The Rabbinical Assembly takes its members’ obligation to hold to the highest ethical standards very seriously. To that end, the RA has established a Code of Conduct and Procedures for its Ethics Committee (Va'ad HaKavod).
The Va'ad HaKavod is responsible for upholding the RA’s established standards and ensuring that RA members comply with the Code of Professional Conduct, thus safeguarding the individuals and communities that members serve. It is an internal body of the RA and addresses complaints of misconduct regarding RA members.
Questions and Inquiries: If you have an ethical concern about a member of the Rabbinical Assembly, or a question about the Code of Conduct, we encourage you to contact the Va’ad HaKavod. Its email address is vaad@rabbinicalassembly.org and is viewed by the RA Professional Ethics Staff and Va’ad HaKavod Co-chairs. In addition, if you prefer to email the RA Ethics Coordinator directly you can do so at rchagall@rabbinicalassembly.org. Rebecca Chagall is a member of the Professional Staff of the Rabbinical Assembly and is not a rabbi nor a member of the Rabbinical Assembly.
To submit a complaint please use this English form or this Hebrew form. Complaints are forwarded to the Va’ad HaKavod email address which is viewed by the RA Professional Ethics Staff and Va’ad HaKavod Co-chairs.
Code of Conduct: To view the current RA Code of Conduct click here (English, by section). The Code of Conduct is available as a PDF in English, Hebrew, and Spanish.
Complaints of misconduct that occurred prior to March 1, 2025 will be reviewed by the VHK using the Previous Code of Conduct that was in effect at that time. The previous RA Code of Conduct can be viewed here in English | Hebrew | Spanish.
Va’ad HaKavod Procedures: To view the current Va’ad HaKavod Procedures, click here. A graphic flowchart of the Complaint Review Process can be found here.
Va’ad HaKavod/Ethics Committee Updates. Updates regarding the RA Code of Conduct and Va’ad HaKavod Procedures can be found here.
Committee: A list of the members of the Va’ad HaKavod can be found here.
Information regarding Rabbis who have been suspended or expelled due to violations of the Rabbinical Assembly Code of Conduct can be found in two categories:
Ethics Violations. This is a broad category, since Jewish ethics deal with many types of behavior. These are embodied in our Code of Conduct, and include, but are not limited to, financial malfeasance, violation of confidentiality, abuses of rabbinic power, and sexual boundary violations. The list of expelled and suspended rabbis in this category can be found here.
Violations of Membership Responsibilities. The Code of Conduct requires Rabbinical Assembly members to fulfill the administrative policies and the halakhic (Jewish law) standards established by the Assembly. Administrative policies include following the required procedures of placement. The halakhic Standards of Religious Practice, enacted by our member Rabbis, obligate an RA member to follow halakhic practices regarding conversion to Judaism; requiring a get (Jewish divorce) in order to officiate at the wedding of someone previously married; and prohibiting officiating at a wedding between a Jew and a non-Jew. The list of expelled and suspended rabbis in this category can be found here.
2021-2024 Revision Process: The Rabbinical Assembly engaged in a process of updating our Code and Procedures culminating in Executive Council approval of a new Code and revised Procedures. For more information about that process, click here.