Yael Mashinsky-Yirmiyahu was named the rabbinical courts ombudswoman on Tuesday, making her the first ever secular woman in the history of the Orthodox institution to hold the position. The rabbinical courts are part of Israel's judicial system, but they are under the jurisdiction of the Religious Services Ministry and are controlled by the Chief Rabbinate. Most of the women in their ranks serve in secretarial positions only. Mashinsky-Yirmiyahu, 31, a former Teva executive, was selected for the position through a bid issued by the ministry's tenders committee. "I arrived for my interview with the tenders committee wearing trousers [Orthodox women generally wear dresses or skirts rather than pants] and I was happy to learn it had no bearing on the outcome," she said. "I'm secular and traditional and I was happy to see that there was no discrimination [in the interview process]. I did not try to hide anything from the committee and I am happy to see that the state is conducted properly, unlike all the stories you hear about fixed bids." As part of her new job, Mashinsky-Yirmiyahu will deal with both public applications and petitions to the rabbinical courts, as well as with streamlining the work process, enhancing employee productivity and quality control. "We have to provide the public with the proper, professional answers to the various sensitive issues presented to the courts and we welcome Yael's nomination," Shmuel Yosef, who serves as the deputy director-general of the rabbinical courts, said. "We have every faith in her ability." The mother of two from Modiin seemed unfazed to be the first woman named to a senior position in the male-dominated religious institution: "I have not checked how many women and men work here, but I doubt I will feel inferior to anyone. Right now, since I previously dealt with pharmaceuticals, I am busy studying a new field that I find very interesting." 'Rabbinical courts mishandling cases' A report released by State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss in May 2008 leveled harsh criticism at the rabbinical courts, after ruling that 80 percent of the cases heard by them are mishandled. The rabbinical courts in Israel deal mostly with issues of marriage, divorce and conversions. The report said that the faults ranged from failing to supply women whose husbands refuse to give them a divorce with viable solutions, to judges not residing in the cities in which they serve. The comptroller found that 26% of the cases were heard before incomplete judicial panels, and that the rabbinical courts were plagued by unusually cumbersome bureaucracy, as well as numerous filing and archiving errors, leading to months of delays and what Lindenstrauss called "unfair judicial duress," especially where woman are concerned. The comptroller also criticized the rabbinical courts for failing to hire female employees, as well as failing to perform quality control reports on information security.
