Israel recognizes same-sex marriages

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

As noted in an article in today's Toronto Star, Israel's High Court has ruled that five same-sex couples married in Canada must be registered as married in Israel's Population Registry, which confers on them all rights given to married couples.

From the article:

Five Israeli couples are praising Toronto today, crediting the city of their nuptials and Canadian law for sparking a landmark Israeli high court ruling recognizing gay marriage.

In a vote of 6 to 1, Israel's High Court of Justice yesterday decreed the Toronto-wed couples are to be registered as married under Israel's population registry. The precedent-setting decision entitles them to the same status as heterosexual Israel couples who marry abroad, including tax benefits and the legal right to adopt children.

[...]

Yesterday's high court ruling, coming just two weeks after a series of streets riots in Jerusalem in protest over a controversial gay pride gathering, struck a raw nerve with many senior Israeli religious figures.

"The High Court has sunken in the gates of defilement and has torn out the last mezuzah from its doors," said Yitzhak Cohen, a member of parliament with the ultra-Orthodox Shas party.

"The dam that protected the Jewish state has been burst open under the auspices of the High Court, asking for an anti-Jewish deluge clad in black capes."

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Cool!

[Sibling Spoffish]

Good on them! What a pity that it had to be the one middle-eastern country that the others won't follow...

[Griffin NoName]

Um. So imported same sex marriage is OK. Assuming same sex marriages still cannot take place within Israel, and it is the act of getting married that is unlawful, presumably there'll be a thriving new package holiday industry. Is this a market opportunity? There seems a bit of a puzzle surrounding the peace deal with Gaza. Could this explain it?

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

Um. So imported same sex marriage is OK. Assuming same sex marriages still cannot take place within Israel, and it is the act of getting married that is unlawful, presumably there'll be a thriving new package holiday industry. Is this a market opportunity?

I don't profess to know really anything about the Israeli legal system, but the article I quoted also says this:

Marriage in Israel is no easy task even for straight couples, due to religious laws that deny permission for almost all but the most Orthodox Jewish weddings.

Despite decades of political efforts to accommodate the marital desires of the country's burgeoning secular population, Israeli marriage law remains unchanged. The tense status quo leaves a sizeable portion of the country with no option but to wed outside the country - in nearby Cyprus, as often as not.

So, yes, it does seem like there's already a thriving package holiday industry.   

[Opsa]

If only the commonwealth of Virginia was as forward thinking as Cyprus! 

We're living in the dark ages, here.

[Griffin NoName]

I don't profess to know really anything about the Israeli legal system, but the article I quoted also says this:

Marriage in Israel is no easy task even for straight couples, due to religious laws that deny permission for almost all but the most Orthodox Jewish weddings.

Oh that's easy to understand. You cannot be a proper Jew unless both your parents married^* in an Orthodox synagogue.

Me and my ex had a tough interview with a Rabbi Sunshine who investigated our parental statii - (and that was in the UK !!!) - we were divorced by Judge Angel. I never bothered to get a Get but sometimes think it might be worthwhile just to see what the Rabbi's name might be.

edit: * each other