Drama in the elections for the chief rabbis: A tie was registered this evening (Sunday) in the elections for the chief rabbis between the candidates for the position of Ashkenazi rabbi – Rabbi Kalman Bar Rabbi of the city of Netanya and Rabbi Micha Halevi, Rabbi of Petah Tikva.
The two received 40 votes each. Rabbi Meir Kahana received – 30. Rabbi Moshe Haim Lau – 21, and Rabbi Eliezer Igra – 6.
138 of the 140 members of the electoral body voted in the elections for the chief rabbis of Israel – Ashkenazi and Sephardi, who will hold office for the next decade. Mayor of Netanya, Miriam Fiberg, member of the electoral body, did not vote due to a personal interest. Another member of the electoral body is staying abroad.
The second round that was supposed to be held tonight at 21:30, with the participation of 138 of the 140 members of the electoral body – was postponed. As it turns out – the elections for the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi will be postponed for a week – and will be held after Rosh Hashanah.
The election committee announced that “in consultation with the Ministry of Justice, it was decided to set a new date for repeat elections, but a date has not yet been set.”
The elections – in which Rabbi David Yosef won for the position of First Zionist and Sephardic Chief Rabbi – took place at the Ramada Hotel in Jerusalem. The first vote ended ten minutes before the designated time of 19:00.
Rabbi of Netanya Rabbi Kalman Bar, Rabbi Meir Kahana – who was chosen by the rabbinical committee to represent religious Zionism, Rabbi of Petach Tikva Rabbi Micha Halevi supported by Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Rabbi Eliezer Igra – a veteran lawyer of the Rabbinical Court ran for the position of Ashkenazi chief rabbi. The elder, and rabbi of the central Netanya neighborhood Rabbi Moshe Haim Lau.
Rabbi David Yosef, son of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef ztzel, Dayan of the Great Rabbinical Court Rabbi Michael Amos, and Rabbi of Safed Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu ran for the post of Sephardic rabbi.
Over a year ago, Minister Bezalel Smotrich convened a committee of rabbis of all shades of religious Zionism – which chose Rabbi Meir Kahana as the religious Zionist candidate for the elections.
The chairman of religious Zionism finally decided not to adopt the decision, a move that angered many in religious Zionism, and stated that he would support Rabbi Micha Halevi.
Former member of the Knesset, Yehuda Glick, harshly attacked Rabbi Micha Halevi during the voting in the elections for the chief rabbis – and shouted at him: “Shame and disgrace”. This is because he violated the signature to the rabbinical committee.
