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In Israel, religious authorities have exclusive jurisdiction over marriages.
There is a Muslim authority and a Christian one, and for Jews
getting married can only happen through the Chief Rabbinate.
According to the Israeli Law, all marriages and divorces
are under the exclusive control of the Chief Rabbinate.
The only way for (Jews) to get married is in the Rabbinical courts.
There is no other way to get married, there are no civil marriages.
The Chief Rabbinate's monopoly of the marriage institution has made it
impossible for some Jewish couples to get married in their home country.
We follow the Jewish religion and therefore marry only man and woman,
marriages by same-sex couples are not recognized.
Same-sex couples can not be married by the Chief Rabbinate
because this is forbidden in the Jewish holy books.
Assaf and Ronen Hadi-Cohen have been living together in Tel Aviv since 2004.
This dog is the reason I won Assaf's love...
We had two weddings; the first was in Canada on July 9th 2007.
Assaf and Ronen took advantage of a 2006 ruling
by the Israeli Supreme Court that ordered the government to
recognize documents of same-sex couples who married abroad.
Since that court ruling, Canada - a country which
allows non citizens to get married instantly -
has become a favorite destination for Israeli
same-sex couples who want to formalize their relationship.
After receiving the Canadian marriage documents we went to the
(Israeli) Interior Ministry's office and handed them to the clerk.
Within 5 minutes it was added to our I.D.'s that we are married.
With their I.D.'s stating they are married
Assaf and Ronen's partnership was officialy recognized by the state.
But for those who cannot afford to marry abroad
there is an alternative option.
A domestic partnership contract, approved by a judge,
entitles those who sign it to the same rights and financial
benefits as married couples.
Being a couple matters for tax benefits, for social benifets
for education benefits, that is why it matters.
You have to get services from the institutions as couples.
Lawyer Irit Rosenblum established "New-Family",
an N.G.O. which provides legal assistance to couples
that are unrecognized by the Chief Rabbinate.
For same-sex couples and for interreligious couples
- who are also unrecognized -
The "New-Family" I.D. serves as a presentable legal document,
which makes dealing with public institutions easier.
It is a small affidavit that the couple declared in front
of a "New-Family" lawyer, that (states) they are
living together and sharing the same household,
As an affidavit, all the institutions have to recognize this.
For example, they have can take a loan in the bank as couples,
they have all the benefits of insurance as couples,
everything according to this legal item.
2,500 same-sex couples in Israel already have the "New-Family" I.D.
and therefore the same benefits as married couples.
But for Assaf and Ronen getting married was about
more than just signing a legal contract.
After their Canada wedding, they celebrated with
a ceremony in Israel.
...May you be my husband in the eyes of god and people...
A wedding is a very clear statement; this is my partner,
with him I want to live, with him I want to raise children.
When Assaf asked me why we should have a wedding,
I said that I want to declare in front of my tribe
- the people I really love - that Assaf is the person I want
to go to bed with every night and wake up next to every morning.
The Israeli gay community's battle for equal rights is progressing
Through partnership contracts and recognition of marriages done abroad
the country's liberal judicial system has helped
same-sex couples bypass the conservative marriage law.
We have more rights than same-sex couples had 20 years ago
It's frustrating because I am sure that in 10 years
same-sex couples will have even more rights than we have now.
We know a revolution can only happen one step at a time.