Israel Religious Action Center Facts for Kids

The Israel Religious Action Center (Hebrew: המרכז הרפורמי לדת ומדינה), also known as IRAC, started in 1987. It is the public and legal part of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism. IRAC is located in Jerusalem, Israel.

IRAC works to protect equality, social justice, and religious pluralism in Israel. They do this through the Israeli legal system, by talking to lawmakers, and by publishing information. Author Elana Maryles Sztokman calls IRAC "the top civil and human rights organization in Israel." This means they help make sure everyone has their basic rights and that Israel is a fair country for all.

Some of their recent projects include trying to stop separating men and women on public buses. They also helped end special payments for some religious students. And they speak up for groups that protect human rights in Israel. Anat Hoffman leads IRAC. She also helped start "Women of the Wall" (WoW). This group of women prays at the Western Wall in a way that treats everyone equally. Rabbi Noa Sattath is also a director at IRAC.

What IRAC Focuses On
Key Actions and Successes
See also

What IRAC Focuses On

Helping different religious groups in Israel be accepted. They work for equal support for Reform and Conservative Jewish groups.
Supporting people's freedom to marry who they choose. They also work for equal rights when people get divorced.
Fighting against treating women unfairly and against separating genders.
Opposing racism in Israel, especially when religious or government leaders encourage it.
Making sure people who convert to Judaism have their rights protected.

Key Actions and Successes

Fighting Hateful Ideas

In 2006, IRAC complained about some Jerusalem rabbis spreading hateful ideas. Because of this complaint, the police started an investigation. The rabbis had said a new school for both Hebrew and Arab students was wrong. They called Arabs "impure" and "donkeys." IRAC hoped this investigation would stop people from using religion to spread unfair and racist views.

Equal Pay for Rabbis

In 2012, IRAC won a big court case that lasted eight years. The Israeli government agreed to pay the salaries of four non-Orthodox rabbis. This was a major step because it showed that other types of rabbis could also be supported by the government.

Stopping Discrimination on Radio

In 2014, IRAC won its first group lawsuit. A court in Jerusalem agreed that a group called Kolech could get money from Kol baRama. Kol baRama is an ultra-Orthodox radio station that did not let women speak on its shows or work there. Kolech is a group for Orthodox women.

In 2018, the Jerusalem District Court ruled again that Kol Barama radio station must pay 1 million NIS (Israeli currency) in damages. This was because they did not allow women's voices on the radio. This was the first group lawsuit about civil rights and gender separation in Israel.

Ending Gender Separation at Funerals

In December 2014, a court ruled that a burial society called Chevra Kadisha could no longer put up signs separating men and women at funerals. This could only happen if the family of the person who died asked for it. IRAC and another group had filed a complaint. They said this separation went against rules from the Religious Services Ministry.

An IRAC lawyer, Orly Erez-Likhovski, said this was "excellent news." She explained that the burial companies had refused to follow the rules before. This ruling meant the end of unfair separation signs in cemeteries.

Challenging Anti-Assimilation Groups

In December 2014, The Times of Israel interviewed Anat Hoffman about a school fire. The fire was likely started by members of an anti-assimilation group called Lehava. Hoffman said IRAC had complained to the attorney general over 40 times about Lehava since 2010. But they had received very few serious responses.

Because of this, IRAC joined other groups in October 2014 to ask the High Court of Justice for help. They asked the court to make the attorney general investigate Lehava. They accused the group of many illegal actions. These included encouraging housing discrimination against non-Jews and bothering groups that hire Arabs.

Women's Photos on Campaign Posters

In January 2014, the head of IRAC's legal team spoke to Haaretz about a city called Bnei Brak. The city tried to take down campaign posters that showed photos of women candidates. In ultra-Orthodox areas of the city, women are usually not seen in ads.

City officials said they were told to remove signs with women politicians like Miri Regev and Gila Gamliel. The police first supported the city, but then said the signs could not be removed. City officials said they were just trying to respect religious people's feelings.

But Orly Erez-Likhovski, from IRAC, said this was a win for gender equality. She was happy that the politicians did not give up. She said it shows that people are starting to understand that keeping women out of public view is illegal and wrong.

Rights on Flights

IRAC is working to help airline passengers who have faced gender separation on flights. Some Orthodox male passengers have tried to make women move from their assigned seats. IRAC is using its experience from fighting for women's rights on buses. They are working with airlines to create rules that protect female passengers' rights in the air.

In January 2015, IRAC contacted almost twenty airlines that fly to and from Israel. They asked to meet to find solutions that protect women and follow laws against gender separation. Anat Hoffman told The New York Times that IRAC started a campaign asking women not to give up their seats. She said she had "a hundred stories" about this issue.

In February 2016, an 81-year-old lawyer named Renee Rabinowitz sued El Al airline. She was pressured to move from her seat to please a religious man who did not want to sit next to a woman. IRAC helped her seek money from the airline. On June 22, 2017, a court ruled that El Al must pay Rabinowitz 6500 shekels. The court also said that airline staff cannot ask a passenger to change seats because of another passenger's gender.

Even with this ruling, IRAC believes passengers might still face such requests. They planned an advertising program for airports to remind women of their rights. However, Israeli authorities did not allow these ads to be posted.

Israel Religious Action Center facts for kids

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