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cRc Beth Din

 

Teudat Ravakut Application

 

 In order to get married in Israel, one is required to provide proof a) that he/she is     Jewish b) of marital status.  Documents providing this proof can be written by the rabbis of the Beth Din Zedek of the Chicago Rabbinical Council.  If you would like to apply to receive such documentation, you may submit the following application by clicking here. After you have completed the application, click here for a checklist to be sure that you have covered all of the necessary requirements for the application to be considered by the Beth Din.


Jewish Ecclesiastical Court
- Beth Din Zedek  


The Beth Din (also spelled Bais Din or Beit Din) is the Rabbinic Court of the cRc. It is guided and led by our Av Beth Din (head of the Rabbinic Court), the world renowned Torah scholar, Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz Shlit"a. The Beth Din hears and resolves cases involving Jewish law, and financial disputes. It responds to all queries related to the practice and theory of our way of life. It issues Gittin (Jewish Divorces), certificates of Geirut (conversions), and Teudot Ravakut (certificates attesting to the status of the Jewish person) which are internationally recognized, and accepted by the Israeli Rabbinate.

 

 

 

cRc Enhances Beth Din

 

 

 

 

 

Throughout the ages Jewish communities have settled their internal differences and quarrels within the confines of their own borders, primarily by men and women appearing before a Beth Din, a court of rabbis who were experts in Jewish law. The decision that was binding upon litigants was based upon the principles of justice and fairness, with the ultimate goal of preserving peace within the society.

Many years ago the Chicago Rabbinical Council created a Beth Din to function in this field, and the dignity of Chicago Jewry was splendidly enhanced by this establishment. As the reputation of the Beth Din grew, the number of cases brought before it rapidly increased until it became imperative to appoint a full-time chief rabbinical judge. In 1987, the Chicago Rabbinical Council appointed to this position a highly distinguished, nationally recognized Torah scholar, Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz, shlit"a, whose published halachic decisions had earned world-wide respect.

Our community has found Rabbi Schwartz, shlit"a, to be a warm personality, an intelligent student of the needs of a contemporary community, a gifted and popular spokesman for the welfare of all the people in Metropolitan Chicago, and a wise mediator in a broad variety of disturbing situations resulting from the frictions of human understanding. It has frequently been remarked, one of the best things the Chicago Rabbinical Council did in the sixty years of its existence was to bring Rabbi Schwartz, shlit"a, to our city.

One very meaningful area of his specialization is Gittin. The Jewish divorces issued by the Chicago Rabbinical Council have been honored all over the world for two generations, especially in Israel, and Rabbi Schwartz, shlit"a, has a gentle approach to the ritual which spares the parties any unnecessary discomfort. It is, therefore, not surprising that the majority of Orthodox Gittin issued in Chicago come from the office of the cRc Beth Din.

Moreover, Rabbi Schwartz, shlit"a, has initiated a highly successful platform of outreach activity by lecturing to large audiences of those who did not receive intensive educational guidance in their early years, as well as graciously granting private interviews to people with religious issues. At the same time, he has organized popular classes in halacha for rabbis and scholars, who credit him with having improved the professional service they render in our community.

In addition to dealing in the area of Jewish divorce, the Jewish court deals with Jewish adoption, conversion, cases of mediation, and legal disputes. The Chicago Rabbinical Council is proud to announce that two additional distinguished rabbis have been added to our Beth Din to create a more prestigious Jewish court. The rabbis are Rabbi Daniel Raccah, Rabbi of Sephardic Community Shaare Mizrah of Chicago, and Rabbi Ephraim Friedman, a teacher of Yeshivat Makor Chaim in Chicago. These two scholars bring many years of learning experience to the Beth Din. The Chicago Rabbinical Council is confident that these two gentlemen will enhance the Beth Din, not only due to their knowledge, but because like Rabbi Schwartz, shlit"a, have similar approaches and compassion in difficult situations.

Rabbi Alan Abramson has been officially appointed as the Menahel (Administrator) of the Beth Din. Rabbi Abramson coordinates the docket, arranges the witnesses, counsels potential visitors, and meets with the parties involved.

If you would like further information regarding the Beth Din, please contact Rabbi Abramson by phone at (773) 465-3900x106 or by e-mail at abramson@crcweb.org

 

For more information, please click on the links below. You may also call the cRc office at (773)465-3900 or e-mail us at BeisDin@crcweb.org.

Din Torah - Halachic Arbitration              Gett - Religious Divorce