LGBT RIGHTS IN ISRAEL

Gay rights in Israel pose unique challenges given the tension between Israel’s liberal modern society and the strong social influence of ancient religious traditions. While LGBTs have gained many rights under secular Israeli law, family law remains an area primarily controlled by conservative religious courts. Since Israel has no secular marriage, same sex unions, like other religiously proscribed unions, find themselves outside the only legal institution with the power to legitimate their relationship.

This talk will examine both Israeli case law affording rights to LGBTs as well as relationship of LGBTs to the religious court system. The topic will be related to the broader debate in Israel about the role and power of religious courts.

Presenter Bio:

Ayelet Zur, a native of Haifa, Israel, is currently a M.A. student in Law and Economics at Tel-Aviv University. Ayelet graduated with an honors LL.B. and B.A. in Economics at Haifa University. After two years as a senior Israel Defense Forces prosecutor (at the Military Advocate General office), she was a Koret Fellow serving as an economic policy analyst to parliament members Michael Eitan and Daniel Benlulu. Ayelet is spending the year in Los Angeles as a Jewish Agency / UCLA Hillel Israel fellow.

The UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider.