פרופ' יחזקאל מרגלית

Curriculum Vitae (February 2026)

General

Name: Prof. Yehezkel (Hezi) Margalit
Mobile: 347-331-6551
Date of Birth: 9 April 1974
Tel.: 3473266137
Address: 2600 Netherland Ave. # 325, Riverdale, N.Y., 10463
E-mail: [email protected]

Education

2006-2010

Doctoral research in the Faculty of Law, Bar-Ilan University, supervised by Prof. Shahar Lifshitz. Thesis subject: “Determining Legal Parentage by Agreement”.

President’s Scholarship, a 3 year award for an exceptional Ph.D. candidate, Bar-Ilan University.

2005-2006
M.A. thesis entitled: “Public Regulation and Private Agreement of Spousal Conjugal Privileges in Jewish Law” Supervised by Prof. Berachiya Lifshitz and Prof. Shahar Lifshitz, cum laude (final grade: 97).

Training for communal rabbinate, Rothschild Fund and the Institute for Higher Jewish Studies, Bar-Ilan University.

Licensed Attorney, Israel Bar Association.

2005

Arbitration Studies, Israeli Center for Negotiation and Mediation (ICNM)
2000-2003
Direct M.A. track – B.A. followed by M.A. cum laude, Faculty of Law, Bar-Ilan University.
2000-2002
B.A. studies in the Department of Talmud and Oral Law (completed cum laude), Bar-Ilan University.
1998-2001
Rabbinic studies leading to ordination as a Rabbi, under the auspices of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.
1996-1999
Studies towards a Teaching Diploma
1990-1992
Graduate of the Yeshiva High School Midrashiat Noam, specializing in sciences and computers. Advanced studies in English, physics, mathematics, and computers.

Experience

2025 –

Research associate, health policy program, Taub Center,

https://www.taubcenter.org.il/.

2025 (summer)

Residential visiting Scholar, The Hastings Center.

2024 –

Chief Justice Meir Shamgar Center for Digital Law and Innovation, Senior Research Fellow, Tel Aviv University, Home | shamgarlaw (tau.ac.il).

Research Fellow at the Samueli Initiative for Responsible AI in Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Responsible AI in Medicine | Tel Aviv University (tau.ac.il)

2022 –

Associate professor.

2016 –

Senior Lecturer on Family Law and Contract Law, Netanya Academic College.

2013 –

Adjunct lecturer on Family Law and Contract Law, Tel-Aviv and Bar-Ilan Universities and Netanya Academic College.

Adjunct lecturer on Health Ethics, Faculty of Health Professions, Ono Academic College.

2011-2012

Adjunct lecturer on Health Ethics, Faculty of Health Professions, Ono Academic College.

2010-2011

Visiting Research Scholar, New York University Law School.

Researcher in the Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Israeli Health Ministry.

Lecturer on “Legal & Bioethics Dilemmas at the Beginning of the Life", Bar-Ilan University

2009-2010

Vice Chairman of the Commercial Law Center, Faculty of Law, Bar-Ilan University.
2008-2010
Researcher at the Center for Health Law and Bioethics, Ono Academic College, in partnership with Dr. Gil Siegal.

Research Associate: Agunah Research Unit, Centre for Jewish Studies, University of Manchester. (In Jewish Law [halacha], an agunah is a women “chained” to a missing or uncooperative husband).

Member of the Publication Committee of the international Jewish Law Association

2007

Joint Lecturer on “Modern Biology and its Ethical Challenges” in the course of study in Bioethics at Bar-Ilan University.

2007-2009

Deputy editor of a journal on Health Law and Bioethics.
2003-2004
Y. Gurnitzki & Co., Attorneys at Law and Notaries.

Legal intern, supervised by Atty. Daphne Talgam (Gurnitzki).

Worked in various commercial and civil legal branches, including: real estate, contracts, companies, monopolies, ecology, and litigation.

Preparatory training in the International Department, dealing with B.O.O. and B.O.T. transactions.

