Rivlin to preside over largest ever swearing in ceremony of judges
Fifty-four new judges and registrars will pledge to judge fairly without fear or favor, ignoring status and refraining from taking bribes.
By GREER FAY CASHMANPresident Reuven Rivlin(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
President Reuven Rivlin on Tuesday will preside over the largest-ever swearing-in ceremony of judges and court registrars that has ever been held in the State of Israel. Fifty-four new judges and registrars will pledge to judge fairly without fear or favor, ignoring status and refraining from taking bribes.Ordinarily, the President’s Residence would be too small for an event of this scope, and it would have to be transferred to the Supreme Court building in which there is more seating space than in the main reception hall of the presidential compound.But contrary to pre-coronavirus ceremonies of this kind, there will be no relatives in attendance and very few MKs or members of the judiciary.As was the case at the end of last December, when 18 judges and registrars were sworn in after a nearly two-year hiatus, the new judges will not be sitting together. Instead, each will enter the main hall individually from a smaller reception area to make the pledge and to receive the appointment from Rivlin in the presence of Supreme Court President Esther Hayut and acting Justice Minister Benny Gantz, for whom this will be the first and probably the last event of its kind.The December swearing-in ceremony had been attended by justice minister Avi Nissenkorn, whose resignation had not yet become effective.Due to the large number of new judges, the event will be held in two separate sessions to ensure social distancing, which would otherwise be difficult because everyone would be sitting together in the small room.At the December ceremony, Hayut said the judicial network was suffering from a 10% deficiency in human resources and that it was essential for this to be amended. Three Knesset elections in a period of less than two years had precluded the convening of the Judicial Appointments Committee, she said.The current event will be broadcast live on the president’s social-media platforms, enabling anyone to watch the ceremony. The benefit of this is that restless children of the new judges will not be crying in the middle of the event and will not have to be taken outside.
