Supreme Court President Justice Esther Hayut canceled the results of the elections for the Chief Rabbi of Mevasseret Tzion and determined that the voter body would convene again to elect the Chief Rabbi.

As noted, Rabbi Shlomo Ben Ezra was elected to the position last year, but the High Court of Justice stopped his entry into office, as reported by YWN-Israel.

On Monday morning, April 1, 2019, in a Supreme Court hearing, Justice Hayut rejected the claims against Rabbi Ben Ezra and the voter body, but determined that the voter body would convene again to elect the Chief Rabbi.

Rabbi Ben Ezra was represented by attorneys Dudi Halper and Asher Axelrod. The Chief Rabbinate estimates that despite the events, Rabbi Ben Ezra will be reelected to the post.

HaGaon Rav Shlomo Ben Ezra has been waiting about 20 years to officially assume the post of Chief Rabbi of Mevasseret, but after he was finally elected to the position by a majority of ten of the 16 members of the electorate, the High Court of Justice again stopped the appointment.

Judge David Mintz accepted the request of attorney Asher Dal, who applied for an interim injunction until the appointment, and ordered the state to respond to the claims that arise from the petition within a month and until then not to appoint Rabbi Ben Ezra.

In the past, in his first attempt to contend for the position, Rabbi Ben Ezra was accused of trying to have supporters appointed to the body which elects the Chief Rabbi, and the High Court of Justice has already determined that he was engaged in unacceptable activities behind the scenes.

The claim is that the current elections were also pre-arranged in order to appoint Rabbi Ben Ezra, and accordingly, people were appointed to the electorate to choose him.

Rabbi Ben Ezra was elected to the position for the second time after in 2000, about 19 years ago, he was elected to the position and came to thank HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L for his support, but the High Court of Justice rejected the election due to a conflict of interest.

Kikar Shabbos News adds that at the time, Maran Rav Ovadia issued a psak halacha that no one may run against Rav Ben Ezra and the post is reserved for him until elections would be permitted. That ruling was also signed by the elder of the mekubalim, Rav Yitzchak Kaduri ZT”L.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)