Costs to Marry, Die and Even Eat in Israel Set to Go Up

There is no civil marriage in Israel, so all issues of personal status are unde the control of Israel’s Orthodox Rabbinate. Starting next month fees are set to rise for all religious services including marriage registration, burial, and kosher certification for restaurants. The Religious Services Ministry said the planned increases were due to “price rises, linkage to Consumer Index and various changes since the last fee update, in 2003. Many of the fees will go up by 30 percent to 50 percent. The price hikes come among growing resentment between secular and ultra-Orthodox Israelis over issues such as army service continue to grow. Most of the ultra-Orthodox do not serve in the army. The Israeli press this week also revealed that many local rabbis receive salaries $100,000 – $200,000 funded by the state, up to ten times the average Israeli yearly salary.