Israeli Legislation.com
LawFamily LawCivil Law

Adoption of Children Law, 5741-1981

חוק אימוץ ילדים, תשמ"א-1981

Published: 1981-05-28Consolidated Hebrew text as of 2025-10-09 · Last amended 2018-07-12✓ Amendment status checked against the Knesset legislation record on 2026-09-07
Premium
Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More

This English text was translated from the official Hebrew using a range of translation tools, and it undergoes ongoing checks and updates. It is not a certified translation.

Despite these checks, it may contain errors, omissions, or imprecise renderings of legal terminology and cross-references, and it may not yet reflect the latest amendments. It cannot be relied upon as a legal text.

The Hebrew text as published in Reshumot (ספר החוקים) and on the Knesset website is the sole authoritative and legally binding version. In any discrepancy, the Hebrew text prevails.

This translation is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For use in legal proceedings, request a certified Expert Legal Opinion.

Adoption order and decisions in adoption proceedings§

1.
(a)Adoption shall be by order of a court, granted upon the application of an adopter.
(b)An adoption order and any other decision in adoption proceedings shall be granted if the court is satisfied that they are in the best interests of the adoptee.

Definitions§

1a.

In this Law –

"child", "adoptee" – a person who has been adopted or is a candidate for adoption, as the case may be;

"adopter" – a person who has adopted or is a candidate to adopt, as the case may be;

"dayan" – any of the following:

(1)a dayan as defined in the Dayanim Law, 5715-1955;
(2)a Qadi Madhab as defined in the Druze Religious Courts Law, 5723-1962;
(3)a Qadi as defined in the Qadis Law, 5721-1961;
(4)a dayan of a court of a Christian community within the meaning of Section 54 of the Palestine Order in Council, 1922 to 1947;

"lawyer" – an advocate, not being an advocate authorised by the Attorney General for the purposes of this Law, who is qualified to be a judge of a Family Court, and whom the Attorney General has authorised for the purpose of receiving a parent's consent to the surrender of his or her child for adoption;

"judge" – a judge of a Family Court.

Best interests of the adoptee§

1b.

When examining the best interests of the adoptee in decisions in adoption proceedings, the rights, needs and interests of the child shall be taken into account, including the child's right to stability and, in that context, minimising transfers between frameworks or between families to the extent possible; insofar as the adoptee is capable of understanding the matter, his or her wishes and views regarding that matter shall also be taken into account, without derogating from the provisions of section 7.

Eligibility of the adoptee§

2.

No adoption shall take place except in respect of a person who has not yet attained the age of 18 years.

Eligibility of the adopter§

3.

No adoption shall take place except by a husband and wife together; however, a court may grant an adoption order to a single adopter –

(1)if the adopter's spouse is a parent of the adoptee or has previously adopted the adoptee;
(2)if the parents of the adoptee have died and the adopter is a relative of the adoptee and is unmarried.

Age difference§

4.

No adopter shall be eligible unless he or she is at least 18 years older than the adoptee; however, in the case of an adopter whose spouse is a parent of the adoptee or has previously adopted the adoptee, a court may grant an adoption order even where that age difference does not exist.

Religion§

5.

No adopter shall be eligible unless he or she is of the same religion as the adoptee.

Trial period§

6.

A court shall not grant an adoption order unless the adoptee has been dependent on the adopter for at least six months before the order is granted; this period shall be counted from the day on which notice was given to a social worker appointed for the purposes of this Law as referred to in section 36 (hereinafter – adoption law social worker) that the adopter received the adoptee into his or her home with the intention of adopting the adoptee.

Consent of the adoptee§

7.

Where the adoptee has attained the age of nine years, or has not yet attained the age of nine years but is capable of understanding the matter, a court shall not grant an adoption order unless it is satisfied that the adoptee wishes that adopter to adopt him or her; however, a court may, after hearing the adopter and an adoption law social worker, grant an adoption order without disclosing the fact of the adoption to the adoptee if it is convinced that all three of the following conditions are fulfilled:

(1)the adoptee does not know that the adopter is not his or her parent;
(2)all indications show that the adoptee wishes to continue the relationship with the adopter;
(3)the best interests of the adoptee require that the fact of the adoption not be disclosed to him or her.

Parental consent or declaration of a child as adoptable§

8.
(a)A court shall not grant an adoption order unless it is satisfied that the parents of the adoptee have consented to the adoption of the child or that the child has been declared adoptable under section 13.
(b)The parents need not know the identity of the adopter.
(c)(Repealed)

Parental consent and the time of its receipt§

8a.
(a)A parent's consent to the surrender of his or her child for adoption shall be informed consent given after information has been brought to the parent's knowledge, all as provided in sections 8b and 9.
(b)A parent's consent to the surrender of his or her child for adoption shall not be received until after seven days have elapsed from the date of the child's birth.
(c)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b), a court may approve that a parent's consent be received even if seven days have not elapsed from the date of the child's birth, if it finds that receiving the consent only after the said period has elapsed is liable to endanger the life or health of the parent or of the child; a court approval under this subsection shall be given before the consent is received and may be given in the absence of the parent.

Provision of information and explanations before receiving consent to the surrender of a child for adoption§

8b.
(a)An adoption law social worker handling the matter of receiving a parent's consent to the surrender of his or her child for adoption shall bring to the parent's knowledge and shall explain to him or her, in clear language that is comprehensible to him or her, the particulars set out below:
(1)the options for raising the child personally, or with the assistance of welfare services in other ways prescribed by law, instead of surrendering the child for adoption, including by receiving financial and therapeutic assistance as prescribed by law and as is customary in welfare services;
(2)the meaning of adoption, including possible emotional effects of the adoption and of the consent to the surrender of the child for adoption on the child and on the parent;
(3)the stages of the adoption process;
(4)the legal significance of the adoption process and the legal consequences of the adoption and of the consent to the surrender of the child for adoption for the child and for the parent, including the following matters:
(a)the significance of adoption in respect of the termination of the obligations and rights between the child and the parent and his or her other relatives, and in respect of the powers vested in them in relation to the child, including in respect of the deprivation of the right to receive information about the child, about legal proceedings in his or her matter, about the identity of the person seeking to adopt him or her and about the identity of the person who will adopt him or her, all unless the court orders otherwise in the adoption order;
(b)the significance of consent to adoption in respect of the transfer of the rights, obligations and powers of the parent towards the child to an adoption law social worker, until the adoption order is granted;
(c)the circumstances in which the consent may be retracted or revoked, and the finality of the consent;
(d)the right of the child, upon reaching the age of 18, to request to inspect the adoption register and to receive particulars about the parent;
(5)the possibility of consulting with any party before signing the consent instrument and of being accompanied by an additional person at the time of signing the consent instrument;
(6)the importance of providing particulars of the other parent and the possibility of providing such particulars for certain purposes only as referred to in section 8c;
(7)the possibility of leaving a letter or a memento for the child in the adoption file.
(b)The information and explanations under this section shall be provided before the time of receipt of the consent.

