It is official. Th Knesset has passed the law proposal to make it illegal for rabbis to charge money or receive tips for officiating at weddings.
This new law applies only to rabbis who receive their salary from the religious councils. "Private" rabbis can charge.
MK Shuli Moallem (Habayit Hayehudi) explained that a couple gistering for marriage already pays 700NIS for the registration, and should not need to pay more for the wedding. The wedding ceremony should be included in that cost.
As well, there will be a determination of a quota of how many weddings a rabbi should perform monthly, as well as a determination of the geographical area within which a rabbi should officiate weddings at no extra charge, and what they can charge for weddings above and beyond the quota or outside the geographical area.
MK Nissim Zeev (Shas) does not like the law and claims its whole purpose is to make rabbis look bad, as rabbis dont take money to officiate at weddings.
source: Srugim and Kikar
I personally know, firsthand knowledge, that Zeev's statement is false. I have been involved in weddings, more than once, where the officiating rabbis were State rabbi and money was taken for officiating. Maybe some don't, but saying none do is false.
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