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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 624

Ashkenazi chief rabbi

Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu attends Lag Ba'omer celebrations in the northern city Safed, May 26, 2024 (David Cohen/Flash90)
February 19, 2025, 4:34 pm
Ultra-Orthodox rabbis secure majority in Israel’s top Jewish legal body
Chief Rabbinate Council is the main authority on Jewish law for government and religious services; head of advocacy group says new members all appear to back religious status quo
By Rossella Tercatin and Sam Sokol
Rabbi Kalman Ber attends a vote for the new Chief Ashkenazi rabbi, at the Chief Rabbinate headquarters in Jerusalem, October 31, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
October 31, 2024, 8:02 pm
Ultra-Orthodox-backed Kalman Ber chosen as Ashkenazi chief rabbi in runoff
Top Netanya cleric beats out Rabbi Micha Halevi, who drew anger from religious Zionists by reneging on promise to stay out of race, after initial balloting ended in tie
By Mati Wagner and ToI Staff
Committee members at the elections for Israel's new chief rabbis in Jerusalem, September 29, 2024. (Arie Leib Abrams/Flash90)
October 30, 2024, 4:10 pm
Divisive, long-delayed election for chief rabbi to proceed Thursday
Over a year late, the vote for Israel’s top Ashkenazi authority seems to be on track amid political strife and broken commitments
By Mati Wagner
Election envelopes at the elections for Israel's new chief rabbis in Jerusalem, September 29, 2024. (Arie Leib Abrams/Flash90)
October 8, 2024, 6:00 pm
Following inconclusive vote, AG demands second round in chief rabbi election
Call for runoff comes after a single miscast ballot left rabbis Micha Halevi and Kalman Ber with 40 votes apiece in last Sunday’s Chief Rabbinical election
By Sam Sokol
Son of late Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Rabbi David Yosef, leaves after giving a Torah lesson during a visit to Safed, November 16, 2017. (David Cohen/Flash90)
September 29, 2024, 11:48 pm
David Yosef elected as Sephardic chief rabbi, the third from his family in the role
Second round for Ashkenazi chief rabbi to be held next week, following tied vote; election held after disagreements and competing political deals kept positions vacant since July
By Gavriel Fiske
Ballots are seen at the elections for Israel's new chief rabbis in Jerusalem, September 29, 2024. (Arie Leib Abrams/Flash90)
September 29, 2024, 5:01 pm
Election underway for new chief rabbis, after repeated delays and political deals
Results to be announced Sunday evening; election of Ashkenazi and Sephardi religious leaders for 10-year term comes after disagreements kept roles vacant since July
By Gavriel Fiske
Rabbi Micha Halevi speaks at a ceremony in a religious school in Petah Tikva, May 17, 2023. (Gershon Elinson/Flash90)
September 28, 2024, 1:00 pm
Lead candidate for chief rabbi in legal hot water due to unkosher loan — report
Nonprofit run by Rabbi Micha Halevi loaned NIS 100,000 to company that pays kashrut inspectors in Petah Tikva, where he heads local rabbinate; chief rabbi vote set for Sunday
By ToI Staff
Israel's Ashkenazi former chief rabbi David Lau, right, and Israel's Sephardi former chief rabbi Yitzhak Yosef attend an event at a ceremony in Jerusalem, June 30, 2023. (The Chief Rabbinate of Israel)
July 5, 2024, 9:17 pm
A fight over women’s representation leaves Israel’s Jews without chief rabbis
The Justice Ministry’s demand that the rabbinate consider women for a position traditionally reserved for rabbis is key to the delay in succession for the first time in over a century
By Canaan Lidor
Israel's Ashkenazi former chief rabbi David Lau, right, and Israel's Sephardi former chief rabbi Yitzhak Yosef attend an event at a ceremony in Jerusalem, June 30, 2023. (The Chief Rabbinate of Israel)
July 5, 2024, 4:34 am
Israel’s chief rabbis leave their posts with no successors lined up to replace them
Interim rabbis to fulfill duties after Religious Affairs Ministry fails to set date for elections to replace outgoing rabbis, Ashkenazi David Lau and Sephardi Yitzhak Yosef
By Ben Sales
Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau speaks during a rally calling for the release of Israelis held kidnapped by Hamas terrorists in Gaza at 'Hostages Square' in Tel Aviv, April 18, 2024. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
May 26, 2024, 11:47 pm
Citing nepotism concerns, High Court of Justice halts rabbinical courts appointments
Petition filed by attorney notes that Chief Rabbi David Lau is a member of the committee considering the promotion of two of his relatives
By Canaan Lidor
File: Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau (left) and Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef attend a ceremony selling hametz (food containing leavening) to Arab Israeli Mr Jaber before the upcoming Passover holiday in Jerusalem, April 4, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
July 4, 2023, 9:41 am
Knesset votes to postpone election for new chief rabbis
Heated race delayed until spring of 2024 as Shas reportedly scrambles to choose candidate
By ToI Staff
Illustrative: A cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem on March 12, 2023. (Marc Israel Sellem/POOL)
June 19, 2023, 2:50 am
Otzma Yehudit brawls with Shas over Chief Rabbinate election delay
Haredi party minister tells far-right faction to stay in its lane, claiming control of tax-funded state body and threatening to kill domestic abuse bill if it doesn’t get its way
By ToI Staff
Rabbi Meir Kahana, in November 2022. (Halavi/ Wikimedia Commons)
June 4, 2023, 9:56 pm
Zionist rabbis tap Meir Kahana, reserves commander, as their pick for chief rabbi
Nomination seen as surprising since it knocks out hardliner favored by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich; Haredi factions yet to coalesce around nominee ahead of vote this fall
By Canaan Lidor
Religious Services Minister Michael Malchieli arrives for the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem on January 3, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
June 3, 2023, 9:42 pm
Selection of new chief rabbis postponed until after municipal elections
Religious Services Minister Michael Malchieli cites fear the municipal voting could appear to taint the process
By Canaan Lidor
Chief Rabbi David Lau speaks at a Chabad event in New Jersey on November 20, 2022. (Screen capture: Chabad)
November 21, 2022, 7:37 pm
Chief rabbi calls for government to change immigration law to keep non-Jews out
Speaking at New Jersey event, David Lau echoes comments by Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, who said incoming government could offer chance to ‘amend the law on who is a Jew’
By Judah Ari Gross
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