Particulars of the other parent§

8c.
(a)An adoption law social worker shall explain to a parent who wishes to surrender his or her child for adoption the importance of providing particulars of the other parent for the purpose of obtaining the other parent's position regarding the adoption and for the purpose of ensuring the best interests of the child.
(b)If the parent refuses to provide particulars of the other parent, the adoption law social worker shall bring to his or her knowledge that the parent is entitled to provide such particulars to be used when necessary for a medical purpose, for the purpose of determining lineage, or for another purpose specified by the parent; if such particulars are provided, they shall not be used except for the purposes for which they were provided.
(c)Notice of the intention to locate the other parent by means of particulars provided under this section shall be given to the parent, if he or she so requests or if the adoption law social worker considers it necessary in the circumstances of the matter.
(d)The Minister of Welfare and Social Services shall prescribe provisions regarding the separate and confidential storage of the particulars referred to in this section and the use thereof.

Giving of parental consent§

9.
(a)A parent's consent to the surrender of a child for adoption shall be given in one of the following ways:
(1)before a judge or a dayan, and an adoption law social worker;
(2)before a lawyer and an adoption law social worker.
(b)A parent is entitled to have a person of his or her choice, on his or her behalf, present at the time of giving consent to the surrender of his or her child for adoption.
(c)The giving of a parent's consent to the surrender of his or her child for adoption shall be documented in a consent instrument in the form to be prescribed by the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Welfare and Social Services (in this Law – the consent instrument).
(d)Before the parent signs the consent instrument –
(1)the adoption law social worker shall explain to the parent, in clear language that is comprehensible to him or her, the matters set out in section 8b(a)(1), (2), (6) and (7), and shall verify that he or she has understood them;
(2)the judge, the dayan or the lawyer, as the case may be, shall explain to the parent, in clear language that is comprehensible to him or her, the matters set out in section 8b(a)(3), (4) and (5), and shall verify that he or she has understood them.
(e)The parent shall sign the consent instrument and shall declare that he or she signed with understanding and of his or her own free will and after all the particulars of the consent instrument were explained to him or her in clear language that is comprehensible to him or her.
(f)The adoption law social worker shall confirm by his or her signature on the consent instrument that the parent signed the consent instrument before him or her, after having done his or her utmost to bring to the parent's knowledge the information and explanations referred to in subsection (d)(1).
(g)The judge, the dayan or the lawyer, as the case may be, shall confirm by his or her signature on the consent instrument that he or she identified the parent and that the parent signed the consent instrument before him or her, after having done his or her utmost to bring to the parent's knowledge the information and explanations referred to in subsection (d)(2).

Parental consent given outside Israel§

9a.

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 9, consent to the surrender of a child for adoption given outside Israel shall be given in one of the following ways:

(1)by signing a consent instrument before the diplomatic or consular representative of Israel; before the signing of the consent instrument, the person before whom the consent is given shall verify that he or she identifies the parent and that the consent instrument is in a language comprehensible to the parent;
(2)in accordance with the law of the place where the consent is given;
(3)in accordance with the law of the place of habitual residence of the person giving the consent or of the child at the time the consent is given.

Consent of a parent who is a minor§

9b.
(a)The consent of a parent who has not yet attained the age of 18 years to the surrender of his or her child for adoption does not require the consent of his or her parents or guardian.
(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of section 9(a), the consent of a parent who has not yet attained the age of 16 years shall be given before a judge in the presence of an adoption law social worker; a proceeding under this subsection may be held outside the seat of the court.
(c)If the court is satisfied that it is impossible to conduct the proceeding as referred to in subsection (b) without endangering the life or health of the parent or of the child, it may approve that the parent's consent be given in the manner referred to in section 9(a)(2); a court approval under this subsection shall be given within 48 hours after the receipt of the consent, at the latest.

Transfer of a request for the surrender of a child for adoption to the court§

9c.

If an adoption law social worker or a lawyer considers that in the circumstances of the matter the parent's consent to the surrender of his or her child for adoption should not be received, and the parent wishes to surrender his or her child for adoption, the worker shall refer the parent's request for determination by the court.

Limitations on parental consent§

10.
(a)Upon the application of a parent, a court may revoke the parent's consent to the surrender of his or her child for adoption if it finds that the consent was obtained by improper means, or may permit the parent to retract his or her consent to the surrender of his or her child for adoption for special reasons that shall be recorded, provided that at the time of filing the application, 60 days have not yet elapsed from the date of the surrender of the child to the person who agreed to receive the child into his or her home with the intention of adopting the child or from the date of the parent's signature on the consent instrument, whichever is later, and no adoption order has yet been granted; the application shall be filed with the court on an application form as shall be prescribed in Regulations.
(b)If a parent approaches an adoption law social worker during the period referred to in subsection (a) and notifies the worker of his or her wish to file an application as referred to in that subsection, the social worker shall provide the parent, without delay, with information regarding the procedure for filing the application, and if the parent so wishes – shall assist the parent in completing the application form and filing it with the court.
(c)If the period referred to in subsection (a) has elapsed and the child remains with the person who received the child into his or her home with the intention of adopting the child, or if an adoption order has been granted, the court shall no longer be entitled to revoke the parent's consent to the surrender of his or her child for adoption or to permit the parent to retract his or her consent.
(d)A decision of the court under this section shall be given within 40 days from the date of filing the application; an appeal against the decision shall be filed within 15 days from the date of its service; the court's decision on appeal shall be given within 30 days from the date of its filing.

Grandparents§

11.

When a court is about to grant an adoption order in respect of an adoptee whose parents have died, it shall take into account the views of the adoptee's grandparents.

