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Jerusalem - The Day Shas Let Secular Mayor Pick a Rabbi |
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Jerusalem - The race to become one of Jerusalem's two chief rabbis is shifting into high gear, with the parties in various sectors of the community working to have their favored candidate installed.
The Shas party, which is directing the process, is determined to have Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef (the son of the party's spiritual leader, Ovadia Yosef) named chief Sephardi rabbi in the capital. His appointment is a high priority for Religious Affairs Minister Yaakov Margi of Shas.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat is trying to come to an agreement with Shas in which the mayor would support the candidacy of Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, who is a significant figure in the religious world in his own right, on the condition that Shas agree to the appointment of a religious Zionist candidate as the city's Ashkenazi chief rabbi.
The posts of chief rabbi in Jerusalem have been vacant since 2003, when both incumbents died. Shas has attempted to have the posts filled for several years, but the process got hung up after Shas attempted to implement regulations making it easier for the party to appoint its candidates as chief rabbis in various cities. This jammed to a halt with a petition to the High Court of Justice.
After Margi was named religious affairs minister, an appointment procedure for municipal chief rabbis was worked out, and on Friday, notices were published to begin the complicated selection process by inviting the submission of candidates for chief rabbi of Jerusalem.
The selection process involves a committee including the mayor as well as representatives of synagogues in the city, representatives of the minister of religious affairs and representatives reflecting parties' strength in the city council.
Although it is not certain that Barkat will come to an understanding with Shas, efforts have already begun among the religious Zionist leadership to unite behind a single candidate. Among potential candidates for the post of Ashkenazi chief rabbi are Rabbi Yosef Carmel of the Eretz Hemda religious seminary; Rabbi David Stav, chairman of the Tzohar Foundation; Rabbi Aryeh Stern of the Halakha Berurah Institute; and Rabbi Yaakov Shapira of the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva.
One of them will run against the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox candidates, who include David Lau, son of Israel's former chief rabbi, Israel Meir Lau.
Because of the complexity of the selection process, the parties involved are trying to exert whatever influence they can on the selection committee.
Recently one of Barkat's city council coalition partners, the Hitorerut (Wake Up) Jerusalem faction, attempted to increase representation of religious Zionist synagogues on the selection committee.
The selection process has engendered complaints regarding the lack of prominence of the notices sent to the congregations. There is even the threat of a petition to the High Court of Justice.
In response to the complaints, Rabbi Avner Amar, who oversees procedures at the Religious Affairs Ministry for the appointment of rabbis, said notice appeared in the newspapers affiliated with all of the sectors involved.
"The process is open to everyone," he said, promising that everyone submitted as a candidate would be considered.
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Read Comments (7) — Post Yours »
1
Jun 10, 2009 at 09:13 PM Anonymous Says:
G-d forbid, the decision should be made on the basis of which of these guys combines both daas torah and the ability to promote understanding among all the factions in Yerushalayim. Instead, the appointment has become a political free-for-all with back room deals deciding the outcome. Why do we need a "chief rabbi" anyway. Everyone should decide who is their posek and take guidance from that rebbe. None of the names mentioned in this article is such a "gadol" that his appointment will automatically be approved by all the groups.
2
Jun 10, 2009 at 10:07 PM Anonymous Says:
I'm dizzy. This is more complicated than politics.
3
Jun 10, 2009 at 09:45 PM Anonymous Says:
“ G-d forbid, the decision should be made on the basis of which of these guys combines both daas torah and the ability to promote understanding among all the factions in Yerushalayim. Instead, the appointment has become a political free-for-all with back room deals deciding the outcome. Why do we need a "chief rabbi" anyway. Everyone should decide who is their posek and take guidance from that rebbe. None of the names mentioned in this article is such a "gadol" that his appointment will automatically be approved by all the groups. ”
True Bnai Torah will follow only their own rav and not some political hack on matters of halahca. These "chief rabbi' apointments are simply another way in which the government can distibute money and power
4
Jun 10, 2009 at 10:24 PM Anonymous Says:
“ G-d forbid, the decision should be made on the basis of which of these guys combines both daas torah and the ability to promote understanding among all the factions in Yerushalayim. Instead, the appointment has become a political free-for-all with back room deals deciding the outcome. Why do we need a "chief rabbi" anyway. Everyone should decide who is their posek and take guidance from that rebbe. None of the names mentioned in this article is such a "gadol" that his appointment will automatically be approved by all the groups. ”
While perhaps not "gadolim" under whatever definition you are using, several of these names are competent ravs who would have substantial respect among the various groups involved. since these are quasi political jobs, the real "gadolim" would probably not want to put their names into contention and risk the loss of prestige that would result from losing out to someone else.
5
Jun 10, 2009 at 09:01 PM Anonymous Says:
yaaay more rabbi pollytiks! do these people do work or is this just powermongering!
6
Jun 11, 2009 at 05:58 AM cp Says:
Someone please clarify this situation. As far as I know, "Chief Rabbi" is a title that was invented by European governments in the last 150-200 years to try to control who became the leaders of the Jews. (Like in Russia so they could make sure the chief rabbis were loyal to the government, had a secular education, etc.) Is there no better system that we have in our mesorah? This is exactly why R' Yosef Ber Soloveitchik zt"l refused to be Israel's Chief Rabbi, because he didn't want the rabbonim to be controlled by the government.
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Jun 11, 2009 at 02:09 PM emes Says:
“ yaaay more rabbi pollytiks! do these people do work or is this just powermongering! ”
be careful rav y. yosef wrote over 40 vol. of yalkut yosef besides editing other sforim he put in his time for decades w/o any accolades we wish we had him here in america there arent too many of him around