Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who also serves as Social Welfare Minister, and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni have appointed retired Jerusalem District Court Vice President Shalom Brenner to chair a joint Social Welfare Ministry-Justice Ministry committee to examine the whole issue of adoption.

The members of the committee will consider the need to amend the Adoption Law, which was passed in 1981 and has hardly been amended since.  The
assessment is that in light of the changes in Israeli society and the approaches that have been developed around the world, it will be necessary to adapt the law to the existing situation.  It should be pointed out that Israel is a signatory to the 1990 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The committee will also examine adoption procedures in Israel while emphasizing the efficiency of the relevant bodies.

The other members of the committee are: Jerusalem Family Court Judge Nili Maimon, Child Welfare Service Director Ella Blass, Social Welfare Ministry Legal Adviser Batya Artman, Youth Law Chief Welfare Officer Hannah Slotsky, psychologists Dr. Rami Bar-Giora and Dr. Shlmoit Cohen, attorney Ronen
Delihan and Justice Ministry Advice and Legislation Dept. Director Moriah Bakshi.  The committee is due to submit its interim report in six months and its final report by the end of July 2006.