Today, Wednesday, 17 Menachem Av 5773, the 150 members of the voting body will arrive in the Jerusalem to place their ballots for Israel’s new Chief Rabbis. The voting will get underway at 15:00, lasting for three hours. The results are expected in the area of 20:00. The new chief rabbis, like their predecessors, will serve a ten-year term.

The voters are requested to remain in the capital until there is a final decision to event delays. In the event two candidates receive the same number of votes, a second round will be held this evening.

The voters include 30 chief rabbis of large cities, 14 chief rabbis of cities or municipalities, 2 chief rabbis from large regional councils, 8 chief rabbis of large yishuvim, 10 dayanim, 4 chief rabbis of neighborhoods, 2 rabbonim of the IDF Chief Rabbinate, 10 rabbis who were selected by Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Amar, 25 mayors of large cities, 6 heads of local municipal councils, 4 heads of large regional councils, 14 heads of religious councils from large cities, 2 cabinet ministers, 5 members of Knesset, 10 representatives selected by Minister of Religious Services Naftali Bennett.

The candidates running for the post of Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel include Rabbi David Lau, Rabbi David Stav, and Rabbi Yaakov Shapira.

The candidates running for the post of Rishon L’Tzion, Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel include Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Rabbi Tzion Boaron, and Rabbi Dr. Ratzon Arussi.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)