1998
Teacher, Fuchs Beit Sefer Mizrachi, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
1997
Teacher and educator in Military School ‘Or-Ezion’.

Voluntary and Social Activities

1998
Zionist emissary sent by the Jewish Agency and Igud Yeshivot Hesder to the Jewish community in Cleveland, U.S.A.

Volunteer in the youth Movement ‘Yachad’, which aids disabled children and children with learning disabilities.

Youth leader for the National Council of Synagogue Youth.
1991
Youth leader in a youth movement.

Army Service

Lecturer in the IDF Rabbinate Lecturer’s Dept., on Family and Marital Relations.

Service at the Gush Eziyon Hesder Yeshiva – Teacher and educator in the pre-military school Or Ezion, Chaplain.

Investigative officer in a unit for identifying corpses.

Languages

Hebrew – Mother tongue.

English – High level.

Congresses and Lectures

1. Lecture on, "The Procedural Reform in the Family Courts – Isn't It Time for a 'Declaration of Independence'?", The Law & Society Conference, Peres Academic Center, 29.1.26 (with Yuval Sinai).
2. Lecture on, "The Procedural Reform in the Family Courts – Isn't It Time for a 'Declaration of Independence'?", The Israeli Association for Legislation Conference 2025, The Hebrew University, 10.12.25 (with Yuval Sinai).
3. Lecture on, “Gestational Motherhood in the Israeli Law", Tel-Aviv University, 10.8.25.
4. Lecture on, “Gestational Motherhood in the Israeli Law", Israeli Police Legal Department, 15.7.25.
5. Lecture on, "The Procedural Reform in the Family Courts – Isn't It Time for a 'Declaration of Independence'?", The 15^th Israeli Association of Private Law, The Academic College of Law & Science, 17.6.25 (with Yuval Sinai).
6. Lecture on, “Gestational Motherhood in the Israeli Law", Israel Bar Association, Eilat, 25.5.25.
7. Lecture on, “Children's Rights in the Israeli Embryo Mix-Up", Gilat Conference, Netanya Academic College, 27.4.25.
8. Lecture on, "From Responsible Genomics to Responsible Medical AI ", Center for Responsible AI Technologies (CReAITech), Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Munich Germany, 9.4.25 (with Noam Shomron).
9. Lecture on, “The Brave New World of Intentional Parenthood", Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence Italy, 25.2.25.
10. Lecture on, “Dying to Be a Mother – About the Appropriate Normative Limits on the Use of Deceased's Eggs”, The Law & Society Conference, Peres Academic Center, 30.1.25.
11. Lecture on, “Dying to Be a Mother – About the Appropriate Normative Limits on the Use of Deceased's Eggs”, The Israeli Society for Victimology, Ono Academic College, 21.11.24.
12. Lecture on, “Dying to Be a Mother – About the Appropriate Normative Limits on the Use of Deceased's Eggs”, Conference for the Book Determining Legal Parentage by Agreement in Israel, Netanya Academic College, 16.4.24.
13.  Lecture on, “Parent-Child Relationships – Between Family Law and Contract Law – Concluding Remarks", Israel Bar Association, Tel-Aviv, 25.7.23.
14. Lecture on, "From (Moral) Status (Of the Frozen Embryo) To (Relational) Contract and Back Again to (Relational Moral) Status", the Tenth conference in the Obligations series, Banff, Canada, 14.7.23.
15. Lecture on, "Ketubbah Payment and Property Distribution: The "No Double Discount" Practice in Israeli Rabbinical Courts", The Israeli Family Law Association Conference, College of Law & Business in Ramat-Gan, 14.6.23 (with Avishalom Westreich).
