ITIM Warns Chief Rabbinate: Guarantee Equal Venues and Testing Conditions for Women—or Face Legal Action

ITIM has formally demanded that the Chief Rabbinate guarantee women equal venues and testing conditions for the upcoming certification exams and warned it will consider returning to court if the Rabbinate proceeds with plans to split tests between two Jerusalem sites without clear assurances.

Background and Timeline

On September 16 the Rabbinate published exam dates and said tests would be held at two Jerusalem locations: the Jerusalem International Convention Center (ICC) and the Religious Services Ministry. ITIM said that, based on the April session, it expects men to be assigned to the ICC and women to the ministry site—an arrangement it argues could amount to improper exclusion unless it can be shown that conditions are fully equivalent.

ITIM says it first contacted the Rabbinate on August 3 to request advance clarification on venues, procedures and accommodations, followed by a reminder on September 3. According to ITIM, neither communication received a response.

What Happened In April

During the historic first sitting for women on April 27, three female candidates who had been permitted to register were sent to the Religious Services Ministry while men sat the exam at the convention center. ITIM reports the women did not receive their exam papers until roughly 4.5 hours after the men began, following an urgent approach to the High Court. The organization says no professional staff member was present to answer procedural questions, and completed booklets were placed in a box labeled "women's classroom," raising concerns about anonymous grading.

ITIM's Demands

In a letter dated September 17, ITIM asked the Rabbinate to provide clear, written assurances that women's exams will:

REPRESENTATIVES OF the Chief Rabbinate of Israel cross Jaffa Street in Jerusalem as they deliver a kosher certificate to a local restaurant. (credit: HADAS PARUSH/FLASH90)

• Start and finish on schedule and not be delayed relative to men's sessions;
• Be graded anonymously with procedures that prevent graders from identifying candidates' gender;
• Be held under equivalent physical conditions—including room size, seating, lighting, and access to facilities;
• Have qualified on-site staff available to answer procedural or technical questions during tests;
• Include protections against outside disruption and clear protocols for security and fairness;
• Provide explicit accommodations for pregnant and nursing women, reservists, and spouses of reservists.

The letter requests a detailed reply "as soon as possible" and warns that ITIM will consider legal action if timely assurances are not provided.

Legal And Practical Stakes

The dispute is part of an eight-year campaign for women's access to state-administered rabbinic exams. Six female Torah scholars first sought to register in 2018 and petitioned the High Court of Justice in 2019 with ITIM and allied groups. In July 2025 the High Court unanimously held that women cannot be barred from the exams, distinguishing the issue from ordination and emphasizing the exams' professional and financial consequences.

Rabbinate certificates can affect eligibility and salary scales in the public sector and, in specified cases, may be treated as equivalent to an academic degree—so equal access and equal conditions have concrete economic implications beyond symbolism.

Voices And Next Steps

"We expect the Chief Rabbinate to come to its senses and ensure fair and equal examination conditions," said Timna Guttel of ITIM's legal department. ITIM founder Rabbi Seth Farber added that the ongoing uncertainty is especially troubling given the short time before the next exam session.

The Rabbinate has not yet announced which candidates will be assigned to each venue. If the Rabbinate fails to provide clear, timely assurances that women's testing conditions will match men's in every relevant respect, ITIM has signaled it will return to court.