What Is a Will in Israel Inheritance Law

This short article briefly addresses information about a will in Israel inheritance law.

This Series of Posts

Our law office specializes in a variety of fields, including inheritance law in Israel. This article is one in a long series discussing different aspects of Israel inheritance law, based on the instructions on the Ministry of Justice website under the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs. To read more, see our collection of articles on inheritance issues.

A Will in Israel Inheritance Law

A will is a legal document which details how an individual’s property should be distributed after they pass away. A will ensures that the individual’s property will be divided according to their wishes. It can detail instructions or conditions as to how the individual wishes for the property to be administered or divided. A will does not have to be detailed, and it may just include guidelines on how the individual wishes to distribute their property.

The Registrar of Inheritance Affairs manages these issues within the Ministry of Justice in Israel.

Four Types of Wills

There are four types of wills recognized in Israel inheritance law.

A handwritten will
A will that is made in the the presence of witnesses
A will that is made before an authority
An oral will (otherwise known as a “deathbed will”)

An individual may leave as many wills as they like, however, the last will issued is considered to be the valid will. Once the valid will is verified, it nullifies any prior wills. For more information related to this, see our articles with more details on the four types of wills or depositing a will.