The electoral assembly responsible for selecting the rabbi of Tel Aviv-Jaffa is expected to complete its work soon and announce the identity of the city’s next spiritual leader.
However, even before specific candidates have been formally discussed, a public debate has already emerged over the character and value-based outlook of the rabbi who will be chosen.
In an official letter sent to Mayor Ron Huldai and members of the City Council, Attorney Batya Kahane-Dror - founder of the “Mothers of Combat Soldiers" movement - called on city leaders to influence the nature of the appointment and to support the selection of a religious-Zionist rabbi who served in the IDF and is deeply connected to Israel’s national ethos.
Kahane-Dror, who defines herself as a religious woman who views military service as a moral obligation, wrote: “I expect the rabbi of Tel Aviv-Jaffa to be someone who embodies this worldview in practice - a religious-Zionist rabbi who carried the burden of military service and who sees the defense of the Jewish people as a central mitzvah."
According to her, “Tel Aviv is not just another local authority - it is a symbol of Jewish sovereignty." She stressed that the appointment of a rabbi who served in the IDF is not merely symbolic, but rather a clear value statement regarding shared responsibility and a sense of statehood.
Kahana-Dror also pointed to the worldview of the Yisrael Beitenu party, which advocates for the appointment of Zionist rabbis who would strengthen the Rabbinate in a unifying, state-oriented spirit. In this context, she referenced the legacy of former Chief Rabbis Rabbi Yitzhak Isaac Herzog and Rabbi Shlomo Goren, of blessed memory, who served as bridges between different sectors of Israeli society.
Concluding her letter, Kahane-Dror urged Mayor Huldai to act decisively within the electoral assembly, writing: “The decision regarding the identity of the rabbi is a real opportunity to shape the value-driven character of the city’s rabbinate for years to come."