Surrender of a child for the purpose of adoption§

12.
(a)A child shall not be surrendered to a person who has agreed to receive the child into his or her home with the intention of adopting the child, except through an adoption law social worker; this provision shall not apply to a surrender to an adopter who is the spouse of a parent of the adoptee.
(b)An adoption law social worker shall not surrender a child as referred to in subsection (a) unless the child's parents have consented to the child's adoption or a court has declared the child adoptable.
(c)
(1)If an adoption law social worker considers that it is justified in order to prevent harm to the child, the worker may, even without the parents' consent or a declaration of the child as adoptable, determine the whereabouts of the child or surrender the child to a person who has agreed to receive the child into his or her home, including to a person who has agreed to receive the child into his or her home with the intention of adopting the child; such an act requires the approval of the court;
(2)an adoption law social worker shall submit to the court the application for approval of an act as referred to in paragraph (1) within 14 days from the date on which it was carried out; the court's approval may be given ex parte; the court's decision on the application shall be given within 14 days from the date of its filing; an appeal against the decision shall be filed within 15 days from the date of its service; the court's decision on appeal shall be given within 30 days from the date of its filing.

Declaration of a Child as Adoptable§

13.
(a)In the absence of a parent's consent, a court may, upon the application of the Attorney General or his representative, declare a child adoptable, if it is satisfied that one of the following applies:
(1)there is no reasonable possibility of identifying the parent, locating him or ascertaining his opinion; for the purposes of this paragraph, it is presumed that there is no such reasonable possibility if the actions set out below have been taken, provided that no use shall be made of particulars that a parent has provided under section 8c(b):
(a)a check in the Population Registry;
(b)a check of information held by the welfare authorities;
(c)a check of the existence of approaches to the welfare authorities by a person claiming to be the child's parent or a relative of the child;
(2)the parent is the father of the child but was not married to the child's mother and did not acknowledge the child as his child, or, if he did acknowledge him — the child does not reside with him and he refused, without reasonable cause, to receive him into his home;
(3)the parent has died, has been declared legally incompetent, or his guardianship over the child has been removed from him;
(4)the parent has abandoned the child or has refrained, without reasonable cause, from maintaining personal contact with him for six consecutive months;
(5)the parent has refrained, without reasonable cause, from fulfilling his obligations towards the child, all or the main part of them, for six consecutive months;
(6)the child was held outside the home of his parent for six months commencing before he reached the age of six years, and the parent refused, without justification, to receive him into his home;
(7)the parent is incapable of properly caring for his child due to his behaviour or condition, and there is no prospect that his behaviour or condition will change in the foreseeable future, notwithstanding reasonable financial and therapeutic assistance as is customary by the welfare authorities for his rehabilitation;
(8)the refusal to give consent stems from an immoral motive or for an unlawful purpose.
(a1)Actions referred to in subsection (a)(1) shall be taken no later than within one month from the day on which a social worker under the Adoption Law became aware of the child being a candidate for adoption or from the day on which the parent signed consent to place the child for adoption, and they shall be carried out while maintaining maximum privacy of the parents, the child and any other person, and with regard to the circumstances of the matter.
(a2)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a)(1), no steps shall be taken to locate a parent if one of the following applies:
(1)the steps may endanger the life or health of either of the parents or of the child, or cause any of them irreversible harm;
(2)the child was born as a result of an act of sexual intercourse whose facts constitute a sexual offence or of sexual intercourse between family members;
(3)the parent knew of the pregnancy or of the existence of the child and refrained, without reasonable cause, from maintaining contact with the mother regarding the pregnancy or from maintaining contact with the child.
(b)
(1)The decision of the court on an application to declare a child adoptable shall be given within nine months from the date of submission of the application for such declaration; an appeal against the decision shall be filed within 15 days from the date of its service; the decision of the court on the appeal shall be given within 30 days from the date of its submission;
(2)(Repealed)

Revocation of a Declaration of a Child as Adoptable under Section 13(a)(1)§

13a.
(a)Where a child has been declared adoptable under section 13(a)(1) and his parent has applied to revoke the declaration in relation to him, the court shall order the revocation of the declaration and the delivery of the child to the parent, if it is satisfied that the parent wishes to raise the child, unless it has found that there is a prima facie ground for submitting an application for a declaration or the Attorney General has given notice of his intention to submit an application for a declaration; the court shall stay the decision on the delivery of the child for a period not exceeding 30 days so as to allow for the submission of an application for a declaration.
(b)Where an application for a declaration has been submitted, the court shall deliberate on it within the framework of the same proceedings and shall stay the decision on the delivery of the child until a decision is given on the application.
(c)An application for the revocation of a declaration under subsection (a) may be submitted within 60 days from the date of delivery of the child to a person who agreed to receive him into his home with the intention of adopting him or from the date of the declaration of the child as adoptable under section 13(a)(1), whichever is later, provided that an adoption order has not yet been granted; where the period referred to in this subsection has elapsed and the child has remained with those who received him into their home with the intention of adopting him, or where an adoption order has been granted, the court shall no longer be entitled to revoke the declaration of the child as adoptable.
(d)The decision of the court on an application for the revocation of a declaration under subsection (a) shall be given within 40 days from the date of submission of the application; however, if an application for a declaration has been submitted, the decision of the court shall be given within nine months as referred to in section 13(b); an appeal against the decision shall be filed within 15 days from the date of its service; the decision of the court on the appeal shall be given within 30 days from the date of its submission.
(e)In this section, "application for a declaration" means an application to declare the child adoptable under one of the grounds set out in paragraphs (2) to (7) of section 13(a).

Hearing of the Guardian§

14.

Where the adoptee or his parent has a guardian, a court shall not declare a child adoptable unless it has given the guardian an adequate opportunity to present his arguments and to adduce his evidence.

Social Worker under the Adoption Law as Guardian§

15.
(a)Where a parent has given his consent to the adoption of his child, or a court has declared the child adoptable, and no guardian has been appointed for the child — the rights, obligations and powers of the parent in relation to the child shall be vested, until a further decision of the court, in a social worker under the Adoption Law whom a chief social worker as referred to in section 36(b) has designated for that purpose, as if that social worker had been appointed as guardian for the child in place of that parent.
(b)The provisions of subsection (a) shall also apply in relation to a child in respect of whom a social worker under the Adoption Law has acted as referred to in section 12(c).

Effects of Adoption§

16.

Adoption creates between the adopter and the adoptee the same obligations and rights as exist between parents and their children, and confers upon the adopter, in relation to the adoptee, the same powers as are vested in parents in relation to their children; it terminates the obligations and rights between the adoptee and his parents and other relatives and the powers vested in them in relation to him; however —

(1)a court may, in the adoption order, limit the said effects;
(2)adoption does not affect the laws of prohibition and permission in matters of marriage and divorce;
(3)the provisions of this section are not intended to derogate from the provisions of section 16 of the Succession Law, 5725-1965.

Commencement of the Validity of Adoption§

17.

