חופות | Lectures and Workshops

Judaism and the State of Israel:

Customized Workshops, Lectures, and Self-Study Materials on Current Issues Surrounding Religion and State

Enlighten your mechina, seminary, yeshiva, pre-army program, or gap year students!

In Israel, religion and state are deeply intertwined, influencing and controlling every aspect of life from kashrut to marriage.

With no option for civil marriage, the Chief Rabbinate holds exclusive authority over all Jewish weddings nationwide. This monopoly has deepened societal divides, discriminated against women and immigrants, and driven many Israelis away – not just from the Chief Rabbinate, but from traditional Judaism itself.

Here at Chuppot, we’ve conducted over 1,600 halachic weddings outside the Chief Rabbinate, upholding both tradition and dignity. Through this experience, we’ve gained deep expertise – not only in the halachic aspects of Jewish marriage but also in the legal, social, and political implications of Israel’s marriage laws.

Your group likely has questions about how these laws developed, how they impact Israeli society, and what they mean in practice.

You have questions?
We have answers.
Who can marry a Jew in Israel? How does the Chief Rabbinate define Jewish identity?
The expanding power of the Rabbinical Court – how and why its jurisdiction has grown?
Religious law vs. religious-influenced legislation – what’s the difference?
Marriage abroad – why do many Israelis choose to wed outside Israel?
Halachic prenuptial agreements – how do they work, and why are they important?

Lectures and Workshops at Your Place or Ours

We’d love to meet you and your group, and can dispatch our Founder, CEO, Director of Halacha, or Education Manager to skillfully and passionately facilitate these discussions with your audience at our offices in Jerusalem. Alternatively, we are happy to come to you – reach out to us at projects@chuppot.org.il about travel and pricing and we can meet your group where they are – yes, physically, but also in terms of knowledge, culture, and language. We are able to deliver information and engage in rousing discussions both in Hebrew and in English!

Self-Study Materials

If your group would like to explore the topic of Israeli religion and state independently, we are happy to provide you with customized study materials concentrated on your areas of interest. Our collateral include reproductions of original documents on which the current laws are based, recent articles on religion and state in the Israeli media and opinion columns ripe to develop provocative, meaningful group discussions.

Looking for a resource we haven’t mentioned?

If you’re seeking to consult with us about building a seminar on Israeli religion and state, we’d be happy to help with that too – whether in brainstorming, planning, or connecting you with various Israeli organizations working in this field. Our goal is to ensure that you have uninhibited access to all the information, organizations, speakers and resources you’re looking for!

Who are we?

Our advocacy journey began when our parent organization, Hashgacha Pratit, challenged the Chief Rabbinate’s monopoly on religious services in 2012 by establishing a private kosher supervision option. Our grassroots movement won this “religion vs. state” battle successfully in 2018 after securing a Supreme Court verdict which legalized private kashrut services.
What qualifies us to teach about religion and state?

Since winning the Supreme Court decision to break the Chief Rabbanut’s monopoly on kashrut services in 2018, we turned our focus to breaking the monopoly on weddings, creating an independent religious framework for marriage within halacha and outside the governmental control of the Chief Rabbinate. In just six years, we’ve officiated over 1,600 halachic weddings with transparency, integrity, dignity, and respect.
What education can we offer?

Supported by the Jewish Federation of Chicago, our lectures are subsidized and available nationwide. Please reach out to us today at projects@chuppot.org.il to inquire and arrange.
How can we arrange a Chuppot religion and state workshop?

Supported by the Jewish Federation of Chicago, our lectures are subsidized and available nationwide. Please reach out to us today at projects@chuppot.org.il to inquire and arrange.

Ready to invite us?

Supported by the Jewish Federation of Chicago, our lectures are subsidized and available nationwide. Please reach out to us today at projects@chuppot.org.il to inquire and arrange.