Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, former Israeli Chief Rabbi and current Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, has informed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that he will not be running for the national presidency, despite rumors to the contrary.
Prime Minister Olmert called Rabbi Lau on Thursday, in order to clarify the rabbi's position on the possibility of running for state President. Rabbi Lau told the Prime Minister that he never presented his candidacy and he even prevented Knesset members from carrying out initiatives to gather parliamentarians' signatures in his favor, as required of presidential candidates.
Rabbi Lau went on to explain that his personal deliberations regarding running for the presidency included the question of whether it is appropriate to forsake rabbinical duties for the sake of any other position. He also considered the diverse and moving
He even prevented Knesset members from carrying out initiatives to gather signatures in his favor.
expressions of support that he received regarding his potential candidacy. In addition, Rabbi Lau said that he took into account the requests of various rabbis, of Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, and of city rabbis and benefactors, that he continue serving the nation in his capacity as Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv-Jaffa.
"I considered all of those factors with great seriousness, and in the current circumstances, that is my decision," Rabbi Lau told Prime Minister Olmert.
Olmert explained his call to Rabbi Lau by saying that he felt a certain obligation to the rabbi, because the Prime Minister was among the first to suggest the rabbi's presidential candidacy.
On Wednesday, National Religious Party (NRP) Chairman Zevulun Orlev expressed his faction's support for Rabbi Lau, should he choose to run for President. However, if Rabbi Lau will not run, Orlev said that the NRP would back Knesset Member Reuven Rivlin (Likud) for the top post. Other sources within the NRP-National Union joint Knesset faction conditioned the parties' support for Rivlin on his commitment not to sign pardons that would release convicted terrorists - such as senior Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti - from Israeli jails.
Prime Minister Olmert called Rabbi Lau on Thursday, in order to clarify the rabbi's position on the possibility of running for state President. Rabbi Lau told the Prime Minister that he never presented his candidacy and he even prevented Knesset members from carrying out initiatives to gather parliamentarians' signatures in his favor, as required of presidential candidates.
Rabbi Lau went on to explain that his personal deliberations regarding running for the presidency included the question of whether it is appropriate to forsake rabbinical duties for the sake of any other position. He also considered the diverse and moving
He even prevented Knesset members from carrying out initiatives to gather signatures in his favor.
expressions of support that he received regarding his potential candidacy. In addition, Rabbi Lau said that he took into account the requests of various rabbis, of Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, and of city rabbis and benefactors, that he continue serving the nation in his capacity as Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. "I considered all of those factors with great seriousness, and in the current circumstances, that is my decision," Rabbi Lau told Prime Minister Olmert.
Olmert explained his call to Rabbi Lau by saying that he felt a certain obligation to the rabbi, because the Prime Minister was among the first to suggest the rabbi's presidential candidacy.
On Wednesday, National Religious Party (NRP) Chairman Zevulun Orlev expressed his faction's support for Rabbi Lau, should he choose to run for President. However, if Rabbi Lau will not run, Orlev said that the NRP would back Knesset Member Reuven Rivlin (Likud) for the top post. Other sources within the NRP-National Union joint Knesset faction conditioned the parties' support for Rivlin on his commitment not to sign pardons that would release convicted terrorists - such as senior Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti - from Israeli jails.