The effects of adoption apply from the date of the granting of the adoption order, unless the court has determined in the adoption order that its effects, all or some of them, shall apply from another date.

Interim Order§

18.
(a)Where an application for adoption has been submitted and the court is satisfied that the conditions referred to in sections 2 to 5, 7 to 11, 13 and 14 have been fulfilled, it may, by interim order, place the adoptee in the custody of the adopter until a decision on the adoption application, but for no more than two years; where the court has decided to do so, it shall determine in the interim order the obligations and rights between the adopter and the adoptee and the powers of the adopter in relation to the adoptee for that period.
(b)An order under this section may be varied and revoked by the court at any time, on such conditions and with such consequences as the court shall determine.

Revocation of an Adoption Order§

19.

A court may revoke an adoption order on the basis of circumstances that were not known or did not exist at the time the order was granted, if it is satisfied that it is appropriate to do so and that the best interests of the adoptee require it; the provisions of this section are not intended to derogate from the power of the court to revoke its orders under any other law.

Effects of Revocation§

20.

From the date determined for that purpose in the revocation order, the revocation of an adoption order severs the obligations and rights between the adopter and the adoptee and the powers of the adopter in relation to the adoptee, and restores the obligations and rights between the adoptee and his parents and other relatives and their powers in relation to him; however, the court may, in the revocation order, direct otherwise, whether generally or in respect of a particular right, obligation or power, and may order what shall be done with the adoptee after the revocation of the adoption.

Confidentiality of Proceedings§

21.
(a)Proceedings under this Law shall be held in camera unless the court has seen fit to conduct them in public; however, the court may permit a person or categories of persons to be present during the proceedings, in whole or in part.
(b)Where the court wishes to hear the adoptee, it may decline to permit the presence of a party during the hearing.

Report of a Social Worker under the Adoption Law§

22.

A court shall not grant an order under this Law unless it has received a written report from a social worker under the Adoption Law, and the provisions of sections 3 to 6 of the Welfare Law (Procedure in Matters of Minors, Mentally Ill Persons and Absentees), 5715-1955, shall apply with such modifications as are required by the matter.

Guardian for the Purposes of the Proceedings§

23.

A court may, at any time and even if not requested to do so, appoint a guardian for the adoptee for the purposes of the proceedings under this Law.

Hearing of the General Guardian and Appointment of an Advocate§

24.
(a)Where the parent is legally incompetent or absent, the court may invite the General Guardian to participate in the proceedings under this Law.
(b)In the proceedings and in an appeal under sections 10, 12(c), 13 and 13a and in an appeal thereon, the court may appoint an advocate for a parent who is not represented by an advocate, in accordance with the provisions of the Legal Aid Law, 5732-1972.

Power to Deviate from Restrictions§

25.

Where the court is satisfied that it will be in the best interests of the adoptee, it may, in special circumstances and for reasons which it shall state in its decision, deviate from the following restrictions:

(1)the age of the adoptee under section 2;
(2)the death of the adoptee's parents and the relationship of the adopter under section 3(2);
(3)the age difference under section 4;
(4)the length of the probationary period under section 6.

The Competent Court§

26.
(a)The competent court for the purposes of this Law is the Family Court.
(b)A court deliberating under this Law shall also be vested with the powers of a youth court under the Youth (Care and Supervision) Law, 5720-1960.

Competent Religious Court§

27.
(a)Notwithstanding the provisions of section 26, a religious court is also competent for the purposes of this Law, when both of the following conditions are fulfilled:
(1)the parents or the adopters, as the case may be, have consented in writing to the jurisdiction of that religious court; the provisions of section 9 shall apply, with such modifications as are required by the matter, to the consent of the parents for the purposes of this section;
(2)the adoptee has consented in writing to the jurisdiction of that religious court, and if the adoptee was unable to understand the matter, or was below the age of 9 — the Attorney General has consented thereto.
(b)Where a religious court deliberates under this section, the provisions of sections 1 to 25, 28 and 39 shall apply to it, and wherever those provisions refer to a court they shall be construed as referring to a religious court.

International Jurisdiction§

28.

An Israeli court is competent for the purposes of this Law where the adopter is a resident of Israel.

Inter-Country Adoption§

28a.

The adoption of a child from a foreign state (hereinafter — inter-country adoption) shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of this Law.

Central Authority§

28b.

The Minister of Labour and Welfare shall appoint a chief social worker, as referred to in section 36(b), who shall serve as the central authority for inter-country adoption under this Law and for the purposes of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption, 1993 (hereinafter — the Central Authority).

Recognised Association§

28c.

Inter-country adoption shall be carried out through an association, within the meaning of the Associations Law, 5740-1980, whose sole purpose is activity in the field of inter-country adoption, and which the Minister of Labour and Welfare and the Minister of Justice (hereinafter — the Ministers) have recognised under this Law (hereinafter — recognised association).

Duty of trust§

28d.

In its activities under this Law, a recognised association shall act in good faith, with dedication and in accordance with the provisions of any law, while ensuring the child's welfare and respecting the child's fundamental rights, including those recognised under international law; the recognised association shall also bear a duty of trust towards any person who has applied to it for the adoption of a child or towards any person who has already adopted a child through it, so long as this does not prejudice the duty of trust towards the child.

Powers of the Central Authority§

28e.
(a)The Central Authority may act in intercountry adoption in accordance with the provisions of this Law, where it is not possible to act in intercountry adoption through a recognised association.
(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, the Central Authority may disclose information in Israel or outside Israel, to the extent necessary for intercountry adoption.

Advisory committee§

28f.
(a)The Minister of Labour and Welfare, with the consent of the Minister of Justice, shall appoint a committee which shall advise him on the matter of intercountry adoption, including the recognition of an association, the revocation or suspension of recognition of an association, the setting of professional guidelines and rules for the working methods of a recognised association and supervision thereof (hereinafter – advisory committee).
(b)The number of members of the advisory committee shall not exceed seven, and the majority of its members shall be persons who are not engaged in intercountry adoption; the Central Authority shall be a member of the advisory committee.

Application for intercountry adoption§

28g.
(a)An application to adopt a child from a foreign state shall be submitted to a recognised association by a resident of Israel (hereinafter – the applicant); for the purposes of intercountry adoption, "resident of Israel" means an Israeli citizen, or a person who has been granted an immigrant visa, an immigrant certificate or a permanent residence permit and who has resided in Israel for at least three years out of the five years preceding the submission of the application or for at least twelve months out of the eighteen months preceding the submission of the application.
(b)The application shall be accompanied by a form waiving medical confidentiality and consenting to the receipt of information from the criminal register and information held by a social worker under the Adoption Law, relating to the applicant's fitness to be an adoptive parent.

