A month after the first round of elections for the Chief Rabbinate, and over a year past the original date mandated by law, the two new Chief Rabbis of Israel were officially elected. The prolonged delay following the end of the terms of the previous Chief Rabbis, Rabbi David Lau and Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, led to the temporary dissolution of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel—a first since the founding of the state. However, it is certain that the institution will resume full function soon.
In the first round, Rabbi David Yosef, son of the influential Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (Sephardi Chief Rabbi from 1973–1983) and brother of the outgoing Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, was elected. Rabbi David Yosef currently serves as the Rabbi of Har Nof neighborhood and is active in the Shas Council of Torah Sages. The other two candidates, Rabbi Micha Halevi (Chief Rabbi of Petah Tikva) and Rabbi Kalman Bar, the Chief Rabbi of Netanya with roots in religious Zionist education, reached a tie and advanced to the second round. Rabbi Meir Kahana, who had the committee’s endorsement before the elections, did not proceed to the next round, and many of his supporters, opposing Rabbi Halevi’s candidacy, ultimately backed Rabbi Bar—who won in the second round and was elected as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi.
The new Chief Rabbis enter their roles in a challenging period. Public trust in the Chief Rabbinate is reportedly at an unprecedented low, largely due to the cancellation of reform attempts by Minister Matan Kahana. Furthermore, the recent election, heavily entangled in political maneuvering, did little to restore confidence. Additionally, Israel’s focus on security due to ongoing conflict restricts resources available for the Chief Rabbinate. Lastly, technological advancements, increased online access to rabbinic literature, and even artificial intelligence raise questions about the relevance of an established Chief Rabbinate. We wish the new leaders success as they begin their ten-year term and hope for positive outcomes.
