Chief Rabbinate

Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi:

'Everyone wants to unite the nation'

'Chief Rabbinate is not just for haredim or religious people, it's for everyone,' new Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi Kalman Ber says.

77 votes to 58:

Rabbi Kalman Ber elected Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel

After the two tied in the first round of elections, Netanya Chief Rabbi Kalman Ber bested his opponent, Petah Tikva Chief Rabbi Micha Halevi.

Elections for Chief Rabbi:

Tie between Rabbi Micha Halevi and Rabbi Kalman Ber

A tie was recorded between the candidates for the position of Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi. A runoff will be held next week.

Elections for Chief Rabbi of Israel begin

Three months after the current chief rabbis end their term, 140 members of the voting body hold elections to decide who will fill the positions for the next decade.

Chief Rabbinate opens registration for ordination tests

The CEO of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, Yehuda Cohen, announced last night (Thursday) that special leniencies for reservists will be extended to the upcoming exams.

Supreme Court:

Elections for Chief Rabbinate - no later than September 30

Following Supreme Court decision to freeze Chief Rabbinate elections, court sets September 30 deadline, orders completion of necessary processes.

An end to the crisis?

Shas, Otzma Yehudit, to vote with the coalition

Shas party slams National Security Minister for party's refusal to vote with coalition, stresses, 'Shas, as usual, will show responsibility and not create a crisis.'

Investigation:

Rabbinate approved conversion courts illegally

Chief Rabbinate staff allegedly added two courts from overseas to the list of approved conversion courts despite them not completing the strict process to do so.

Chief Rabbinate refuses to give easier tests

Students for Rabbinical Ordination will not be given any leniencies on their tests due to lengthy periods of reserve service.

Last Testament of Rabbi Ben-Zion Uziel: Lessons for Generations

He represented the Torah and all Jewry with honor, great wisdom and modesty.

TA Rabbinical Court siege:

'The head of the court was snuck out the back door'

The Chief Rabbi's bureau chief describes the feelings as hundreds of protesters surrounded the court, trapping judges and litigants.

Finance Min. meets Religious Zionist candidate for Chief Rabbi

Finance MIn. Bezalel Smotrich meets Rabbi Meir Kahane, congratulates him on candidacy for Chief Rabbinate.

Sephardic Chief Rabbi won't stay on: 'I want to focus on Torah'

'I expect and hope to end my term, and to focus on Torah and service of G-d,' Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef says.

Chief rabbis' terms to be extended as elections pushed off

Elections for Chief Rabbinate to be delayed until early next year, allowing time for legislation and distancing them from local elections.

Hundreds awaiting testing dates for rabbinical ordination

Numerous inquiries regarding the delay in publishing testing dates have left students across Israel worried for their study schedule.

Members of incoming gov. discuss plan to replace kashrut reform

The new plan, which will replace Matan Kahana's reform, will include digitization and will give more authority to supervisors.

A reaffirmation of Israel’s Chief Rabbinate

Israel’s chief rabbis have been the object of vindictive and unfair criticism. Op-ed.

Rabbinate celebrates 100 years

New line of stamps to feature chief rabbis

The line was launched at a meeting commemorating the anniversary of the death of Rabbi Kook, the rabbinate's founder.

Opposition takes aim at reforms to kosher supervision

Amendments designed to restore powers of Chief Rabbinate weakened by former Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana.

The Rise and Fall of Israel's 36th government

As predicted, over the last few weeks the pace of the dissolution of this government has heated up with its demise expected shortly.Op-ed..

Israel's first Chief Rabbi:

Matza of love

Israel's first chief rabbi: In the Torah, the Jews were told to eat matza two weeks before Pesach, so what is the real reason we eat matza?

Converts threaten to demonstrate against Chief Rabbinate

Converts to Judaism write to Chief Rabbi Lau after he refuses to sign conversion certificates in fight against government conversion reform.

Chief Rabbis: New Conversion Law is based on deceit

Those who 'convert' according to Kahana's law won't be recognized as Jews by vast majority of rabbis, warn Israel's chief rabbis.

The Issues behind the Conversion Issue

Understanding and responding to the State of Israel 's Conversion reform Controversy. Op-ed.

Kahana blasts 'extremism' within Religious-Zionist sector

Kahana condemns rabbis for failing to protest speech by Chief Rabbi, calls for an "end to divisive discourse."

Religious Zionist leaders stand behind Chief Rabbinate

About 1,000 rabbis to attend demonstration against Minister Matan Kahana's reforms to the kashrut and conversion systems.

Religious-Zionist youth to hold protest march against government

Religious Affairs Minister: "Protesting is best use of one's citizenship rights; I have no problem with people protesting my policies."

