The Knesset Law Committee on Monday, 4 Adar 5772, approved a first reading of a bill seeking to amend the law pertaining to the election of Israel’s chief rabbis. If the bill is passed into law, the current chief rabbis, Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Amar and Rabbi Yona Yechiel Metzger would be permitted to run for a second ten-year term when this current term expires in 14 months. The bill is being pushed by MK (Kadima) Eli Aflalo, who feels there is simply no reason to prevent them from seeking a second term.
Ironically, when Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita was serving as Sephardi chief rabbi, in 5740, a law was passed limiting the term of a chief rabbi. Previous efforts to reverse the current situation have failed, limiting the chief rabbis to one 10-year term. This was the case with Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, who enjoyed widespread popularity, nevertheless compelling him to step down at the end of his term and reassume the position as the chief rabbi of Tel Aviv.
Rabbi Metzger has already stated that he would not seek a second term unless he was requested to do so by gedolei yisrael shlita. Rav Ovadia Shlita has already signaled that he would like to see Rav Amar continue in his current capacity even though the rav indicated he would prefer to step down and continue writing and teaching, leaving the public sector with the demands that accompany such a position.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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“Ironically, when Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita was serving as Sephardi chief rabbi, in 5740, a law was passed limiting the term of a chief rabbi. ”
This is the exact reverse of what happened. Before R Yosef and R Goren, the Chief Rabbinate was for life. Then the law was changed to make it a five year term, and R Nissim ZTzL was pushed out to be replaced by the “young blood” R Yosef. (R Unterman ZTzL was already niftar). Then at the new Chief Rabbis’ demand the term was changed to 10 years. When the 10 years were up they wanted to extend it again, but Moshe Nissim was the Attorney General and he fought against it on the grounds that if the job should be for life then why was his father pushed out? So R Eliyahu was chosen to replace R Yosef, and R Yosef never forgave him or Moshe Nissim. When Shas started, the first thing the new MKs did was to destroy Mr Nissim’s political career, in revenge for his refusal to extend R Yosef’s term.