16. Lecture on, "Gender, Religion and Custody in Jewish Medieval Age", Journée d'études :Les enjeux de genre et de religion dans la garde des enfants de l'époque médiévale à l'époque contemporaine dans une perspective compare, Université de Strasbourg, 15.5.23.
17. Lecture on, "Gestational Motherhood in the Israeli Law", The Law & Society Conference, Reichman University, 2.4.2023.
18. Lecture on, "A Decade to the Israeli Revolution of Parental Orders", The Hebrew University, 29.3.2023.
19. Lecture on, "From (Moral) Status (Of the Frozen Embryo) To (Relational) Contract and Back Again to (Relational Moral) Status", The 25th Annual Family Law MDT/UWC Conference, Cape Town, 9.3.23.
20. Lecture on, "Ketubbah Payment and Property Distribution: The "No Double Discount" Practice in Israeli Rabbinical Courts", The Conference of Launching the Memorial Book of Miryam Naor, The Hebrew University, 14.2.23 (with Avishalom Westreich).
21. Lecture on, "From Roe v. Wade to Dobbs v. Jackson – Between Women's Rights Discourse and Obligations Discourse", "From Roe v. Wade to Dobbs v. Jackson – Modern and Interfaith Perspectives", Netanya Academic College, 13.9.22.
22. Lecture on, "Between the Unborn Child’s Rights and His Intending Parents’ Rights and Between the Patient’s Rights Law and Contract and Negligence Laws", The Israeli Contract Forum, Bar-Ilan University, 28.6.22 (with Benjamin Shmueli).
23. Lecture on, "From (Moral) Status (Of the Frozen Embryo) To (Relational) Contract and Back Again to (Relational Moral) Status", the Association for Israel Studies, Bar-Ilan University, 27.6.22.
24. Lecture on, "Between the Unborn Child’s Rights and His Intending Parents’ Rights and Between the Patient’s Rights Law and Contract and Negligence Laws", The Israeli Association of Private Law, Achva Academic College, 19.6.22 (with Benjamin Shmueli).
25. Lecture on, "From (Moral) Status (Of the Frozen Embryo) To (Relational) Contract and Back Again to (Relational Moral) Status", The Law & Society Conference, Peres Academic Center, 2.6.22.
26. Lecture on, "Legal Parenthood – Law and Justice", The Israeli Family Judges' Forum, Jerusalem, Israel, 21.2.22.
27. Lecture on, "The "Jurisdiction Race" is Fading or Alive and Kicking? – Concluding Remarks", The "Jurisdiction Race" is Fading or Alive and Kicking?", Netanya Academic College, 11.1.22.
28. Lecture on, "Between the Unborn Child’s Rights and His Intending Parents’ Rights and Between the Patient’s Rights Law and Contract and Negligence Laws", Haifa University, Israel, 7.12.21.
29. Lecture on, "From (Moral) Status (Of the Frozen Embryo) To (Relational) Contract and Back Again to (Relational Moral) Status", the Israeli Contract Forum, Zefat Academic College, Israel, 20.6.21.
30. Lecture on, "From (Moral) Status (Of the Frozen Embryo) To (Relational) Contract and Back Again to (Relational Moral) Status", the Bar-Ilan University's Interdisciplinary Research Group on the Ethics of Cryopreserved Fertilized Embryos, 19.5.21.
31. Lecture on, "Contracts with Known Sperm Donors", The Israeli Association of Private Law, The Hebrew University, 9.6.20.
32. Lecture on, "Contracts with Known Sperm Donors", The Israeli Contract Law Association Conference, College of Law & Business in Ramat-Gan, 5.2.20.
33. Lecture on, "Frozen Embryos – The Jewish Perspective", Frozen Embryos in Israel, The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, 14.12.19.
34. Lecture on, "Baby M(anji), Baby Gammy and Beyond:
    Preserving the BIC in International Surrogacy Agreements", ISFL Regional Conference in Israel: Children's Rights and Interests, The Academic Center for Law and Science, Hod Hasharon Israel, 9-10.12.19.
