HaRav Dayan Eliezer Igra Shlita, a member of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Supreme Court, has announced he is dropping out of the race as a contender to become the next chief Ashkenazi rabbi. The rav made his announcement following the news that Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita agreed to the deal with Bayit Yehudi, in which Shas agrees to support the candidacy of Rav Yaakov Ariel Shlita in his bid to become the next chief Ashkenazi rabbi.

Rav Igra informed Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan of his decision, giving his bracha to the deal which backs Rav Ariel, who currently serves as the chief rabbi of Ramat Gan.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)