An organization of Modern Orthodox rabbis that performs alternative religious wedding ceremonies for non-religious couples can continue to register the couples.

The Tzohar organization can register the married couples in the community of Shoham, where the head of the organization serves as chief rabbi, while a new bill proposed to loosen restrictions on where marriages can be registered works its way through the system, the organization said Thursday.

Weddings currently must be registered with the municipal rabbinate where one member of the couple lives. Tzohar had been registering couples with one of two municipal rabbinates headed by members of the organization, in Shoham and Gush Etzion, in contravention of the law. Under Thursday’s agreement, the organization can continue to register the couples.

A Jewish couple must have a religious ceremony in Israel in order to be recognized as married. Many travel abroad to marry in secular ceremonies.

Tzohar helped to involve couples and their families in the ceremony, marrying about 3,000 couples a year free of charge.

The Kadima Party has initiated a bill that would cancel regional marriage registrations, according to Ynet. Religious Services Minister Ya’akov Margi of the haredi Orthodox Shas party told Ynet he does not object to the bill’s proposal.

“This new regulation will improve Tzohar’s ability to increase its success of assisting secular couples to marry in full compliance with both halachaj and the laws of the State of Israel,” said Rabbi David Stav, who heads Tzohar. “We therefore thank Minister Margi for re-evaluating this issue and making the necessary decision, which will benefit many thousands of Jewish couples in the years ahead.”

“This should be viewed as a major victory for Jewish values and Israeli democracy, and we hope that it will be the beginning of continued progress in healing the divide in society and preserving the Jewish character of the State of Israel.”

Margi told Ynet that he was not trying to shut down Tzohar but was trying to fix flaws in the wedding registration system, which is under investigation by the state comptroller.

This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.

We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.

This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.

With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.

The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.

Don't just read the Forward - invest in it. Make a matched gift today.

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$120 $180 $360 OTHER AMOUNT