Haredi women, academics file petition with High Court against gender-segregated education law

July 17, 2026 - 04:01

A coalition of Haredi women, alongside academic researchers, filed a petition with the High Court of Justice on Wednesday, pushing back against a recently approved law that formalizes gender-segregated education in Israel. The legal challenge came just hours after the Knesset passed an amendment to the existing higher education framework, a move critics say entrenches discrimination and undermines equality.

The amendment grants the Council for Higher Education explicit authority to approve separate academic programs for men and women. Supporters argue it accommodates the cultural and religious needs of the ultra-Orthodox community, allowing more Haredi students to pursue degrees without violating their traditions. However, the petitioners contend the law violates basic principles of equality and dignity, and that it legally sanctions a system where women are pushed into separate, often inferior, tracks.

The petition, filed with the help of civil rights organizations, argues that the law effectively creates a state-sponsored gender apartheid within academia. The Haredi women involved say they are not opposed to religious observance, but to being forced into second-class educational settings. They claim the law will limit their career opportunities and reinforce patriarchal control. The academics supporting the petition warn that this sets a dangerous precedent for the entire Israeli education system, normalizing segregation that could spread beyond the Haredi sector. The High Court has yet to issue a response or set a hearing date for the petition.