Ayala Procaccia (Hebrew: אילה פרוקצ'יה, born 1941) is a retired Israeli Justice of the Supreme Court of Israel. Before being elected to the Supreme Court in 2001, she served as a judge in the Jerusalem Magistrates’ Court until 1993 and in the Jerusalem District Court from 1993 to 2001. While active in the Israeli law courts, Ayala Procaccia worked to change Israeli law to champion equality for all, regardless of gender or religion.[1] Proponents of Procaccia say that she strives for an equitable and just society; critics of her work said that she promoted a judicial dictatorship over the government.[2]

Ayala Procaccia
Ayala Procaccia
Justice of the Supreme Court of Israel
In office
2001–2011
Personal details
Born1941 (age 82–83)
Ashdot Ya'akov, Israel
EducationHebrew University of Jerusalem (LLB, MA)
University of Pennsylvania (SJD)

Biography

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Procaccia was born in Kibbutz Ashdot Ya'akov to a German father, Hanan Aynor, and a Polish mother, Yaffa Puterman-Efrat (Rodstein). She was an only child, and attended public schools in Tel Aviv.[3]

Procaccia served in the Israel Defense Forces between 1959 and 1961. She graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with an LL.B. degree in 1963 (distinction) and a master's degree in 1969 (distinction). Following her graduation, she served as legal assistant to Chief Justice Simon Agranat for four years.[2] In 1969, she moved to the United States to pursue a Doctor of Juridical Science degree (S.J.D.) at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Upon her graduation in 1972, she returned to Israel and became the legal assistant to the Attorney General. In 1983, she was appointed legal adviser to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Israel. She was appointed judiciary in 1987, and served in both the Jerusalem Magistrates' Court and in the Jerusalem District Court until 2001. She supported the right of children in East Jerusalem and said that children's right to free education in East Jerusalem is not being met [4]

In 2001 she was elected to the Supreme Court of Israel where she served until her retirement in 2011.[5] In 2005, she appeared at Boston University, Harvard Law School, and Brandeis University, to lecture the Boston area about Israel’s democracy and human rights.[6] Following her retirement, she said she planned to remain active.[2] In 2023, she demonstrated this by calling for and partaking in a protest against the override clause, where people were worried that the Knesset would have too much power, should the bill be passed.[7][8]

Procaccia was married to Uriel Procaccia (whom she divorced in 1991) and has two children, Oren (b. 1971) and Yuval (b. 1974).[9]

Court Rulings

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Procaccia's first supreme court case was in 2002, regarding soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces, and exemption of service for specific individuals, wherein the supreme court ruled to deny the petition, subjecting the individuals to serving in the military reserve service.[10]

A notable court case in 2003, regarding the film "Jenin, Jenin" led to a supreme court ruling that it should not be censored in theaters, and the public should be able to make judgements for themselves.[11]

In 2008, in the case "Center for Jewish Pluralism v. Ministry of Education", Procaccia ruled that the education system does not need to fund religious educational establishments.[12]

Additionally, In 2011, Procaccia and two other justices ruled against a longstanding several-billion-dollar lawsuit in Clalit Health Services against tobacco companies, saying that rather than sue the tobacco industry, they should sue on behalf of each individual who was harmed. These justices did not deny that these tobacco companies have had a negative effect on the health of members of Clalit Health Services.[13]

Her final ruling as a supreme court justice struck down an Interior Ministry regulation that made foreign workers lose their work permit on the occurrence of childbirth or pregnancy.[14]

This concluded her work as a supreme court justice, and she was dismissed in a formal ceremony with the other supreme court justices, family, and friends, leaving her supreme court seat to be filled.[2] This supreme court seat would be filled by Noam Sohlberg.[15][16] The compiled list of supreme court cases with Procaccia is shown below.

