Our founder and CEO, Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, argues in this featured The Times of Israel blog that prime ministerial candidate Naftali Bennett’s public support for civil marriage exposes a fundamental contradiction: Israel already recognizes civil marriages performed abroad and online, while denying them at home. He illustrates how this sanctioned “workaround system” reflects a deeper failure of the Chief Rabbinate’s monopoly, forcing Israelis to circumvent their own state to marry. At a time of growing spiritual interest alongside collapsing institutional trust, he frames this moment as a rare opportunity to build a more authentic and voluntary model of Jewish marriage in Israel.

The current proposed legislation in Utah could restrict remote civil marriages conducted via video call,  a legal route Chuppot utilizes for our couples who wish to register their marriage in Israel. Rabbi Dr. Shaul Farber of ITIM describes Utah weddings as a temporary workaround for Israel’s restrictive marriage system, while our founder, Rabbi Leibowitz, stresses that even if this option is limited, the demand for halachic Jewish weddings outside the Rabbinate will remain, as proven by our 2,000+ couples married outside the Rabbinate. Rabbi Leibowitz emphasizes that couples seeking respectful, halachic marriage should not be forced to rely on legal loopholes to secure Israeli marriage recognition.

Our founder Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz responds to recent coverage that described halachic weddings outside the Chief Rabbinate as illegal or “black marriages.” He explains that a chuppah according to Jewish law, even when conducted outside the Rabbinate’s framework, is neither unusual nor forbidden. Chuppot arranges fully halachic weddings for Jewish, Israeli couples who seek traditional Jewish ceremony that is not governed by the Rabbinate’s increasingly strict and exclusionary policies. Rabbi Leibowitz argues that dismissing these weddings as illicit misrepresents reality and sidesteps a broader conversation about personal freedom, tradition, and the role of religious authority in Israeli society.

Rabbi Kalman (Chuck) Davidson, our Director of the Halacha Division, warns against proposed legislation that would further entrench the Chief Rabbinate’s monopoly over conversion recognition in Israel. Drawing on more than a decade of halachic conversion work, Rabbi Davidson argues that suspicion toward converts contradicts both halachic tradition and core Jewish values. He explains that throughout Jewish history, conversion authority was decentralized, and that valid conversions were never contingent on recognition by a single state body. The op-ed emphasizes that building a system based on distrust harms converts and weakens Jewish society as a whole, concluding that Halacha demands openness, dignity, and trust… not monopoly and exclusion.

In a recent i24 News interview with Jewish World Weekly, our founder Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz presented Chuppot’s groundbreaking model for Jewish marriage in Israel. For the first time, we explained how couples can hold a fully halachic, Orthodox wedding while also achieving legal recognition of their marriage in Israel… without leaving the country. The interview explored our carefully constructed, lawful workaround to the Rabbinate’s monopoly: a solution that remains firmly within Halacha, meets state registration requirements, and allows couples to marry with integrity, dignity, and choice.

This English-language article highlights Chuppot’s new One-Stop-Shop initiative that enables Israeli couples to marry according to Orthodox Jewish law without involving the Chief Rabbinate, while still becoming legally registered in Israel. Just this year, Chuppot partnered with a Utah-based civil officiant licensed to perform remote civil weddings via video call, empowering couples to combine a halachic ceremony in Israel with a digital civil marriage recognized by Israel’s Interior Ministry. Chuppot built the new model in response to increasing and widespread frustration with the Rabbinate’s monopoly.

Our founder, Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, critiques the Chief Rabbinate’s response to a High Court ruling requiring it to open rabbinical certification exams to women. While the Rabbinate chose to freeze the exams entirely rather than allow women to participate, Rabbi Leibowitz highlights the reality already unfolding across Orthodox communities, where women study, teach, and exercise halachic leadership. Drawing on Chuppot’s work, including employing certified female halachic authorities as wedding officiants , this opinion piece argues that Halacha is strengthened, not threatened, by women’s scholarship.The piece concludes that the Orthodox public is moving forward, with or without the Rabbinate, demonstrating that commitment to halacha and respect for women are not contradictions.

In an interview on Channel 13, our founder, Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, presented Chuppot’s new one-stop-shop for Israeli couples seeking an Orthodox wedding outside the Chief Rabbinate, with full legal recognition in Israel. The initiative addresses the legal barrier of non-Rabbinate marriage registration. Through a coordinated, Hebrew-language process, Chuppot now enables couples to combine a halachically valid Orthodox wedding with a remotely conducted American civil marriage in the State of Utah. Using that marriage certificate, couples can register their marriage with the Israeli Ministry of the Interior – without leaving the country. This integrated solution offers a practical alternative for Israelis who seek halacha without the Rabbinate’s monopoly.

