Israel’s new ‘covenantal partnership’ bill would legalize gay marriage

[Jesus Malverde]

Well here's one way to legalize gay marriage, without even really having to mention gays, or marriage: Introduce a law that allows any couple, regardless of religion or gender, to obtain a "covenantal partnership" from the state.

This approach may only be possible in Israel, a nation built on religion but aspiring to the ideals of Western democracy. Current marriage law can't hold up forever: It quite insanely requires that all Jewish marriages be performed under the Rabbinate by a certain set of Orthodox rabbis, and doesn't allow for inter-religious marriages — much less gay ones. (Christians and Muslims can be married in Israel, too, under similarly strict religious rules.) This has set in motion a ridiculous system wherein hordes of betrothed Israelis fly off to nearby Cyprus, or any other country where a stodgy old Orthodox dude won't ruin their big day, then fly back to Israel, where their marriage is now recognized, but where nitty-gritty marriage stuff like wills and property distribution often have to be hashed out in court (instead of being automatic, as in Rabbinate-approved marriages).

The Times of Israel, with the repercussions:

This legal situation, inherited from the Ottoman era, has meant that some 300,000 non-Jewish immigrants who have Jewish relatives and are eligible to immigrate to Israel as Jews under Israeli law cannot marry at all, as the rabbinate does not consider them Jews under Jewish law and will not perform a wedding service for them with either Jews or non-Jews. Similarly, non-Orthodox (and, more recently, some Orthodox) converts to Judaism have been unable to marry under Israeli law.

So in order for Israel to stay modern and desirable, a new door must be opened for the more Tel Aviv-minded half of the country.

http://www.jewishjournal.com/hella_tel_aviv/item/israels_new_covenantal_partnership_bill_would_legalize_gay_marriage