Examination of applicant's fitness§

28h.
(a)The recognised association shall examine all of the following:
(1)the fitness and suitability of the applicant to be an adoptive parent;
(2)the family background of the applicant and his medical condition in the past and present;
(3)the social environment of the applicant;
(4)information received from the criminal register;
(4a)information received from a social worker under the Adoption Law relating to the fitness of the applicant to be an adoptive parent, if such information was held by him;
(5)the reasons for the application to adopt a child through intercountry adoption;
(6)the ability of the applicant to undertake to adopt a child through intercountry adoption;
(7)particulars of the child whom the applicant wishes to adopt;
(8)other matters to be prescribed by the Minister of Labour and Welfare, including a psychological assessment of the applicant and his family.
(b)The recognised association shall ascertain from the Central Authority whether the applicant has been found unfit for intercountry adoption.

Notice of unfitness§

28i.

If a recognised association finds that an applicant who has submitted an application for intercountry adoption is not fit to adopt as aforesaid, it shall notify the applicant accordingly and shall transmit to the Central Authority, at the earliest possible time, its opinion regarding the applicant's unfitness to adopt.

Applicant who is not suitable for intercountry adoption§

28j.
(a)A recognised association shall not process an application of an applicant if another recognised association or the appeals committee referred to in section 36a has determined that the applicant is not fit to adopt a child through intercountry adoption, unless two years have elapsed from the date of the determination by the recognised association or the appeals committee, whichever is the later.
(b)If the Central Authority finds, in the framework of its functions under this Law, that an applicant is not fit to adopt a child through intercountry adoption, it shall notify the recognised association accordingly.
(c)A recognised association that has received a notice as referred to in subsection (b) shall cease its processing of the applicant and shall not authorise the applicant to adopt a child through intercountry adoption, until a decision of the appeals committee as referred to in section 36a.

Approach to the competent authority of the foreign state§

28k.

If a recognised association has approved, after conducting an examination and inquiry as referred to in section 28h, that the applicant has been found fit and suitable to adopt a child through intercountry adoption, it may approach the competent authority of the foreign state in which it is authorised to operate, with a request to place a child with the applicant for the purpose of intercountry adoption; the request shall be accompanied by an opinion drawn up by a social worker containing the matters set out in section 28h(a); for this purpose, "competent authority of a foreign state" means an authority authorised by a foreign state to engage in intercountry adoption, including the Central Authority designated by that state for such processing.

Approvals required from the competent authority of the foreign state§

28l.
(a)Where the competent authority of the foreign state has notified that a child suitable for adoption by the applicant has been found, the recognised association shall verify that –
(1)the competent authority of the foreign state has determined, after examining placement possibilities for the child in the foreign state, that the placement of the child for adoption with the applicant is in the best interests of the child;
(2)the competent authority of the foreign state has confirmed that –
(a)the consents required for the placement of the child for adoption have been given by the child's parents or by those authorised to consent thereto under the laws of the foreign state, and that they were given in writing, freely, knowingly and without consideration, and in accordance with the laws of the foreign state; or
(b)if the child's parents, or one of them, have not given their consent to the adoption, the laws of the foreign state permit the adoption of the child even without the consent of the child's parents or one of them, and the procedures required for that purpose under the laws of that state have been completed;
(3)all additional approvals required under the laws of the foreign state have been given;
(4)the consent of the child's mother to place the child for intercountry adoption was given after the child's birth;
(5)the consents and approvals referred to are valid at the time of granting the approval;
(6)the consequences of the adoption have been explained to the child's parents, and in particular the extent of the severance of the legal relationship between the child and his parents and family;
(7)where the child's consent is required – the competent authority of the foreign state has confirmed that the child gave consent to the adoption of his own free will, knowingly, without consideration and after the consequences of the adoption were explained to him, all with regard to his age and level of understanding.
(b)The approval of the competent authority of the foreign state shall be accompanied by all the documents specified in subsection (a), all in accordance with the laws of that state.

Request for an opinion§

28m.

The recognised association shall request from the competent authority of the foreign state an opinion on the child, his identity and degree of suitability for adoption, on his family, background, social environment, religion, medical condition in the past and present, and any other material particular.

Consent of the recognised association to adoption§

28n.

Where the recognised association has received the documents and the opinions required under sections 28l and 28m, it shall determine, on the basis of an opinion of a social worker, whether the adoption of the child by the applicant is in the best interests of the child.

Application for approval of entry of child into Israel§

28o.
(a)Where the applicant has agreed to receive the child for the purpose of intercountry adoption, the recognised association shall submit to the Minister of the Interior an application to approve the entry of the child into Israel for permanent residence.
(b)An application as aforesaid shall be submitted in writing accompanied by documents in the manner directed by the Minister of the Interior.

Transfer of the child to the applicant§

28p.
(a)Where the Minister of the Interior has approved the entry of the child into Israel for permanent residence, subject to the conditions he has set, the recognised association shall confirm to the competent authority of the foreign state that it consents to the transfer of the child to the applicant.
(b)The child shall be transferred to the applicant in the foreign state; in exceptional cases where the applicant is unable to receive the child in the foreign state and with the approval of the Central Authority, the child shall be transferred to the applicant in Israel.

Restrictions on processing an applicant§

28q.

Where an applicant has received a child for the purpose of intercountry adoption, a recognised association shall not approve the transfer of an additional child to the applicant, other than a family member of that child, if eighteen months have not yet elapsed from the day on which the applicant received the child into his home.

Follow-up on the absorption of a foreign child§

28r.

A recognised association shall carry out, if requested to do so by the foreign state, a follow-up on the absorption of the child in the applicant's home, and shall transmit to the foreign state, upon its request, a report on the follow-up; where a recognised association has transmitted a report as aforesaid to the foreign state, it shall transmit a copy thereof to the Central Authority.

Guardianship§

28s.
(a)A recognised association that has consented to the transfer of a child to an applicant shall be guardian of the child and shall have, until an adoption order is granted or until another decision of the court, the rights, duties and powers of a parent.
(b)A recognised association shall designate a person holding a position in the association who shall fulfil in practice the role of guardian as aforesaid.