This article highlights Chuppot’s groundbreaking new initiative that enables Israelis to have a fully Orthodox wedding through Chuppot without the Chief Rabbinate, while still becoming legally registered as married in Israel. Via the new Chuppot model, pioneered in collaboration with a Utah-based civil wedding officiant (a former Chuppot bride), couples marry halachically in Israel with Chuppot and then complete a short civil ceremony via video call before or after the wedding. The resulting Utah marriage certificate is accepted by Israel’s Ministry of Interior, empowering official registration without passing through the Rabbinate.

With public trust in the Chief Rabbinate at a historic low – only 13% of Israelis express confidence in the institution – and nearly 1 in 5 Israeli couples now marrying outside it, this article highlights a national shift: Israelis are not rejecting Judaism, but rejecting coercion. In response, Chochmat Nashim has formally partnered with Chuppot, recognizing Chuppot as a halachic solution already preventing aginut through mandatory prenuptial agreements. Under the new  partnership, Chuppot will officiate weddings for women whose marriages were dissolved by the International Beit Din, ensuring they can remarry with dignity, equality, and full halachic legitimacy.

In light of conflicting rabbinic rulings on whether weddings may be held this year during the traditional mourning period leading up to Tisha B’av, Chuppot’s Director of the Halacha Department, Rabbi (Chuck) Kalman Davidson, ruled that weddings which were postponed due to the war may be rescheduled to take place during the Nine Days in cases where other dates are not possible. Chuppot stands by its mission to protect and support couples during times of crisis while remaining firmly rooted in halachic integrity.

In this investigative report from Shakuf, our Strategy and Public Policy Director, Emuna Klein Barnoy, warns that proposed legislation expanding rabbinic courts’ authority in civil arbitration threatens the rights of women and vulnerable populations. Representing Chuppot’s viewpoint, she argues that under the guise of “choice,” the law risks coercing women into halachic arbitration without informed consent, reinforcing systemic inequality and undermining individual autonomy.

On the day of Jerusalem’s Pride March, our founder Rav Aharon Leibowitz reflects on his transformation from opposition to allyship with the LGBTQ+ community. As an organization rooted in compassionate and inclusive Judaism, we at Chuppot stand behind Rav Aaron’s call for religious leaders to show up, listen, and affirm the dignity of every Jew.

In this personal op-ed, our Director of Strategy, Emuna Klein Barnoy, reflects on the legacy of her grandfather, Rabbi Nahum Rabinovitch z”l, and his pioneering stand against the Chief Rabbinate’s monopoly on conversion. Emuna draws a direct line from his vision to our work at Chuppot, affirming that safeguarding Jewish continuity in Israel – both then and now – requires halachic alternatives grounded in compassion, responsibility, and principled leadership.

This Russian-language opinion article features our founder, Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, responding to proposed amendments to Israel’s Law of Return that would restrict repatriation rights for the grandchildren of Jews. Rabbi Leibowitz argues that the change would deepen divides between religious and secular Israelis, and he calls for reforms to the halachic conversion process – especially regarding marriages – so that individuals with Jewish roots can more easily and humanely join the Jewish community. The piece reflects Chuppot’s broader commitment to addressing barriers in Jewish life and supporting inclusive halachic pathways for families

Based on a report by the Israel Democracy Institute, this article examines changing marriage patterns in Israel and the growing number of couples seeking alternatives to the Chief Rabbinate. The report highlights that alongside civil “Utah weddings,” hundreds of couples have chosen to marry through Chuppot. The findings position Chuppot as part of a broader societal shift in which Israelis are seeking Jewish marriage that aligns with Halacha while rejecting coercive state control.

Chuppot’s founder, Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, argues that proposed changes to Israel’s Law of Return – specifically the ‘grandchild clause’ – would alienate hundreds of thousands of Israelis who, though not halachically Jewish, have integrated into Israeli society and identify as Jews. He advocates for reforming the conversion system to be more accessible and compassionate, rather than narrowing the Law of Return, emphasizing that this approach aligns with authentic Jewish tradition.

