Rabbi Reuven Websht was chosen on Tuesday as the Chief Rabbi of the Ethiopian community of Israel. Rabbi Websht will begin his mandate at the beginning of the month.

Rabbi Websht is 47-years-old and lives in Netivot. He was born in Ethiopia and immigrated to Israel with his family and the tender age of two.

Websht studied at Or Etzion high school and is a graduate of Yamit, a yeshiva in the Hesder Yeshiva track. in 1989 Websht began his IDF service and a Golani soldier before becoming an officer. Upon his honorable discharge, Rabbi Websht became a Rabbi and began to help people in the IDF as he became an IDF rabbi. He married his wife Ofra who moved with him to Netivot and began to raise their family and build their home there.

In a letter he pened to the residents of the city after receiving the honor, Rabbi Websht said: “The title that I was given is just a small gesture valuing the work that I have done for this community and its social well being.”

The previous Chief Rabbi for the Etiopian community praised Rabbi Websht and said: “I know of and have met Rabbi Reuven Websht. He is a Talmid Chacham who is faithful to the work he does and will continue to be so for the next two decades at least. I wish him well on his new position.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)