A list of all supreme court cases held with justice Ayala Procaccia
Date of verdict Name of the Case Supreme Court's Verdict
December 30, 2002 Zonstien v. Judge-Advocate General Petition denied[10]
January 9, 2003 Faiglin v. Cheshin Petition denied[17]
January 23, 2003 Association for Civil Rights in Israel v. Chairman of the Central Elections Committee for the Sixteenth Knesset Petition granted[18]
May 15, 2003 Mofaz v. Chairman of the Central Elections Committee for the Sixteenth Knesset Appeal denied[19]
November 11, 2003 Bakri v. Israel Film Council Petition granted[11]
March 3, 2004 SHIN, Israeli Movement for Equal Representation of Women v. Council for Cable TV and Satellite Broadcasting Petitions denied[20]
March 4, 2004 State of Israel v. Haggai Yosef Appeal allowed[21]
March 4, 2004 Hass v. IDF Commander in West Bank Petitions denied[22]
June 14, 2004 Solodkin v. Beit Shemesh Municipality Petitions denied[23]
July 14, 2004 A v. B Appeal denied[24]
August 9, 2004 Milo v. Minister of Defense Petition denied[25]
October 26, 2004 Fuchs v. Prime Minister Petitions denied[26]
November 22, 2004 Ganis v. Ministry of Building and Housing Petition granted[27]
March 31, 2005 State of Israel v. Peretz Petition denied[28]
April 4, 2005 Design 22 Shark Deluxe Furniture Ltd. v. Rosenzweig Petition denied[29]
May 31, 2005 Tais Rodriguez-Tushbeim v. Minister of Interior Petition HCJ 2859/99 Granted, Petition HCJ 2597/99 dismissed[30]
July 28, 2005 Najar v. State of Israel Appeal denied[31]
September 15, 2005 Mara’abe v. The Prime Minister of Israel Petition granted[32]
December 12, 2005 Commitment to Peace and Social Justice Society v. Minister of Finance Petition denied[33]
February 27, 2006 Supreme Monitoring Committee for Arab Affairs in Israel and others v. Prime Minister of Israel Petition granted[34]
April 6, 2006 Amir v. The Great Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem Petition granted[35]
May 4, 2006 Yissacharov v. Chief Military Prosecutor Appeal allowed[36]
May 14, 2006 Adalah Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel v. Minister of Interior Petition denied[37]
June 13, 2006 Dobrin v. Israel Prison Service Petition denied[38]
August 1, 2006 Beilin v. Prime Minister Petition denied[39]
October 8, 2006 State of Israel v. Beer-Sheba District Court Petition granted[40]
November 21, 2006 Ben-Ari v. Director of Population Administration Petition granted[41]
December 12, 2006 Rosenbaum v. Israel Prison Service Commissioner Petitions granted[42]
December 12, 2006 Adalah Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel v. Minister of Defense Petition granted[43]
February 6, 2007 Galon v. Government Commission of Investigation Petition denied[44]
September 4, 2007 Yassin v. Government of Israel Petition granted[45]
October 10, 2007 Kav LaOved v. National Labour Court Petition granted[46]
December 6, 2007 Emunah v. Prime Minister Petition denied[47]
June 11, 2008 A v. State of Israel Appeal denied[48]
July 27, 2008 Center for Jewish Pluralism v. Ministry of Education Petition denied[49]
August 20, 2008 Hamifkad Haleumi v. Attorney General Petition denied[50]
March 24, 2009 New Family v. Minister of Labor and Welfare Petition granted in part[51]
July 21, 2009 Boaron v. National Labour Court Petitions denied[52]
November 19, 2009 Academic Center of Law and Business v. Minister of Finance Petition granted[53]
February 11, 2010 A v. State of Israel Appeal allowed[54]
February 22, 2010 Daka v. Minister of the Interior Petition granted[55]
June 14, 2010 Yekutieli v. Minister of Religious Affairs Petition granted[56]
August 29, 2010 Carmel Haifa Hospital v. Malul (summary) Appeal allowed[57]
March 24, 2011 District Committee of the Tel Aviv-Jaffa District Bar Association v. Halberstadt Appeal denied[58]
April 28, 2011 Bar-Ilan University v. National Labor Court Petition denied[59]
July 7, 2011 Hotline for Migrant Workers v. Minister of Defense Appeal denied[60]
February 10, 2015 Zoabi v. Knesset's Ethics Committee Petition granted[61]

