Legal practices and institutions of modern Israel.
The ancient people of Israel created the law of the Torah and the Mishna (the latter was later incorporated into the Talmud ). Contemporary Israeli law reflects a dual legal heritage: it is based on historic Jewish law and the laws of countries in which the Jews had for generations been living. It is derived from Ottoman and British legislation and precedents, religious court opinion, and Israeli parliamentary enactments. Courts are composed of professional judges only; juries are not used. Jewish law as such continues to be applied by the rabbinical courts within their jurisdiction in matters of personal status; it is applied also by the civil courts when called upon to deal with such matters concerning Jews.