Israel’s minister of religious affairs appoints women to local religious councils

Matan Kahana's appointment of women, as well as changes to kosher supervision and to conversion law, have drawn the enmity of the Haredi community

“STRONG WOMEN BROKE through the glass ceiling today, when it comes to providing religious services. Some 40% of the heads of local religious councils, whom I appointed today, are women. I was very excited to meet with them,” tweeted Minister of Religious Affairs Matan Kahana (Yamina Party) last week.

In a Facebook post he wrote that when he first entered the Ministry of Religious Affairs ten months earlier, he was shocked to discover no women in senior positions. “As of today, there are six. … And this is just the beginning.”

Inevitably, Kahana’s boasting of a “gender revolution” sparked an uproar in the ultra-Orthodox religious establishment. They had already tagged the minister as an enemy of Judaism and accused him of succumbing to the Reform movement.

Bringing women into the religious services network is revolutionary for Israel. It is also part of a larger revolution spearheaded by this energetic minister.

Ever since he first entered the Ministry of Religious Affairs as part of the new government, Kahana has pushed ahead with far-reaching reforms in religious services, conversions, and kosher food supervision.

All of these areas have been dominated by the right-leaning Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox since the founding of the state. In fact, Kahana’s reforms signify the first major shakeup in the way the Ministry conducts its business, and it has happened in a very short time.

The Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox parties, which dominated the Ministry for years, are helpless to counter this activist minister, while he seems to be making a show of defying their influence.

FULL STORY Israel’s minister of religious affairs appoints women as latest reform (Al-Monitor)