Civil Marriage for Israelis in Israel

The Legal Landscape, Practical Options, and What Every Couple Should Know

Introduction

The question of civil marriage in Israel is one of the most contested issues in the country. It is part of the country’s ongoing negotiation between religion and state. In recent years, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have faced this question. Some cannot marry through the Chief Rabbinate, and others do not wish to marry through it. Still others want a ceremony that genuinely reflects their identity, values, and faith: secular, Reform, pluralistic, or anything in between.

This guide offers a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the legal status of civil marriage in Israel. It covers the practical options currently available to couples and the advantages and disadvantages of each path. It also explains the place of a Jewish-liberal Reform wedding ceremony within this complex landscape.

Important note: The information in this guide is general in nature and does not constitute personal legal advice. For any concrete step, we recommend consulting with an attorney specializing in family law. An experienced Reform rabbi who works with couples navigating these questions can also help.

Chapter One: Why Can’t You Have a Civil Wedding in Israel?

The Religious Monopoly on Marriage

Israel does not allow its citizens to marry in a civil ceremony within its own borders. Since the Rabbinical Courts Jurisdiction Law (Marriage and Divorce) of 1953, exclusive authority over the marriage and divorce of Jews in Israel has rested with the Chief Rabbinate and the rabbinical courts, operating strictly according to Orthodox halakhic law.

A similar arrangement applies to members of other recognized religious communities in Israel. For example, Muslims marry and divorce through Sharia courts. Christians use the courts of their respective churches, and Druze use the Druze religious court. In practice, no official civil path currently exists inside Israel for a secular, egalitarian, pluralistic, or interfaith ceremony.

Who Cannot Marry Through the Rabbinate?

Many Israeli citizens cannot legally marry in Israel at all because of the Orthodox monopoly. The main groups affected include:

Immigrants and their descendants whose Jewish status the Rabbinate does not recognize. Most come from the former Soviet Union (approximately half a million people).
Israelis with no religion in their registration, who do not belong to any recognized religious community.
Interfaith couples, where the partners come from different religions, with no marriage path available to them in Israel.
Same-sex couples, whom neither the Rabbinate nor the other religious courts recognize at all.
Couples whom Orthodox halakhic law disqualifies from marriage. Examples: a Kohen (priestly lineage) and a divorced woman, a Kohen and a convert, mamzerim (children of certain forbidden relationships), and others.
Those who converted through Reform or Conservative Judaism — the Chief Rabbinate does not recognize their conversions for marriage purposes.
Couples who simply do not want to marry through the Rabbinate — whether for ideological, personal, or religious reasons.

The result is a paradoxical situation. In a democratic state, many citizens cannot exercise the basic right to formally establish a family within their own country. They can do so only if they are willing to surrender their identity or abandon their personal choice.

Chapter Two: The Workaround — Civil Marriage Abroad

The Principle of Registration by the Ministry of Interior

Civil marriage is not possible within Israel. However, Israeli law requires the Ministry of Interior to register civil marriages legally performed outside Israel. The registration goes into the Population Registry. Supreme Court rulings dating back to the 1960s established this principle, beginning with the landmark Funk-Schlesinger case. The principle then expanded over subsequent decades. A registration clerk must register the couple as married based on a valid public marriage certificate. The clerk has no duty, and no authority, to assess whether the marriage is substantively valid under religious law.

This status of “registration” (as opposed to substantive religious recognition) creates a unique situation. The Population Registry and the couple’s Israeli ID cards list them as married. They enjoy the full status of a married couple before civil authorities. However, in the event of divorce, and when both spouses are Jewish, they will still need to go through the rabbinical court.

The Traditional Options: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, and Georgia

For decades, the most common solution for Israelis seeking a civil marriage was a short trip to a nearby country to perform the ceremony. Cyprus has been the most popular destination thanks to its proximity. Still, couples have also widely chosen the Czech Republic (especially Prague), Georgia, Italy, and others. A typical process involves arriving physically at the destination, submitting documents, and holding a short civil ceremony at a city hall. The couple then receives a marriage certificate with an Apostille stamp. Upon returning home, they register the marriage at the Ministry of Interior.

Advantages of This Path:

A full in-person ceremony, with family and friends able to attend.
An internationally recognized marriage certificate, accepted in most of the world.
A well-established, well-documented path used by tens of thousands of couples over the years.

Disadvantages of This Path:

Significant costs: flights, accommodations, administrative fees, and bureaucracy.
The need to physically leave Israel. This can be especially problematic for foreign partners residing in Israel without a valid visa.
A process that takes at least several days, and sometimes weeks.

Chapter Three: The Quiet Revolution — Remote “Utah Marriages”

What Are Utah Marriages?