In this powerful episode of Chochmat Nashim, Rabbi Kalman Pesach (Chuck) Davidson, our Director of the Halacha division at Chuppot, lays out how Chuppot is dismantling the Chief Rabbinate’s monopoly on Jewish marriage in Israel. With bold legal innovation like mandatory halachic prenups and conditional marriage clauses, Chuppot is restoring dignity to Jewish marriage and divorce, proving that tradition and religious freedom can go hand in hand.

Public life in Israel is becoming increasingly secular, with more businesses, cultural venues, and couples choosing non-Rabbinate paths… including more and more couples electing to marry through Chuppot. Despite efforts by Orthodox parties to preserve the status quo, the Israeli public is moving toward greater religious freedom and pluralism.

A conservative religious forum sent a protest letter to Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Kalman Bar for agreeing to speak at a recent Hartman Institute conference, accusing the Institute of undermining the Chief Rabbinate by promoting alternative models of kashrut, conversion, and marriage – including Chuppot. The backlash highlights growing internal resistance to separating religion from centralized control, underscoring the urgent need for Chuppot, which champions halachic integrity while breaking state-imposed religious monopolies.

Rabbi Elhanan Miller has been performing Orthodox weddings outside the Rabbinate for over five years, marrying 19 couples through Chuppot. When it came time for his own wedding, he naturally selected Chuppot, reflecting his deep commitment to providing access to Jewish marriage in Israel without coercion from the Rabbinate’s restrictive policies. “Our wedding is not just a private event,” states Rabbi Elhanan, “but also a public statement about the right of every Jewish couple in Israel to choose how to marry.

A newly uncovered document from 1955 shows that the Chief Rabbinate once accepted a simple declaration from Jews stating, “I am Jewish”, as sufficient for marriage eligibility. Today’s Rabbinate has unfortunately drifted toward suspicion and exclusion, especially of immigrants and their children. Chuppot consistently challenges the Chief Rabbinate’s ever-expanding demands for proof of Jewishness—an exclusionary practice we are committed to resisting.

In a Knesset Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women hearing marking Agunah Day, women denied a get described severe coercion, humiliation, and systemic failures within the rabbinical court system. Testimonies described pressure to waive financial and parental rights, prolonged delays, and emotional abuse, while MKs, legal advocates, and rabbinical court officials debated responsibility and accountability. In response to the crisis, Chuppot’s advocacy team was present and emphasized the need for preventive halachic solutions, calling for mandatory prenuptial agreements and other halachic mechanisms to prevent future cases of get refusal and agunah suffering.

In this interview, our CEO, Rivka Arbiv, outlines Chuppot’s strong opposition to Rabbi Law II, which centralizes religious authority under the Minister of Religious Services and strips power from local representatives. Rivka emphasizes that Chuppot firmly believes in decentralization, ensuring decision-making remains with local communities rather than expanding the Rabbanut’s monopolistic control, a shift that threatens religious freedom and accessibility in Israel.

Hilary Faverman, Chuppot’s new Resource Development Manager, shares her transformative professional journey following the traumatic events of October 7th. Confronting the profound impact of the war, she sought efficacy – and pursued meaningful, results-driven methods to contribute to Israeli society. This introspection led her to Chuppot, where she found purpose in driving tangible change within Israel’s religion and state landscape.

Just prior to the (delayed) elections for Chief Rabbinate, Chuppot’s CEO, Rivka Arbiv, asserts that authoritarian control over marriage and divorce is collapsing as more Israelis seek alternatives. She proposes that decision-makers must embrace reform and appoint leadership that serves all Israelis, ensuring freedom of choice in marriage rather than coercion.

Rav Aaron Leibowitz, Chuppot’s founder, proposes that Rabbis have a dual responsibility: to unite Jewish couples in marriage and protect both partners from get-refusal. A halachic prenuptial agreement is a proven tool to prevent this injustice. Rav Aaron proposes that Israel’s Chief Rabbi must mandate its signing, just as the ketubah was standardized, ensuring Jewish marriage protects the vulnerable and upholds justice.

In Justice Unbound, a podcast focusing on women, religion, and the State of Israel, Rivka Lubitsch interviews Rabbi Kalman Pesach (Chuck) Davidson on Chuppot’s mission to provide Orthodox marriage ceremonies outside the Chief Rabbinate. They discuss the Rabbinate’s restrictive monopoly, its politicization, and its role in distancing Jews from Judaism, emphasizing the need for religious freedom in marriage for future generations.

