The Jewish Legal Heritage Society
Jewish law and values for modern society

About us For further reading
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Workshops in High Schools For further reading
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Publications For further reading
Jewish Law for Israel For further reading (section V)
Current Projects:
Sumptuary Laws
Law and Ethics

Once the Law of the entire Jewish people, Jewish law has reemerged to play a formative role in the Israeli legal system. Since its inception, Israeli law has created numerous legal precedents originating from the Jewish legal tradition. In 1980, this connection between Jewish law and the law of the modern State of Israel was mandated with the passage of the Foundations of Law Act. The enactment of this statute was a major change in the Israeli legal system, which ended the formal dependence of Israeli law upon English law. It stipulated that wherever prior Israeli law offers no solution to a particular legal question at issue, the court is directed to render the decision on the basis of the "principles of freedom, justice, equity, and peace in the Jewish tradition." The Jewish Legal Heritage Society has contributed to putting this Act into practice with its various educational activities.


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