Divorce for Christians in Israel
This article will address divorce for Christians in Israel, meaning that both partners are Christian, either from the same or different recognized religious communities.
Ways to Obtain Divorce for Christians in Israel
There are two primary ways for Christians to obtain a divorce in Israel: 1) through a recognized church court when they both belong to the same religious denomination, and 2) through the family court when the two parties belong to different Christian traditions/communities.
Recognized Christian Communities in Israel
The Israeli legal system grants autonomy to the different religious communities within the country, particularly when it comes to family law and issues like marriage, similarly to the British Mandate from which it draws its roots. Thus, religious communities that were recognized during the time of the British Mandate have their own court system and jurisdiction over marriage and divorce for their members. The Christian communities that are recognized in Israel and that have their own court systems are: Eastern Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic (Latin), Armenian Catholic, Syrian Catholic, Greek Catholic, Armenian Gregorian, and Maronite.
If a Roman Catholic couple or Greek Orthodox couple, among others, seek a divorce, they must do so through their court system. This is the case even if they married abroad. The only exception to this is if one of the parties belongs to a recognized religious community and the other party belongs to a different religious community (recognized or unrecognized); in this case, the “mixed couple” can bring their request for dissolution of marriage to the family court.
Protestant Divorce in Israel
It is not possible to obtain a Protestant divorce in Israel through the Christian courts as it is not a recognized denomination or community by the state of Israel. However, it is possible to obtain a dissolution of marriage procedure, which should be quick due to the lack of religious recognition. When religions are recognized, the procedure can take much longer. Two Protestants or a Protestant and non-Protestant can go through a civil dissolution of marriage in the family court.
Anglican Divorce in Israel
Similar to the Protestant divorce in Israel section, there is no such thing as an Anglican divorce in Israel through the Christian court system. This will be dealt with through the civil (family) courts.
Additional Articles of Interest
We provide many articles on our website related to family law and divorce for the convenience of our clients. If you seek to read about divorce between Jews, divorce between a Jew and a non-Jew, divorce for Muslims, divorce with children, and more, please click on the relevant links.
Contact Us
If you seek legal assistance regarding divorce for Christians in Israel, please contact us. Advocate Anat Levi from our office, specializes in family law and divorce, and she can help you with your divorce or dissolution process.
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