References

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  1. ^ "Ayala Procaccia". Jewish Women's Archive. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  2. ^ a b c d "Procaccia retires from Supreme Court after 10 years". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  3. ^ Galia Eliahou. "Ayala Procaccia". Jewish women's archive.
  4. ^ "Children's right to education in public schools under threat". www.wvi.org. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
  5. ^ Tomer Zarchin and Dana Weiler-Polak (14 April 2011). "Court overturns regulation forcing foreign workers to leave after giving birth". Haaretz. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  6. ^ "At Harvard Law, Procaccia defines Supreme Court's 'balancing act'". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 10 November 2005. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  7. ^ "Israel: Tens of thousands protest government in Tel Aviv". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  8. ^ "Retired High Court judge wants 'mass protests' against override clause". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  9. ^ "Ayala Procaccia". Jewish Women's Archive. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  10. ^ a b "Zonstien v. Judge-Advocate General | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  11. ^ a b "Bakri v. Israel Film Council | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  12. ^ "Center for Jewish Pluralism v. Ministry of Education | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  13. ^ "Clalit loses NIS 7.6 b. lawsuit against tobacco companies". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 13 July 2011. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  14. ^ Zarchin, Tomer; Weiler-Polak, Dana (2011-04-14). "Court Overturns Regulation Forcing Foreign Workers to Leave After Giving Birth". Ha'aretz. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  15. ^ "Judicial C'tee to discuss justice appointments". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 20 November 2011. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  16. ^ "Sohlberg, Noam | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  17. ^ "Faiglin v. Cheshin | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  18. ^ "Association for Civil Rights in Israel v. Chairman of the Central Elections Committee for the Sixteenth Knesset | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  19. ^ "Mofaz v. Chairman of the Central Elections Committee for the Sixteenth Knesset | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  20. ^ "SHIN, Israeli Movement for Equal Representation of Women v. Council for Cable TV and Satellite Broadcasting | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  21. ^ "State of Israel v. Haggai Yosef | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  22. ^ "Hass v. IDF Commander in West Bank | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  23. ^ "Solodkin v. Beit Shemesh Municipality | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  24. ^ "A v. B | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  25. ^ "Milo v. Minister of Defense | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  26. ^ "Fuchs v. Prime Minister | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  27. ^ "Ganis v. Ministry of Building and Housing | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  28. ^ "State of Israel v. Peretz | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  29. ^ "Design 22 Shark Deluxe Furniture Ltd. v. Rosenzweig | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  30. ^ "Tais Rodriguez-Tushbeim v. Minister of Interior | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  31. ^ "Najar v. State of Israel | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  32. ^ "Mara'abe v. The Prime Minister of Israel | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  33. ^ "Commitment to Peace and Social Justice Society v. Minister of Finance | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  34. ^ "Supreme Monitoring Committee for Arab Affairs in Israel and others v. Prime Minister of Israel | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  35. ^ "Amir v. The Great Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  36. ^ "Yissacharov v. Chief Military Prosecutor | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  37. ^ "Adalah Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel v. Minister of Interior | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  38. ^ "Dobrin v. Israel Prison Service | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  39. ^ "Beilin v. Prime Minister | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  40. ^ "State of Israel v. Beer-Sheba District Court | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  41. ^ "Ben-Ari v. Director of Population Administration | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  42. ^ "Rosenbaum v. Israel Prison Service Commissioner | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  43. ^ "Adalah Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel v. Minister of Defense | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  44. ^ "Galon v. Government Commission of Investigation | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  45. ^ "Yassin v. Government of Israel | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  46. ^ "Kav LaOved v. National Labour Court | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  47. ^ "Emunah v. Prime Minister | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  48. ^ "A v. State of Israel | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  49. ^ "Center for Jewish Pluralism v. Ministry of Education | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  50. ^ "Hamifkad Haleumi v. Attorney General | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  51. ^ "New Family v. Minister of Labor and Welfare | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  52. ^ "Boaron v. National Labour Court | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  53. ^ "Academic Center of Law and Business v. Minister of Finance | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  54. ^ "A v. State of Israel | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  55. ^ "Daka v. Minister of the Interior | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  56. ^ "Yekutieli v. Minister of Religious Affairs | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  57. ^ "Carmel Haifa Hospital v. Malul (summary) | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  58. ^ "District Committee of the Tel Aviv-Jaffa District Bar Association v. Halberstadt | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  59. ^ "Bar-Ilan University v. National Labor Court | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  60. ^ "Hotline for Migrant Workers v. Minister of Defense | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  61. ^ "Zoabi v. Knesset's Ethics Committee | Cardozo Israeli Supreme Court Project". versa.cardozo.yu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
edit
Legal offices
Preceded by Chairman of the Central Elections Committee
2009–2011
Succeeded by