In 2020, Utah responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with a new option. The U.S. state began allowing remote civil marriages via video conference (Zoom). This includes couples who are not American citizens and are not physically present on U.S. soil. Under Utah law, the marriage is valid as long as the officiant conducts the ceremony under Utah’s legal authority. This holds regardless of where the participants physically are.

The practical meaning: an Israeli couple can sit in their own living room in Israel. From there, they connect via video to an authorized officiant in Utah. They conduct a short ceremony in basic English (about 30 minutes). Within a few days, they receive an official Utah marriage certificate. The United States and most of the world recognize it.

The Bril Ruling — Israeli Recognition

Initially, the Israeli Ministry of Interior refused to register couples who had married via Utah. Its argument was that the ceremony had not taken place physically outside of Israel. Hiddush filed a petition that led to the Bril case. The case ended in a landmark Supreme Court ruling on March 7, 2023 (AAA 7368/22, Ministry of Interior v. Bril), upholding the Administrative Affairs Court. The ruling was unequivocal. For registration purposes, the state must treat Utah marriages exactly like any other civil marriage of Israelis performed abroad. The Ministry of Interior must register these couples as married in the Population Registry. The Court ruled on registration only, not on the substantive validity of the marriage.

Advantages of Utah Marriages

Significant savings, with no flights or hotels required.
No need to leave Israel. This is especially critical for foreign partners residing in Israel without a visa. It is equally critical for same-sex couples whose partner’s home country does not permit their marriage.
Speed: couples can typically schedule a ceremony date within days and complete registration at the Ministry of Interior within weeks.
Fully egalitarian: this path is open to same-sex couples, interfaith couples, those with no religious affiliation, and halakhically disqualified couples. It is also open to anyone seeking a civil ceremony.
An official U.S. marriage certificate — recognized in the vast majority of countries around the world.

⚠ Important Update for 2026: Utah’s SB 257 did not prohibit remote marriages. Its signing date was March 18, 2026, and it took effect on May 6, 2026. Sometimes the couple is not physically present in the same location as the officiant. In that case, the county that issues the license posts a warning on its website. The warning says an online marriage solemnized in Utah may be invalid in the country where the couple resides. The officiant also reads that warning aloud, verbatim, immediately before the ceremony. The service continues to operate. If Utah marriage is relevant to your situation, we recommend consulting with a professional.

Chapter Four: A Reform Jewish Wedding in Israel — A Jewish-Liberal Ceremony Outside the Rabbinate

What Is a Reform Chuppah?

Alongside the civil paths, many couples in Israel are looking specifically for a Jewish ceremony. However, they want one outside the authority of the Chief Rabbinate that genuinely reflects their values. A Reform Jewish wedding is a fully Jewish wedding ceremony. An ordained rabbi of the Reform Movement conducts it. In Israel, this is the Movement for Progressive Judaism. The ceremony includes all the core elements of the traditional Jewish wedding: chuppah (canopy), betrothal blessings, kiddushin (sanctification), ketubah (marriage contract), the Seven Blessings (Sheva Brachot), and the breaking of the glass. However, the rabbi conducts it through a liberal, pluralistic, and egalitarian religious lens.

Distinctive Features of a Reform Ceremony

Full equality between the partners: both are active participants and exchange rings. They bless one another and recite their vows in a mutual, reciprocal formulation.
A modern, egalitarian ketubah — a marriage contract that reflects shared commitment, rather than the traditional one-sided document.
A ceremony conducted in modern Hebrew — alongside biblical Hebrew and Aramaic — so that all guests can meaningfully follow along.
Deep personalization: the rabbi meets with the couple several times before the wedding. Together, they craft the ceremony based on their story, values, and relationship.
Openness: many Reform communities around the world perform ceremonies for same-sex couples and interfaith couples. In Israel, Reform rabbis perform kiddushin ceremonies only for two Jewish partners (according to the Ministry of Interior registration). However, the Movement offers welcoming, liberal conversion paths for partners wishing to join the Jewish people.

The Legal Status of a Reform Wedding in Israel

Here we must clarify an important point. The State of Israel granted the Chief Rabbinate a monopoly over the registration of Jewish marriages. Through this monopoly, the state does not recognize Reform rabbis (or Conservative rabbis) as authorized marriage registrars. This has a clear result for a couple married solely in a Reform ceremony in Israel. The Ministry of Interior does not register them as married. Officially, their personal status remains “single.”

Despite this, a Reform wedding carries meaningful legal weight. The Reform Movement issues couples a formal Certificate of Chuppah and Partnership (Te’udat Chuppah ve-Zugiyut). Israeli family courts have ruled that this certificate serves as significant evidence of a committed partnership and a joint household. In this way, it strengthens the couple’s legal standing as “common-law spouses” (yedu’im be-tzibur) before any public authority. Examples include the National Insurance Institute, health funds, tax authorities, banks, employers, and more.