35. Lecture on, "Bargaining in the Shadow of Get Refusal: How Modern Contract Doctrines Can Alleviate This Problem", The Third International Agunah Summit, Fordham University, N.Y., 14-15.06.18.
36. Lecture on, “The Jewish Family – Between Family Law and Contract Law” – Concluding Remarks", Netanya Academic College, 14.03.18.
37. Lecture on, “Dying to be a Father”, Sperm Banks in Israel: Medical, Legal, and Bioethical Aspects, Netanya Academic College, 20.02.18.
38. Lecture on, “From the Tender Years Doctrine to the Approximation Rule – Between Family Law and Contract Law”, Netanya Academic College, 07.11.17.
39. Lecture on, “About the Appropriate Normative Limits on the Use of the Will of the Deceased to Reproduce after his Death”, The Law & Society Conference, Netanya Academic College, 06.02.17.
40. Lecture on, “Legal Parenthood – Law and Justice”, 20 Years to the Israeli Surrogacy Regulation, Netanya Academic College, 07.04.16.
41. Lecture on, “From Baby M to Baby M(anji): Regulating International Surrogacy Agreements", The Israeli Association of Private Law, Bar-Ilan University, 15.03.16.
42. Lecture on, “Parenthood: Legal, Society, State and Halakhah”, The Law & Society Conference, The Hebrew University, 01.02.16.
43. Lecture on, “On Parent-Child Relationship, Contracts and Between Them”, The Law & Society Conference, The Hebrew University, 01.02.16.
44. Lecture on, “Regulating International Surrogacy Agreements", “Families-in-Law: Setting New Agendas” Intenational Symposium, Radzyner Law School at IDC Herzliya, 17.12.15.
45. Lecture on, “Baby M(anji), Baby Gammy and Beyond: Preserving the BIC in International Surrogacy Agreements”, 8th International Symposium on the Jurisprudence of the Family, 9-10.6.15.
46. Lecture on, “Israel and Surrogacy”, IAML London Surrogacy Symposium, 17-19 2015.
47. Lecture on, “In Defense of International Surrogacy Agreements: the Israeli perspective", 10th World Conference on Bioethics, Medical Ethics & Health Law 2015, 7.1.15.
48. Lecture on, “In Defense of International Surrogacy Agreements", the ISFL Israel Conference 2014, 2-3.1.14.
49. Lecture on, “Scarce Medical Resources? – Procreation Rights in a Jewish and Democratic State”, “To Be A Mother?!”, The College of Management Academic Studies, 23.5.13
50. Lecture on, “Brave New Reprogenetics Ethical Challenges” (with Dr. John Loike from Columbia University), the Israeli National Forum for Genetics, Ethics and Law at Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Israeli Health Ministry, 18.02.13.
51. Lecture on, “Three Fathers and Four Mothers…On the Challenge of Establishing Legal Parentage in a Changing Reality”, International Conference, Bar-Ilan University, 4.1.11.
52. Lecture on, “The Limits of Authority in Modern Halakhic Rulings”, Nitzotzot Conference, Bar-Ilan University, 25.11.2010.
53. Lecture on, “Parenthood at any Price? – Halachic, Legal and Ethical Aspects of IVF”, Annual Ono Academic College Conference, August 2009.
54. Lecture on, “‘Freedom of Contract’ in Halachic Family Law? – A Comparison of the Babylonian Talmud and the Palestinian Talmud”, The Fifteenth World Congress, The Jewish Law Association, June 2008.
55. Lecture on, “Two Aspects of the Right to Grow Old Gracefully”, a study day in memory of Ya’akov and Peninah Herzog, together with Yad Sarah and Hadassah, on “The Rights of the Patient in Law and Halachah”, June 2007.
56. Lecture on, “On the Dispositive Foundations of the Obligation of Spousal Conjugal Relations in Jewish Law”, The fourteenth international conference of the Jewish Law Association, Bar-Ilan University, June 2006.

