In a statement released on Wednesday, 23 Sivan by Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau Shlita, reports the Chief Rabbinate is planning to compel Efrat Chief Rabbi Shlomo Riskin to retire are inaccurate. After reports the Chief Rabbinate Council was going to compel Rabbi Riskin to step down upon reaching the age of 75, Tzohar Rabbonim, the Efrat Council and a number of other prominent dati leumi rabbonim came out strongly in Rabbi Riskin’s behalf.

Rabbi Lau on Thursday was visiting a Modi’in yeshiva when he made the announcement to the press. Rabbi Lau blames the media for blowing things “out of proportion”, denying allegations that Rabbi Riskin is targeted by the Chief Rabbinate.

The allegations were leveled against the Chief Rabbinate of Israel in the belief that Rabbi Riskin’s liberal hashkafa led the Chief Rabbinate to find a reason to remove Rabbi Riskin from his post.

In accordance to law, Rabbi Riskin must officially request to have his tenure extended as he reached retirement age which is simply a formality.

YWN notes that Chief Rabbi of Efrat Rabbi Shlomo Riskin has previously referred to “J” as a “model Rabbi”, and called him “Rabbi J”. [VIDEO IS BELOW]

Some excerpts of the 5 minute video:

Shalom to all. My name is Shlomo Riskin. I am the Chief rabbi of the City of Efrat…..I am an Orthodox Rabbi…and an Orthodox Rabbi who is very profoundly interested in religion in general, in Christianity, and especially in the persona of Jesus in particular….I was truly fascinated by the personality of Jesus, whom to myself I have always referred to as “Rabbi Jesus”….because I think he is indeed a “model Rabbi” in many counts…and he lived the life of a Jewish Rabbi in Israel in a very critical time in our history…..I have constantly come back to the study of his personality and his teachings which are very strongly rooted in Talmudic teachings…..”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)