4. Personal Status of Olim

WHEREAS the Jewish Agency for Israel has a vested interest in the unity of the Jewish People; and

WHEREAS issues of personal status in the State of Israel, particularly as they pertain to Jewish status for purposes of aliyah, have generated concern among many Jews both in Israel and abroad; and

WHEREAS rabbis in the places of origin of olim have a role to play in verifying the oleh's status as a Jew; and

WHEREAS the Jewish Agency has, to date, been delegated by the Ministry of Interior to confirm the authority of a non-Israeli Conservative or Reform rabbi who verifies an oleh's Jewish status; and

WHEREAS determining the authority of non-Israeli Orthodox rabbis has, to date, been left to the Chief Rabbinate; and

WHEREAS the Chief Rabbinate has not issued clear criteria by which it evaluates non-Israeli Orthodox rabbis, or a list of rabbis whose authority it recognizes for this purpose; and

WHEREAS both rabbis and potential olim have uncertainty as to their status;

Now therefore be it resolved as follows:
The Jewish Agency for Israel call on the Government of Israel to ensure that the personal status of Orthodox olim for the purposes of aliyah is delegated to the Jewish Agency, in the same manner as Conservative and Reform, or is determined by the Government through a fair, impartial, and expedited mechanism using rules and criteria that are clear to the relevant oleh.