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In Israel, Teenager Sues For Right To Become A Rabbi

By Howard M. Friedman

In Israel, a 14-year old boy, hoping to become Israel's youngest rabbi, has filed suit in the Supreme Court to force the Chief Rabbinate to grade an ordination exam which he took. According to Arutz Sheva yesterday, Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger gave Moshe Raziel Sharify permission to take the exam, despite his age and despite opposition from Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar.  However now the Rabbinate is refusing to grade the exam, saying that its internal rules require a person to be at least 22 years old to become a rabbi. Apparently Sharify is a child prodigy who has been tested on his knowledge of Jewish law by several respected rabbis, including the head of Jerusalem's religious court.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on October 12, 2010 (boomark / email).