Order for intercountry adoption by a court§

28t.
(a)A court may grant an order for the adoption of a child from a foreign state by the applicant after it has been satisfied that all the conditions for intercountry adoption under this Law have been fulfilled.
(b)A court shall not grant an adoption order as referred to in subsection (a) unless it has received a written opinion from the recognised association or a report of a social worker under the Adoption Law as referred to in section 22.
(c)A court may grant an adoption order under this section even if the adopter is not of the same religion as the adoptee, provided that it is satisfied that this does not prejudice the best interests of the child.

Measures for the protection of the child's welfare§

28u.
(a)If the Central Authority considers that the continued placement of the child with the applicant for the purpose of granting an adoption order is not in the best interests of the child, it may determine, after consultation with the recognised association, that the child be removed from the custody of the applicant and transferred to a place to be determined by it; it may also take any other temporary measure necessary for the protection of the child's welfare.
(b)Where the Central Authority has acted as referred to in subsection (a), a social worker under the Adoption Law may, after consultation with the competent authority of the foreign state, transfer the child to another person in Israel who has agreed to receive him with the intention of adopting him.
(c)Where it has not been possible to transfer the child to another person as referred to in subsection (b), the Central Authority may, in coordination with the competent authority of the foreign state, cause the return of the child to the competent authority.
(d)Where the child has reached the age of nine years, or has not yet reached the age of nine years but is capable of understanding the matter, the court and the Central Authority shall take into account the child's view before making a decision under this section.
(e)A recognised association that has consented to the transfer of a child to an applicant for the purpose of intercountry adoption, and in respect of which an action as referred to in subsections (a) to (c) has been taken, shall bear all the expenses involved in returning the child to the foreign state and all other expenses necessary for the care of the child, all in accordance with rules prescribed by the Minister of Labour and Welfare.
(f)An action under subsection (a) requires prior approval of the court.
(g)Nothing in the provisions of this section shall derogate from the powers vested in a social worker under the Adoption Law under any enactment.

Recognition of an association§

28v.
(a)The Ministers may recognise an association as referred to in section 28c, if they find that the conditions under this Law have been fulfilled in respect of it; and they may for that purpose receive an opinion from the Central Authority.
(b)The recognition shall be for a period of two years and the Ministers may grant the recognition for a period shorter than two years, for reasons to be recorded in their decision; this period may be extended, from time to time, for an additional period of up to two years; notice of the grant of recognition shall be published in Reshumot (Official Gazette).

Conditions for recognition of an association§

28w.
(a)The Ministers may recognise an association after finding that all of the following have been fulfilled:
(1)the employees of the association possess the qualifications necessary to act with appropriate professional expertise in intercountry adoption;
(2)the association has a sound economic base and the means that will enable it to operate appropriately in intercountry adoption;
(3)the association employs managers and professionals of a high standard, possessing appropriate ethical values and in sufficient numbers to carry out its activities in intercountry adoption, including social workers, at least one of whom has ten years of experience in child care or family care, a lawyer with seven years of seniority, an accountant and an internal auditor;
(4)a member of the association, a member of the management or an employee of the association has not been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude or of an offence against the provisions of this Law.
(5)the remuneration or salary paid by the association to its managers and to those employed by it or acting on its behalf is reasonable in relation to the work they perform or the services they render; the Ministers, with the approval of the Labour, Welfare and Health Committee of the Knesset, may prescribe criteria or maximum rates for such salary and remuneration.
(b)Without derogating from the provisions of paragraphs (1) to (5) of subsection (a), the Minister of Labour and Welfare may prescribe that a recognised association is required to employ holders of certain positions or members of certain professions and may also prescribe their qualifications and credentials.

Additional conditions§

28x.

Where the Ministers find that, in light of the scope and manner of activity of a recognised association, there is a need to prescribe additional conditions for its activity, they may prescribe such conditions and direct that the activity of the recognised association shall be subject to the fulfilment of the additional conditions.

Application for recognition§

28y.
(a)An application for recognition of an association shall be submitted to the Ministers in writing in the manner they shall prescribe.
(b)A legal opinion concerning the adoption procedures practised in the states in which the association seeks to operate shall be attached to the application, together with the relevant laws of those states, translated into Hebrew with notarial certification.
(c)An authorisation from the foreign state empowering the recognised association to operate in intercountry adoption in that state, should it be recognised in Israel, or an authorisation from the foreign state pursuant to which the association shall be entitled to operate in intercountry adoption in that state, shall be attached to the application; an authorisation referred to in this subsection shall be attached translated into Hebrew with notarial certification.

Supervision and transmission of information to the Central Authority§

28z.
(a)A recognised association shall be subject to the supervision of the Central Authority.
(b)A recognised association shall transmit to the Central Authority, upon its demand from time to time, sample information and documents relating to an applicant, or to a child received for adoption by the applicant, or to the activity of the recognised association, all for the purpose of the discharge of the functions of the Central Authority.
(c)The Central Authority shall be entitled to appoint an inspector who, where there is reasonable suspicion of a breach of a provision of this Law relating to the activity of the recognised association, or for the purpose of supervising compliance with the provisions of this Law, shall be empowered to enter the offices of the recognised association and to demand information or documents relating to the matter from any person whom the inspector believes to hold them, and that person shall be required to deliver them to the inspector; documents seized as aforesaid shall be returned to the association within thirty days of the date of their seizure.
(d)Where an Order for the adoption of the child from the foreign state has been granted to the applicant, the recognised association shall transmit to the Central Authority the information it received from the foreign state concerning the child, the child's parents and the child's medical history.

Cessation of activity§

28aa.
(a)Where a recognised association has decided to cease its activity in intercountry adoption, it shall give written notice thereof to the Central Authority at least three months before the date it has set for the cessation of its activity.
(b)Where a recognised association has ceased its activity in intercountry adoption, or where the recognition thereof has been revoked or suspended, it shall transfer to the Central Authority all applicant files and files of children transferred for intercountry adoption and all documents in its possession relating to intercountry adoption.
(c)Notice of the cessation of activity of a recognised association pursuant to this Section shall be published in Reshumot (Official Gazette).

Revocation or suspension of recognition§

28ab.
(a)The Ministers may revoke or suspend recognition of a recognised association if, after receiving the opinion of the Central Authority and consulting with the Advisory Committee, and after the recognised association has been given an opportunity to present its arguments, they find that it is proper to do so on grounds of public policy or the best interests of the child, or if they find that—
(1)the recognised association has breached a provision under this Law;
(2)the recognised association has not fulfilled, or has ceased to fulfil, a condition that the Ministers imposed for the recognition thereof or for its activity in intercountry adoption;
(3)a manager or employee of the association has been convicted in criminal proceedings of an offence involving moral turpitude or of an offence against the provisions of this Law.
(b)Notice of the revocation of recognition of a recognised association or of the suspension of the recognition thereof shall be published in Reshumot (Official Gazette).

