Speaking with Kikar Shabbat, Deputy Minister of Religious Services (Bayit Yehudi) Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan explains that l’chatchila his party tried to have Rabbi Yaakov Ariel run for the post of the next Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel. He explains that realizing this is no longer possible; the party is supporting Rabbi David Stav.

Ben-Dahan responds to a question about chareidi opposition to Rav Stav as well as strong opposition from Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita. The deputy minister explains that he has not personally heard of any opposition from Rav Ovadia himself. Regarding the chareidi tzibur, he admits he can understand some of the opposition while there are issues he simply does not understand. The deputy minister explains “First and foremost our responsibility is to those who elected us, those who put us in office. We are working to see a dati leumi rabbi to serve as the next chief rabbi.”

When asked about the Amar Bill and efforts to have Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Shlomo Amar elected to a second term.

Ben-Dahan explained that originally, the party supported the bill in return for a promise that Amar supporters would back a dati leumi rav for the post of Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi. Today however the picture has changed, the bill has been vetoed and it remains unclear if the bill will advance or not.

Regarding the Stern Bill, the party vetoed the bill because of objections from rabbonim and not because of any personal issues. He rejects the bill was vetoed because MK Elazar Stern insulted Bayit Yehudi MK Shuli Moalem-Refaeli in Knesset, emphasizing the veto was simply in response to widespread rabbinical opposition to the bill.

Rav Ben-Dahan explains that he was the director-general of the nation’s batei din as well as serving as the bureau chief of HaGaon HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu ZT”L for seven years, and with all of this experience he admits one cannot know how this race for new chief rabbis will end.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)