Repatriates from former USSR to receive 2,300 shekels each for cemetery discrimination

Israel's Supreme Court ordered the burial society 'Chevra Kadisha' in Petah Tikva to compensate families of immigrants from the former USSR for discrimination in burial. Families will receive at least 2,300 shekels each, with a total of 8.7 million shekels. Claims can be filed from August 4 to December 4, 2026.

Israel's Supreme Court ruled that the burial society 'Chevra Kadisha' in Petah Tikva must compensate families of immigrants from the former USSR for discrimination in burial services. The legal process lasted about 10 years. Several families filed the lawsuit after their relatives were buried in separate sections of the 'Segula' and 'Yarkon' cemeteries between 2011 and 2016. The separation was due to the custom among immigrant families of placing portraits of the deceased on tombstones, which contradicts Halakhic norms. The court recognized that a person's origin cannot be grounds for separate burial and that discrimination against the deceased affects the dignity of their family. Compensation amounts to at least 2,300 shekels per family, with a total payout of 8.7 million shekels. Claims can be submitted from August 4 to December 4, 2026. This ruling sets a precedent: for the first time in a class action, the court deemed the separation of people into groups during burial as discrimination and awarded monetary compensation.