Roni, a secular bride, married through Chuppot to avoid the Chief Rabbinate’s control. Though her partner wanted a halachic wedding, she rejected an institution she sees as exclusionary. In The Liberal Magazine, she highlights that many Israelis are rejecting the Rabbinate’s monopoly. Her fully halachic but unregistered wedding made Roni, along with our Chuppot Rabbi, criminals under Israeli law.

Gila, a Chuppot bride, was denied mikveh access and treated as a second-class citizen for marrying outside the Chief Rabbinate. Through Chuppot, she married within halacha while maintaining her dignity and Jewish heritage. CEO Rivka Arbiv asserts that Judaism belongs to all Jews and calls to dismantle the Rabbinate’s monopoly.

Rabbi Kalman Pesach (Chuck) Davidson, our Director of Halacha, argues that the Chief Rabbinate’s rigid approach to Jewish identity and conversion excludes many who not only identify as Jewish but are indeed Jewish according to Halacha as it is properly understood. He advocates for a more inclusive halachic path, aligning with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s rulings, and calls for alternatives to the Chief Rabbinate’s monopoly on religious services.

In regards to the election of a new Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rivka Arbiv, our CEO, argues that at this point, the Chief Rabbi is merely a political appointment serving political interests. Given that the Chief Rabbi exclusively controls Jewish marriage and divorce, his prolonged absence exposes a deeper crisis – not just bureaucratic but one that affects thousands of Israelis trapped in a flawed, monopolized religious system.

The Chief Rabbinate Council dissolves today at midnight, leaving Israel without Chief Rabbis or a functioning council. Our CEO, Rivka Arbiv, views this situation as a missed opportunity for reform, criticizing political interference in Rabbinic appointments and warning that unqualified, politically connected Rabbis will soon be reinstated instead of professionals serving all Israelis.

Rivka Arbiv, our CEO, exposes how the Chief Rabbinate’s collapse reveals profound systemic failures, while also creating a pivotal opportunity for reform. With political interference consistently ensuring that Rabbis are appointed through nepotism rather than merit, Israelis nationwide are increasingly rejecting the Rabbinate. Rivka envisions a vibrant Jewish future built on choice, not coercion.

Immediately following the election for the new Chief Rabbi of Israel, ​​our CEO, Rivka Arbiv, argues that the elections themselves shine a spotlight on deep systemic failures. She warns that the newly elected Rabbis are unlikely to enact meaningful change, as Israelis increasingly reject religious coercion. Without reform, the Rabbinate risks further losing relevance as people seek alternatives within kashrut, conversion, and marriage.

Our CEO, Rivka Arbiv, warns that the Chief Rabbinate has shifted from a respected spiritual authority to an institution of religious coercion, bureaucracy, and nepotism. As Israelis increasingly reject its authority, she calls for collective reform – urging the Rabbinate to embrace inclusivity. Relinquishing power will not weaken it, asserts Rivka; it is the only chance it has to survive.

Chuppot is advocating for a new authorization document (Shtar Bitachon) allowing soldiers to prevent their wives from becoming agunot if severe wartime injury leaves them unconscious and unable to grant a get. As medical aginut cases rise, Chuppot and other organizations are advocating for this document to become a standard safeguard for military families.

As one of the Israeli organizations working to prevent aginut, alongside Kolech, Itim, Mavoi Satum, and Yad L’isha, Chuppot is actively promoting the use of Sh’tar Bitachon, a halachic authorization ensuring women can receive a get if their husband goes missing, is severely injured, or becomes cognitively incapacitated. Based on Rabbinic precedents, this document protects women from being trapped in marriage due to war or medical crises.

Rivka Arbiv, our CEO, highlights that a new law (called the Rabbi Law) will give the Religious Services Minister full control over appointing Rabbis and funding religious services, bypassing local communities. She argues that this so-called “reform” is simply a ruse to centralize power, prioritizing political control over inclusion while enforcing a rigid, state-controlled religious monopoly.

Chuppot has experienced a 30% rise in marriage within 2023 inquiries as Israelis seek alternatives to the Chief Rabbinate. Our founder, Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, and our CEO, Rivka Arbiv, attribute this surge to political tensions, and asserts that couples turn to Chuppot for a Jewish ceremony free from state control, emphasizing choice and inclusivity.

Rabbi Chuck Davidson, our Director of Halacha and a leader in non-coercive Orthodox alternatives to Israel’s Chief Rabbinate as well as an Av Beit Din of an independent conversion court, discusses Israel’s 500,000 non-halachic Jews. He highlights the Chief Rabbinate’s approach to conversion, the Rav Ovadia Yosef–Rav Elyashiv debate on Jewish lineage, and the authority of Beit Din in conversions.