Publications

Books

• Determining Legal Parentage by Agreement in Israel (2023) (Heb.).
• Parent-Child Relationships – Between Family Law and Contract Law (Bar-Ilan University Press, 2022) (Heb.).
• Determining Legal Parentage – Between Family Law and Contract Law (2019).
• The Jewish Family – Between Family Law and Contract

Articles

• Yehezkel Margalit & Noam Shomron, From Responsible Genomics to Responsible Medical AI, XXXVI Fordham Intellectual Property, Media & Entertainment Law Journal (2025-2026) (forthcoming).
• Yehezkel Margalit & Yuval Sinai, The Procedural Reform in the Family Courts – Isn't It Time for a 'Declaration of Independence'? 30 Mishpat Umimshal (2026) (forthcoming) (Heb.).
• Technological Solomonic Dilemmas – Embryo Mix-Up in Israeli and Jewish Perspectives, in Emerging Technologies – Converging Theologies: Multidisciplinary Considerations for Human Futures (Jessica Giles et al. eds., forthcoming, 2026).
• Appointing a Guardian Ad Litem for Children of Divorce: From Children’s Rights to Community Well-Being, Festschrift in honor of Prof. Pinhas Shifman 169 (Ruth Zafran et al. eds., 2025) (Heb.).
• The Brave New World of Intentional Parenthood, 63 Family Court Review (2025).
• Gestational Motherhood in the Israeli Law, 31 Law & Business 171 (2025) (Heb.).
• Benjamin Shmueli & Yehezkel Margalit, Between the Unborn Child’s Rights and His Intending Parents’ Rights and Between the Patient’s Rights Law and Contract and Negligence Laws, 28 Mishpat Umimshal 281 (2025) (Heb.).
• A Decade to the Israeli Revolution of Parental Orders, 20 Hukim Law Review 213 (2024) (Heb.).
• On the Future of Abortions in Israel – Between Women's Rights Discourse and Obligations Discourse, Festschrift in honor of Prof. Sinai Deutsch 537 (Moshe Gelbard & Ruth Plato-Shinar eds., 2024) (Heb.).
• Yehezkel Margalit, On AI (Artificial intelligence) and AI (Artificial insemination), 163(6) Harefuah 348 (2024) (Heb.).
• Yehezkel Margalit & Pnina Lifshitz-Aviram, From Roe v. Wade to Dobbs v. Jackson – Between Women's Rights Discourse and Obligations Discourse, 33 Health Matrix 345 (2023) (was accepted also to Akron Law Review).
• From (Moral) Status (Of the Frozen Embryo) To (Relational) Contract and Back Again to (Relational Moral) Status, 20 Indiana Health Law Review 257 (2023).
• Avishalom Westreich & Yehezkel Margalit, Ketubbah Payment and Property Distribution: The "No Double Discount" Practice in Israeli Rabbinical Courts, in The Memorial Book of Miryam Naor 843 (Aharon Barak et al eds., 2023) (Heb.).
• Determining Halakhic Parenthood – Between Family Law and Contract Law, in The Memorial Book of Yaakov Neeman 281 (Aharon Barak et al eds., 2023) (Heb.).
• The "New" Families, the Freedom of Inheritance and Between Them, 27 Law & Business 31 (2022) (Heb.).
• "Paternity Fraud" and Known Sperm Donors – Towards A New Archimedean Point of Serving the Best Interests of Child and Men's Rights, 16 Haifa Law Review 95 (2023) (Heb.).
• From the Tender Years Doctrine to the Approximation Rule – Between Family Law and Contract Law, 15 Haifa Law Review 15 (2021) (Heb.).
• Dying to be a Father – About the Appropriate Normative Limits on the Use of the Will of the Deceased to Reproduce after his Death, 24 Law & Business 223 (2021) (Heb.).
• Truth and Stability – Is Truth Preferable? Revisiting the Dilemmas Concerning Paternity Testing of Minors in Israel, 16 Hukim Law Review 9 (2021) (Heb.).
• Bargaining in the Shadow of Get Refusal: How Modern Contract Doctrines Can Alleviate This Problem, 36 Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution 153 (2020).
• Yehezkel Margalit & Pnina Lifshitz-Aviram, Towards A New Archimedean Point of Maternal vs. Fetal Rights? 81 Louisiana Law Review 447 (2020).
