Rabbi Bohbot with Chief Rabbi Yosef
Rabbi Bohbot with Chief Rabbi YosefYaakov Cohen

Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Bohbot, the chief rabbi of the city of Tiverya (Tiberias), has passed away at the age of 58. He had been fighting a grave illness for several years and ultimately succumbed after his condition deteriorated in the last few days, during which he was hospitalized in Maayane Hayeshua hospital in Bnei Brak.

"It is with great sorrow that we must inform the public of the passing of the Chief Rabbi of Tiverya, Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Bohbot ztz"l," announced Tiverya's religious council. "A separate announcement will be released regarding details of the funeral. We share the family's grief."

Rabbi Bohbot was appointed as Tiverya's chief rabbi five years ago, upon the recommendation of Rabbi Shalom Cohen, a senior rabbi in the Sephardi community, who stressed Rabbi Bohbot's suitability for the position given his great level of scholarship and his long experience as a community rabbi. It was only after he became chief rabbi that he was stricken with the illness that ultimately claimed his life.

"I was greatly saddened to hear of the passing of my good friend, the great scholar Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Bohbot," said Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, Israel's Chief Sephardi Rabbi. "Rabbi Bohbot was a fearless defender of kashrut and halachah [Jewish law], and he was also instrumental in bringing many of his city's closer to religious observance, teaching about Judaism, authoring holy books, and exerting himself to his utmost to serve G-d."