Israeli Minister of Religious Affairs Michael Malkieli has formally written to the Mayor of Yerushalayim, Moshe Lion, requesting that he appoint members to a committee that will oversee the process of selecting the city’s new chief rabbis.
This marks the beginning of the process to appoint the new chief rabbis for Israel’s capital city.
At present, Yerushalayim does not have a chief rabbi following the completion of terms by Sephardic Chief Rabbi Rav Shlomo Moshe Amar and Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Rav Aryeh Stern.
The upcoming elections for the position of chief rabbi in Yerushalayim are viewed as a pivotal moment, as they will set a precedent for similar elections in other cities across Israel in the coming months.
A number of prominent rabbis are expected to vie for the position of Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim, including Rav Yigal Cohen, Rav Zamir Cohen, and Rav Gideon Ben-Moshe. Each candidate has a wealth of rabbinic experience and a broad background in Torah scholarship and leadership.
As for the Ashkenazi position, several notable figures are expected to run, including former Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rav Dovid Lau; his brother, Rav Moshe Chaim Lau from Netanya; Rav Yitzchok Neriya, head of Yeshivas Torah Betzion in Efrat; Rav BenTzion Kook from Yerushalayim; and Rav Mordechai Ralbag.
{Matzav.com Israel}