Marriage registration discount to be given to female religious seminary students
Lobbying group had argues that policy of giving the discount to men and not women was likely discriminatory and in contravention of Israel’s gender equality laws.
By JEREMY SHARONMarriage process(photo credit: REUTERS)
Deputy Minister of Religious Services Eli Ben-Dahan announced Thursday night that women studying in religious seminaries will be entitled to a discount on marriage registration fees similar to that enjoyed by men.As reported by The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday , a 40 percent discount in the marriage registration fee of NIS 700 is granted to several population groups, including soldiers, students, disabled people and male yeshiva students.In a recent case however, a young woman studying in a religious seminary went to her local rabbinate to register and, aware of the discount available to students in institutes of religious learning, requested the 40 percent discount.She was refused however and brought it to the attention of the ITIM religious services advice and lobbying group, who wrote to Ben-Dahan pointing out that the policy of giving the discount to men and not women was likely discriminatory and in contravention of Israel’s gender equality laws.Ben-Dahan has now indicated that a change to the regulations will be made and that the female students in religious seminaries will also be included in the list of those eligible for the registration fee discount.
