make an informed decision and formalize your relationship in a way that best suits your lifestyle and values.
Civil wedding
A wedding that is held abroad, without a rabbi or a religious Jewish ceremony, and allows the couple to receive a marriage certificate and then register with the Israeli Ministry of the Interior to gain legal status as married couples.
There are 51 countries in the world that allow such marriages, and it is important to know that this is a relatively expensive procedure, because the flight, accommodation, and living costs abroad during that period are not cheap, especially if you are interested in flying family members and close friends with you.
phobia DivorceIf you are registered as married with the Ministry of the Interior in Israel, the dissolution of the relationship will be within the authority of the Rabbinical Court.
Another option in this context is a correspondence marriage, also known as a Mexican or Paraguayan marriage, in which case all you have to do is send documents to get married, or at most one of the spouses will need to arrive in the country where the marriage will take place.
Even then, your rights and obligations as married couples will only be valid if you are registered with the Ministry of the Interior.
Read more: Civil marriage in Israel
A wedding is worth it
The Free Israel (Hoya) organization has gained momentum in the past two years, and its agenda is an equal marriage that aligns with the values of the couple.
There are three options, all of which do not require going through the rabbinate, either upon entering or leaving the relationship: an Israeli Reform wedding, a traditional-Conservative halachic wedding, and a secular Jewish wedding.
At the end of the ceremony, you will receive a partnership certificate, which will give you all the rights of married couples, including rights with regard to National Insurance, the ability to register for the Mehir L’Mishtakon project, and so on.
Marriage agreements
Contract marriage allows couples to marry through a cohabitation agreement, one that is drawn up and signed in the presence of a lawyer, regardless of the type of ceremony the couple chooses to hold.
The agreement usually includes Agreement Finance, advance decision on child support, spousal support, Property division And inheritance issues in the event of separation, etc. You can also obtain a marriage certificate, one that allows recognition of your marriage by institutions such as National Insurance.
The options mentioned above are not a bad alternative at all for those who are not interested in getting married in the rabbinate, and the more people realize that it is possible to choose differently, the more the monopoly of the rabbinate will be broken, and its unbridled power will also be forced to bow to current, democratic, and sane social norms.
And levels that are appropriate to the modern reality in which we all live and create a healthy balance between the couple, their relationship, and the family unit that is expected to be built as a result of the institutionalization of the relationship.
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