• Roy Gilbar & Yehezkel Margalit, On the Family, Medicine and the Law Between Them, 13 Netanya Academic College Law Review 37 (2020) (Heb.).
• The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of the "Presumed" Will of the Deceased to Reproduce After his Death?, 13 Netanya Academic College Law Review 89 (2020) (Heb.).
• Legal Parenthood – Law and Justice, 47 Hebrew University Law Review 131 (2018) (Heb.).
• Towards Establishing Parenthood by Agreement in Jewish Law, 26(2) American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law 647 (2018).
• "Temporary Marriage – A Comparison of the Jewish and Islamic Conception, 33(1) Journal of Law and Religion 89 (2018).
• From Baby M to Baby M(anji): Regulating International Surrogacy Agreements, 24(1) Journal of Law & Policy 41 (2016).
• Bridging the Gap Between Intent and Status: A New Framework for Modern Parentage, 15(1) Whittier Journal of Child and Family Advocacy 1 (2016).
• Artificial Insemination from Donor (AID) – From Status to Contract and Back Again?, 21(1) Boston University Journal of Science & Technology Law 69 (2015).
• Yehezkel Margalit & John Loike, The New Frontier of Advanced Reproductive Technology: Reevaluating Modern Legal Parenthood, 37 Harvard Journal of Law and Gender 107 (2014).
• In Defense of Surrogacy Agreements: A Modern Contract Law Perspective, 20 William & Mary Journal of Women and the Law 423 (2014) (was accepted also to Duke Journal of Gender Law and Policy).
• Scarce Medical Resources – Parenthood at Every Age, In Every Case and Subsidized By the State?, 9 Netanya Academic College Law Review 191 (2014) (Heb.).
• Freedom of Contract in Regulating Spousal Conjugal Relations in Jewish Law, 6-7 Family in Action 505 (2013-4) (Heb.).
• Intentional Parenthood: A Solution to the Plight of Same-Sex Partners Striving for Legal Recognition as Parents, 12 Whittier Journal of Child and Family Advocacy 39 (2013).
• To Be or Not to Be (A Parent)? – Not Precisely the Question; the Frozen Embryo Dispute, 18 Cardozo J. L. & Gender 355 (2012), was reprinted in Minnesota Family Law Journal (2012).
• Towards Determining Legal Parentage by Agreement in Israel, 42 Hebrew University Law Review 835 (2012) (Heb.).
• Determining Legal Parenthood by Agreement as a Possible Solution to the Challenges of the New Era, 5 Haifa Law Review 553 (2012) (Heb.).
• ‘Freedom of Contract’ in Halachic Family Law? – A Comparison of the Babylonian Talmud and the Palestinian Talmud, 25 Bar-Ilan Law Review 803 (2010) (Heb.).
• The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of the Genetic Foundation for Legal Parentage Determination, 3 Journal of Health Law and Bioethics 125 (2010) (Heb.).

Other publications

• Abortion, in Marriage and Divorce in America: Issues, Trends, and Controversies (Jaimee L. Hartenstein ed., 2023).
• ‘Freedom of Contract’ in Halachic Family Law? – A Comparison of the Babylonian Talmud and the Palestinian Talmud, XX JLAS 119 (2010).
• On the Dispositive Foundations of the Obligation of Spousal Conjugal Relations in Jewish Law, XVIII JLAS 164 (2008).

Work under evaluation

Book

• Genetics and Jewish Law (Routledge, forthcoming, 2027).

Articles

• Yehezkel Margalit et al., Ancient DNA Research – Jewish and Bioethical Perspectives.
• Dying to Be a Mother – About the Appropriate Normative Limits on the Use of Deceased's Eggs (Heb.).
• Michal Alberstein, Nadav Davidovitch, Yehezkel Margalit, Artificial Intelligence in Vanishing Hospitals and Courts: Perspectives from Public Health and Alternative Justice.
• Nadav Davidovitch, Yehezkel Margalit, Jonathan Schler, AI(d) for Global Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Registration – Research, Policy and Regulation.

You can access my papers on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) at: Author Page for Yehezkel Margalit :: SSRN