Two Practical Paths for Reform-Minded Couples

Some couples want to combine a meaningful Jewish-Reform ceremony with full state recognition of their marriage. They have two well-established paths:

Path A: A Reform chuppah in Israel combined with registration as common-law partners. The couple holds a Reform ceremony and receives the Certificate of Chuppah and Partnership from the Movement. They also sign a financial agreement and a cohabitation agreement, and establish their status as common-law spouses. This path suits couples for whom the religious ceremony itself is the priority. Their official marital status vis-à-vis the state matters less to them.

Path B: A civil marriage (Utah or abroad) followed by a Reform chuppah. The couple first marries in a civil ceremony and registers at the Ministry of Interior as “married.” Separately, they hold a Reform Jewish chuppah as the spiritual and communal celebration of the marriage. This is generally the recommended path today. It gives the couple both the full legal status of a married couple and a meaningful Jewish ceremony.

Chapter Five: Common-Law Partnership — Alternative or Partial Solution?

Some couples choose not to marry at all: not through the Rabbinate, not civilly, and not in a Reform ceremony. For them, Israel recognizes the status of “common-law spouses” (yedu’im be-tzibur). This legal status developed through court rulings. It grants couples rights and obligations largely similar to those of a married couple. These cover National Insurance, inheritance, spousal support, pension rights, and more.

However, the status also has important limitations. First, recognition is not automatic. The couple may need to prove the nature of their relationship in various situations. Second, not every country abroad recognizes the status (an important consideration for interfaith couples or those who may reside overseas).

Common-law partnership therefore fits best those couples who choose not to formalize their bond through a ceremony and certificate. Their reasons may be ideological or personal. For couples who want an official “wedding”, just not through the Rabbinate, the civil paths are generally more efficient.

Chapter Six: The Question of Divorce — The Blind Spot

This issue deserves special attention, and many couples are not aware of it at the time of their wedding. Even a Jewish couple that marries in a civil ceremony abroad or through a Utah marriage faces it. In most cases, such a couple will still have to divorce through the rabbinical court if they later separate. The exclusive jurisdiction of the rabbinical courts over Jewish divorces in Israel applies even to couples who did not marry through them.

The situation differs for same-sex couples, couples where only one partner is Jewish, or couples with no religion. In these cases, the rabbinical court does not view the marriage as halakhically valid. Therefore, it declines jurisdiction and leaves divorce proceedings to the family courts. Sometimes, even in civil marriages between two Jewish partners, the rabbinical court may annul the marriage ab initio. This can happen if it concludes that no reconciliation is possible. Such an annulment eliminates the need for a religious get (Jewish divorce).

Important recommendation: For any couple planning to marry (civilly, religiously-Reform, or even through the Rabbinate), we strongly recommend two agreements. Before the wedding, draw up a financial (prenuptial) agreement and a cohabitation agreement. Prepare such an agreement with an attorney specializing in family law. It can save enormous heartache and legal battles in the event of separation. It also ensures that property division and financial rights reflect the couple’s own wishes, not the dictates of religious law.

Chapter Seven: Summary and Guidance — Which Path Is Right for Us?

There is no single answer that fits every couple. The choice of marriage path depends on the partners’ identities, their values, practical constraints, and goals:

For a couple where both partners are Jewish, seeking a meaningful liberal Jewish ceremony and full state recognition: A combination of a Utah marriage (or another civil ceremony abroad) followed by a Reform chuppah provides a complete and deeply meaningful solution.

For same-sex couples, interfaith couples, or couples with no religion: Utah marriages are currently the fastest, least expensive, and most egalitarian option for establishing civil marital status. Want a spiritual dimension too? You can add a secular Jewish ceremony, such as those offered by the Havaya organization, or a personalized egalitarian ceremony. Jewish couples can also add a Reform chuppah.

For an interfaith couple where the foreign partner resides in Israel: A Utah marriage eliminates the need to apply for special permission to leave and re-enter Israel.

For a couple who prefers not to marry at all: The common-law partnership path, supported by a cohabitation agreement and a financial agreement, offers broad legal recognition within Israel. However, it is important to be aware of its limitations. They matter particularly in international contexts and in matters of legal status for a foreign spouse.

A Closing Word

The choice of how to marry is one of the most personal and profound decisions in a couple’s life. It touches on identity, tradition, faith, community, and the mutual commitment you are building together. In Israel of 2026, despite the legal complexities, more lawful options are available than ever before. And the choice is yours to make.

I warmly invite you to reach out for an initial, no-obligation consultation. Together, we can explore the path that best fits your story. We can design a ceremony that truly reflects your unique journey as a couple. And we can build your home together in joy, equality, and meaning.