Chuppot reports a 16% rise in couples choosing Orthodox weddings outside the Rabbinate, citing fears of growing religious control. One bride explains, “We feel that the religious coercion in this country is getting out of hand.” Our founder, Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, notes a more dramatic curve in demand within 2023, with couples avoiding civil registration to bypass Rabbinical courts.

Following extensive study, Rabbi Kalman Pesach (Chuck) Davidson, Director of our Halacha department, asserts that even those observing mourning customs have many permissible days for marriage during the Omer. He argues that the Chief Rabbinate should allow weddings within halachic boundaries, as historical variations and modern holidays like Yom HaAtzmaut provide a valid basis for leniency.

Chuppot reports a 30% rise in inquiries this year as more couples seek Halachic weddings outside the Chief Rabbinate. Hadas Abutbul, a Chuppot bride, explains, “We both deeply love Judaism. For me, it was clear that I wanted to get married according to Halacha, but I don’t particularly like the way the Chief Rabbinate operates today.”

Chuppot is growing as more Israelis seek a service-focused, respectful alternative to Orthodox marriage within the Chief Rabbinate. With a 30% rise in inquiries, most couples come for ideological reasons, driven by concerns over religious coercion. Our founder, Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, affirms, “Our goal is to provide a responsible, Halachically valid option for couples who cannot or choose not to marry through the Rabbinate.”

Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, our founder, explains his support for the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade, emphasizing empathy and listening to LGBTQ+ voices. He condemns violence and urges respectful dialogue, recognizing the struggle of the gay community. Rav Aaron calls for understanding within religious circles, advocating for inclusion and constructive discussions.

Our founder, Rabbi Aharon Leibowitz, once opposed the Jerusalem Pride Parade but changed his stance after Shira Banki’s murder. While upholding Halacha, he recognizes LGBTQ+ individuals’ dignity and right to live fully. He now marches in solidarity at the Jerusalem Pride Parade, affirming, “They deserve to live. Proudly.”

Chuppot is experiencing a 30% rise in demand as more couples seek Halachic weddings outside the Rabbinate. “The Rabbinate’s monopoly drives couples away from both Jewish tradition and Judaism itself,” says Chuppot founder Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz. Chuppot’s growing popularity highlights the demand for Halachic yet independent wedding options – and a growing loss of faith in the Chief Rabbinate’s authority.

Nearly 25% of Israeli couples now marry outside the Rabbanut, seeking a Jewish wedding aligned with their values. Hundreds of these couples are coming to Chuppot. An increasing number of secular couples are opting for Orthodox ceremonies without Rabbanut involvement, citing concerns over government control in marriage and divorce. This shift reflects a growing desire for personal religious expression without institutional coercion.

Attorney Elad Kaplan explores the ethical risks of the Chief Rabbinate’s digital ancestry verification system, which many couples find invasive and humiliating. As more Israelis turn to Chuppot for Halachic weddings, bypassing the Rabbinate, Kaplan warns of a shift from “the Jewish people” to “the Jewish database”, raising privacy and discrimination concerns.

Lian and Ben chose Chuppot for their wedding outside the Chief Rabbinate, seeking an Orthodox, egalitarian ceremony. “The Rabbinate does not represent Judaism for us,” Lian explains. As tensions over religion and state relations grow, more couples bypass the Rabbinate, opting for Halachic yet independent weddings that align with their values.

Our founder, Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, leads the fight against Israel’s religious service monopoly. He warns that Simcha Rothman’s legislative changes aim to dismantle kosher certification reform, stifling competition and preserving the Chief Rabbinate’s monopoly, ultimately harming business owners, consumers, and the integrity of kosher supervision.

Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, Chuppot’s founder, criticizes a new law that reinstates the Chief Rabbinate’s kashrut monopoly, reversing previous reforms that introduced competition. Rav Aaron argues that private kashrut certification ensures transparency and fairness, while the current system fosters corruption. The law, driven by political interests, harms businesses, consumers, and religious freedom in Israel.

This podcast explores marriage and divorce in Israel, questioning the Chief Rabbinate’s monopoly on religious services. It highlights Chuppot as a great option for Jewish Israelis who want a halachic wedding without the Rabbinate. Experts discuss legal challenges, alternative marriage paths, and the growing movement to separate religion from personal relationships.