Cooperation agreement between Spain and the Jewish communities

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The law approves the Cooperation Agreement between the State and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain (FCI), which governs relations with Jewish communities registered in the Registry of Religious Entities and belonging to that Federation.
2. Places of worship and Jewish cemeteries are protected: they are inviolable, cannot be demolished without first losing their sacred status, and the FCI must be heard before any expropriation. Communities may have their own cemeteries and reserved plots in municipal cemeteries.
3. Rabbis with the proper title and stable duties are ministers of worship: they do not have to testify about what was revealed to them in their religious work, they are covered by the General Social Security system, and they may request religious assistance duties in the Armed Forces or a deferral of military service for their rabbinic studies.
4. A marriage celebrated under the Jewish rite has civil effects, as long as it is registered in the Civil Registry. There is a prior procedure before the Civil Registry, and consent must be given before the minister of worship and at least two adult witnesses.
5. Jewish religious assistance is guaranteed in prisons, hospitals and other public centers, and Jewish religious education is guaranteed in public and state-funded private schools. The communities pay the costs of the spiritual assistance.
6. Jewish communities get tax benefits (exemptions from property tax, corporate tax and other taxes), can agree to rest on Friday afternoon and Saturday, and take their religious holidays as paid days off. Jewish students may miss class and exams on Saturdays and Jewish holidays.

Who it affects

• Jewish communities registered in the Registry of Religious Entities that belong to the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain.: They are the main beneficiaries: they get protection for their places of worship, tax benefits and recognition of their religious activities.
• Jewish rabbis and ministers of worship.: Their status is recognized, they are covered by the General Social Security system, and they have special duties and rights regarding military service.
• Jewish employees.: They can agree to rest on Friday afternoon and Saturday, and swap public holidays for Jewish holidays.
• Jewish students and their families.: They can receive Jewish religious education in public and state-funded schools, and miss class and exams on Saturdays and Jewish holidays.
• Jewish military personnel and Jewish people in public institutions.: They have the right to religious assistance and to fulfill their religious obligations.

Words worth knowing

Registro de Entidades Religiosas

Public registry where churches, denominations and religious communities are registered.

Efectos civiles (del matrimonio)

That the marriage is also valid under State law, not only under religious law.

Concertado (centro docente)

Private school that receives public funding and, for that reason, is subject to certain conditions.

IBI

Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles: the property tax paid on apartments, premises and land.

Comisión Mixta Paritaria

Body with representatives of the State and the Federation that monitors compliance with the Agreement.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries