Rishon L’Tzion HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Moshe Amar Shlita on Monday 12 Tishrei added his name to the candidates seeking to become the next Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim. Hours away from the closure of registration Rav Amar joined the race, now competing against Rabbi Mordechai Toledano Shlita, a son-in-law of Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L and Rabbi Chaim Amsellem, a former Shas party MK and one who worked as a rav/dayan in a municipal capacity.
Barring last minute Supreme Court appeals and court intervention, the long-awaited election will take place on 27 Tishrei. Political machlokes has left Yerushalayim without Ashkenazi and Sephardi chief rabbis for over a decade.
Rumors the rav would enter the race were circulating for weeks but he declined to address the election. Now that Rav Amar officially entered the race, he is viewed to emerge with victory in hand as he enjoys the backing of both Jerusalem Mayo Nir Barkat and Minister of Religious Services Naftali Bennett for the two dominate the 48-member voting body that elects the chief rabbis.
Officials on the rav’s staff told the media Rabbi Amar views this as “a mission”, explaining the post has been vacant for so long and Rav Amar wishes to elevate the office of the Jerusalem Rabbinate to its former glory.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
Harav Amar shli”a is a real Yirae Shomayim, Gaon, and Ba’al Horah. As chief rabbi of Tel Aviv, he instituted that all Israeli institutions, (hospitals, schools, prisons, etc.) use Gush-Katif bug-free vegetables. In Tel Aviv, he closed all meat processing plants on Shabbos. He raised respect between religious, not-yer religious, and anti-religious communities. As chief rabbi of the holy city of Jerusalem, he will bring majesty and holiness to its highest level.
Yes! Great news!
“He wanted the place,perhaps the place was his”
misqoute
“He coveted the place,perhaps the place was his”