There has not been an Ashkenazi chief rabbi in Netanya for some 20 years, but now, the city council is going to convene to discuss the matter. For the past two decades, all rabbinical duties have been carried out by the Sephardi chief rabbi, HaGaon HaRav Avraham Slush, who has been serving in the post for over 50 years.
The position of chief Ashkenazi rabbi was vacated over two decades ago, when HaGaon HaRav Yisrael Meir Lau was elected as the chief rabbi of Israel. According to a report in the weekly BaKehilla, Mayor Miriam Fireberg always pushed for a dati leumi rav and the rabbonim were not willing to accept her selection so the post has remained vacant.
City officials feel this is not a valid concern for any rabbi willing to run for the post will have to earn the approval of the appropriate agencies, City Hall, the religious council and the gabbaim on the selections committee.
In a related note, Yerushalayim has been without an Ashkenazi or Sephardi chief rabbi for over a decade, also due to the ongoing disputes surrounding dati leumi and chareidi candidates. One of the areas that has suffered significantly as a result of the void is the city’s kashrus.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Who needs two heads? One is enough.
They should end one of the two Chief Rabbis of Israel too.
Why doesn’t someone check the facts before posting these articles?
Rav Lau left his position to be divided between his son Rav Moshe Chaim Lau and his son-in-law Rav Eliezer Sorotzkin, better known as the Director-General of the national P’eylim / Lev L’Achim movement.
Each of the Rabbis is called “Rav Azor” or Regional Rav. They each preside over multiple Batei Knesses (perhaps 10 – 15 each). Rabbi Sorotzkin especially is active in Kashrus, Chinuch, the establishment of Torah Schools and Mikvaos.
Netanya is not lacking for an Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi except for the Mayor to have a chance to insert someone less halachically stringent for she makes no headway in this regard when dealing with Rav Lau’s successors.
Tovim ha’shnayim min ha’echad – Two heads are better than one.