Confidentiality§

28ac.

Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, a recognised association may transmit information in Israel or outside Israel to the extent necessary for intercountry adoption; however, a recognised association, its employees or any person acting on its behalf shall not transmit or disclose any information or document that has come to their knowledge in connection with their activity in intercountry adoption, except to a person authorised to receive the information or the document for the purpose of carrying out the person's functions under the provisions of this Law.

Restriction of adoption from a foreign state§

28ad.
(a)The Ministers may, by Order, prohibit adoption from a particular foreign state.
(b)No one may engage in intercountry adoption from that state for as long as the Order is in force.

Agreement with a foreign state§

28ae.

A recognised association shall not sign an agreement with a foreign state except in respect of the implementation of intercountry adoption and only with the approval of the Ministers.

Advertising§

28af.

A recognised association shall not publish anything other than a publication that constitutes factual information on the main features of its activity, provided that the publication of such information shall not prejudice the principle of the best interests of the child; the Ministers may prescribe rules for publication pursuant to the provisions of this Section.

Payments§

28ag.

A recognised association shall not demand from an applicant, nor collect or receive from an applicant, directly or indirectly, payments for itself or for another in respect of its activity in intercountry adoption in Israel and in the foreign state, except in respect of expenses actually incurred in its intercountry adoption activity and in respect of services prescribed by the Minister of Labour and Welfare, all at a rate not exceeding the maximum amounts prescribed by the Minister, and the Minister may prescribe such amounts in foreign currency.

Processing of adoption applications without charge§

28ah.

A recognised association shall process applications for intercountry adoption by applicants who do not have the financial means to pay all the adoption expenses; the Ministers, after consulting with the Advisory Committee, shall prescribe the number of applications to be processed pursuant to this Section and the rules and criteria for their approval.

Liability in torts§

28ai.

A breach of a provision of sections 28h, 28i, 28j, 28n, 28r, 28z(b), 28aa(a) and (b) and 28ac constitutes a tort, and the Civil Wrongs Ordinance [New Version] shall apply thereto, subject to the provisions of this Law.

Intercountry adoption in accordance with foreign law§

28aj.
(a)Where a child has been transferred to an applicant for the purpose of intercountry adoption pursuant to the provisions of this Law, and the foreign state has confirmed that a court or competent administrative authority in that state has given a judgment or an Order for the adoption of the child by the applicant, and that the adoption is final, the adoption shall have the same effect as an adoption under this Law from the date of the said judgment or Order, if the Central Authority has confirmed or the court has determined that the adoption is not contrary to the best interests of the child or to public policy.
(b)The recognised association shall transmit the said judgment or Order, together with the confirmation of the foreign state, to the Registrar referred to in section 29 for registration in the Adoption Register.

Rules and guidelines§

28ak.

The Minister of Labour and Welfare may prescribe professional rules and guidelines in accordance with which a recognised association shall operate; rules and guidelines under this Section shall be published in Reshumot (Official Gazette).

Entry into Israel§

28al.

Entry into Israel of a child for the purpose of intercountry adoption shall not be permitted unless the provisions of this Law have been complied with.

Adoption of a child from a foreign state transferred before the commencement of this Law§

28am.
(a)Where a child from a foreign state was transferred to a resident of Israel for the purpose of adoption before the commencement of this Law and the child is dependent on that person, the court may, upon application, grant an Order for the adoption of the child by that person, if one of the following has been fulfilled—
(1)a judgment or an Order for the adoption of the child by the applicant has been given, and the foreign state has confirmed the validity of the Order or the judgment, and also that the adoption is final;
(2)the foreign state has confirmed one of the following:
(a)the child's parents have given their consent to the adoption of the child;
(b)the child may be adopted even without the consent of one or both parents under the laws of the foreign state;
(3)the child resided in Israel in the home of the applicant for more than five years before the commencement of this Law.
(b)The provisions of section 22 shall not apply in proceedings under this Section.
(c)The provisions of section 28t(c) shall apply in proceedings under this Section.

Adoption Register§

29.

Every adoption Order, including an Order to which section 31 applies, and every revocation of an adoption Order shall be registered in a register to be maintained by a Registrar appointed for that purpose by the Minister of Justice; the particulars and form of the registration shall be prescribed by Regulations.

Inspection of the Register§

30.
(a)The Adoption Register shall not be open for inspection; however, the following may inspect it—
(1)the Attorney General or a representative thereof;
(2)a marriage registrar or a person authorised by the registrar for that purpose, where the inspection is required for the discharge of an official function;
(3)a chief social worker as referred to in section 36(b).
(b)Upon application by an adoptee who has attained the age of 18 years, a social worker under the Adoption Law may permit that person to inspect the Register in respect of the entry relating to that person; where the social worker has refused the application, the court may permit the inspection after receiving a report from a social worker under the Adoption Law.
(c)Where the adoption is intercountry, a social worker under the Adoption Law shall not permit inspection of the Register except after consulting with the recognised association that handled the adoption.

Previous adoption orders§

31.

A person adopted pursuant to an order of a court or a religious tribunal before the commencement of this Law shall be regarded as if adopted pursuant to this Law.

Prohibition of consideration§

32.
(a)A person who offers or gives, or requests or receives, consideration in money or money's worth for adoption or for mediation for adoption, otherwise than by leave of a court, is liable to imprisonment of three years.
(b)The provisions of subsection (a) shall also apply with respect to intercountry adoption, except for payments made pursuant to the provisions of this Law.

Penalties§

33.
(a)One who transfers, receives or holds a child for the purpose of adoption in Israel, or for the purpose of intercountry adoption, otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of this Law, is liable to imprisonment for three years.
(b)One who contravenes the provisions of sections 28h(b), 28i, 28j(a) and (c), 28k, 28l, 28m, 28n, 28q, 28r, 28z(b) to (d), 28aa(b), 28ac, 28ad(b), 28ae, 28af and 28ag is liable to imprisonment for one year, or to a fine as referred to in section 61(a)(3) of the Penal Law, 5737-1977.

Prohibition of Disclosure§

34.
(a)One who unlawfully publishes, without the permission of a court, any of the following, is liable to imprisonment for six months:
(1)the name of an adopter or of an adoptee, or any other matter likely to lead to their identification as such, unless consent has been given as specified below:
(a)in respect of a publication concerning an adoptee who is an adult — the consent of the adoptee or the adopter; however —
(1)if such adoptee has a sibling who is an adult, born to the same biological parent and adopted by the same adopter, and the publication is likely to lead to their identification as children of the biological parent, the publication shall not be made unless the consent of the sibling to the publication has been given;
(2)if such adoptee has a sibling who is a minor, born to the same biological parent and adopted by the same adopter, the publication shall not be made unless the conditions set out in sub-paragraph (b) are met;
(b)in respect of a publication concerning an adoptee who is a minor — the consent of the adopter, and if the minor has reached the age of nine years — also the consent of the adoptee, provided that the publication does not include particulars likely to lead to the identification of the adoptee as a child of the biological parent;
(2)the name of a biological parent, or any other matter likely to lead to his or her identification as one who transferred a child for adoption or whose child was declared adoptable under the provisions of this Law, unless the adoptee is an adult and the consent of the biological parent to the publication has been given, and if the publication is likely to lead to the identification of the adoptee — also the adoptee's consent; and the provisions of paragraph (1)(a) shall apply in this regard;
(3)the name of a candidate to be an adopter, of a candidate to be an adoptee or of a biological parent in respect of whom an application under this Law has been filed, or any other matter likely to lead to their identification;
(4)the contents of documents submitted to a court for the purpose of a hearing under this Law.
(b)One who unlawfully discloses, without the permission of the court, any of the following, is liable to imprisonment for six months:
(1)the name of a biological parent, or any other matter likely to lead to his or her identification as one who transferred a child for adoption or whose child was declared adoptable under the provisions of this Law, except for a disclosure made by the adoptee, the adopter or the biological parent to a close relative or close friend;
(2)the name of an adoptee, or any other matter likely to lead to his or her identification as a child of the biological parent, except for a disclosure made by the adoptee or the adopter to a close relative or close friend;
(3)the name of a candidate to be an adopter, of a candidate to be an adoptee or of a biological parent in respect of whom an application under this Law has been filed, or any other matter likely to lead to their identification, except for a disclosure made by one of them to a close relative or close friend;
(4)the contents of documents submitted to a court for the purpose of a hearing under this Law.
(b1)A court may permit the publication or disclosure of particulars whose publication or disclosure is prohibited under this section, and may also prohibit a publication that was permitted as aforesaid in subsection (a) if it found that special circumstances exist justifying such prohibition, for reasons that shall be recorded, and if the adoptee is a minor — if it found that it would be in the adoptee's best interests.
(b2)
(1)(Expired)
(2)(Expired)
(3)(Expired)
(4)(Expired)
(c)For the purposes of subsections (a) and (b), it is immaterial whether the adopter or the adoptee has previously disclosed or published a particular whose disclosure or publication is prohibited in accordance with the provisions of those subsections, or whether they previously consented to such disclosure or publication.
(d)The provisions of this section shall also apply in respect of intercountry adoption.
(e)Nothing in the provisions of this section shall derogate from the provisions of section 70 of the Courts Law [Consolidated Version], 5744-1984.
(f)In this section —

"matter likely to lead to identification", of a person — whether by the general public or by those in his or her close surroundings;

"biological parent" — one who transferred his or her child for adoption or whose child was declared adoptable under the provisions of this Law;

"adoptee" — excluding a candidate to be an adoptee;

"adopter" — excluding a candidate to be an adopter.

Interpretation§

35.

A legislative provision and a document that refer to a person's child — an adopted child is included; a legislative provision and a document that refer to a person's parent — the adopter is included; and this applies where there is no other express or implied intention; this section shall apply only to a legislative provision and a document made after the 26th of Av 5720 (19 August 1960).

Implementation, Regulations and Appointment of Social Workers under the Adoption Law§

36.
(a)The Minister of Justice is charged with the implementation of this Law and may, after consulting with the Minister of Labour and Welfare, make Regulations for its implementation, including Regulations to ensure the confidentiality of adoption matters; Regulations concerning intercountry adoption require the approval of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Knesset.
(b)The Minister of Welfare and Social Services shall appoint a chief social worker and also social workers for the purposes of this Law, who shall act in accordance with the instructions of the chief social worker, generally or in respect of a specific matter; if a social worker disagrees with the instructions in respect of a specific matter, the chief social worker shall reconsider and determine the matter after having consulted thereon with the social worker and with such other bodies as the chief social worker deemed fit.

Appeals Committee§

36a.
(a)A person who considers himself or herself aggrieved by a decision of a social worker under the Adoption Law in connection with the determination of his or her eligibility to be an adopter, or by a decision of a recognised association regarding his or her eligibility to adopt a child in an intercountry adoption, or by a decision of the person in charge of foster care licensing under the Foster Care for Children Law, 5776-2016, in respect of the grant, renewal, revocation, suspension or restriction of a foster care licence, or in respect of the limitation of a foster carer's powers under an agreement, may appeal against the decision before an appeals committee of five members, to be appointed by the Minister of Labour and Welfare in consultation with the Minister of Justice.
(b)The members of the appeals committee shall be a judge of a Family Court, who shall serve as chairperson, two social workers, a clinical psychologist and a specialist psychiatrist, provided that at least two of them shall not be State employees.
(c)A decision of an appeals committee is not subject to further appeal.

Repeal§

37.

The Adoption of Children Law, 5720-1960 — is repealed.

Amendment of the Legal Capacity and Guardianship Law§

38.

In section 13a of the Legal Capacity and Guardianship Law, 5722-1962, in subsection (c), at the end thereof there shall come "or of a person at whose table the minor was dependent, with the intention of adopting the minor, in the year preceding the filing of the application for conversion of religion, provided that the court was satisfied that the conversion is required for the purpose of the adoption of the minor by that person under the Adoption of Children Law, 5741-1981".

Transitional Provisions§

39.

Where the conditions for adoption have been fulfilled in respect of a person and an application in his or her matter is pending before a court on the eve of the publication of this Law, the court may grant an order or declaration even in deviation from the provisions thereof.

Need to cite this law in a foreign court?

Eli Shimony Israeli Attorneys-at-Law provides certified Expert Legal Opinions on Israeli law within 24–48 hours, accepted by courts worldwide.

Contact Us →

Read the entire law on one page — continuous text, no page breaks, plus PDF downloads.

LawFamily LawCivil Law

חוק אימוץ ילדים, תשמ"א-1981

adoption law

children adoption

adoption of children law

Adoption Law 1981

Israel adoption law

Adoption of Children Law 5741

child adoption statute

adoption statute

family law adoption