No, a Chief Rabbi is not a government clerk

If a Chief Rabbi, amid a conversion dispute, says he will not certify certain standards as a matter of conscience, I stand with him. Op-ed.

The Conversion Bill will cause more problems than it solves

There are hundreds of thousands of non-Jewish Israelis not interested in a halakhic conversion or a lifestyle of any Torah observance.Op-ed.

Chief Rabbi Lau: The Knesset won't decide who is a Jew

"A Jew is someone who commits to Torah observance, regardless of any legislation the Knesset may pass."

Chief Rabbinate's complaints with Tzohar kashrut

Details of Chief Rabbinate's response to Tzohar petition to Supreme Court revealed. Tzohar dismisses allegations.

Danger for the Jewish people!

A demand addressed to MK Kalfon from a French immigrant.

Israel's Chief Rabbis issue condemnation of abortion

Both of Israel's chief rabbis denounce abortion, make public appeal against the practice.

Yisrael Beytenu to Kahana: 'Your conversion bill won't happen'

Yisrael Beytenu, Yesh Atid insist coalition agreements remove Chief Rabbinate entirely from authority over conversions.

Kahana's outline for conversions revealed

Outline developed with senior Religious-Zionist rabbis, will enable tens of thousands of conversions of non-Jews of Jewish descent.

Ombudsman: Remove Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef's status as judge

Former Supreme Court Justice Uri Shoham tells Religious Affairs Minister Chief Rabbi Yosef's opposition to kashrut reforms has gone too far.

Afula Chief Rabbi supports kashrut reforms

Rabbi Shmuel David speaks out in favor of Minister Kahana's reforms: 'It is a pity the Chief Rabbinate did not respond or cooperate.;

Food fights: The proposed Kashrut reform

To destroy Israel's kashrut system and undermine consumer confidence, it is hard to imagine a better plan than the proposed reforms. Op-ed.

First Publication:

IDF cancels soldiers' tour of Temple Mount

Sephardic Chief Rabbi wrote to IDF Chief of Staff, citing repeated rulings on part of Chief Rabbinate forbidding ascent to the Mount.

Dozens of rabbis hold conference decrying government reforms

'We will not cooperate with dismantling the Chief Rabbinate,' rabbis insist. 'Proposed reforms will lead to anarchy.'

Chief Rabbinate raids meatpacking plant

The Chief Rabbinate has stripped a meatpacking plant of kosher status after finding numerous prohibited cuts of beef on the premises.

Religious Zionist rabbis decry 'kashrut revolution'

Leading rabbis say any reform to kashrut industry must be approved by the Chief Rabbinate.

'They only want reforms when it comes to the Rabbinate'

Shas MK Uriel Busso slams reform for kosher supervision, demanding Religious Affairs Min. 'work together with the chief rabbis.'

Chief Rabbinate denounces new Kashrut guidelines

Israel's Chief Rabbinate calls the free market for Kashrut supervision 'the end of Kashrut in Israel."

MK Kariv blames Chief Rabbinate for clashes at Western Wall

Reform MK accuses Chief Rabbi of "trying to prevent egalitarian prayer."

European Beth Din to align with Israeli Chief Rabbinate

Conference of European Rabbis agrees to align European Jewish court with Israel's Chief Rabbinate, easing bureaucracy for immigrants.

MK: Serious, deadly breach of trust of kashrut-keeping public

Shas MK Moshe Arbel demands Chief Rabbinate act after woman dies from eating dairy at a kosher meat restaurant.

Tzohar decries Supreme Court non-halakhic conversion decision

Blames 'power brokers' associated with Chief Rabbinate for allowing decision to go ahead.

Supreme Court refuses to reopen hospital Passover case

Justice Esther Hayut refuses to hear new arguments against bringing leavened food into hospitals on Passover

Chief Rabbinate: Women should not be tested for the rabbinate

Chief Rabbinical Council says calls for ordination exams for women are attempts to harm rabbinate as an institution.

Yisrael Beyteinu seeks to change face of Chief Rabbinate

Avigdor Liberman's party to submit bill to add greater diversity to the body which elects the chief rabbis.

'Situation during holidays depends on keeping guidelines today'

Israeli Chief Rabbi David Lau talks about coronavirus restrictions, upcoming fast days, and whether synagogues will be open during holidays.

The unique prophecy of Moses

Torah from Israel's first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, Torah Luminary and iconic leader of Religious Zionism.

Former Chief Rabbinate official indicted for bribery

Rabbi Yitzhak Arazi, former head of kashrut imports at Chief Rabbinate, charged with receiving bribes to fast-track kashrut certificates.

Chief Rabbis: Pray at home

Chief Rabbinate issues guidelines for Passover, says burning of chametz is banned this year, use of Zoom for seder not allowed.

Chief Rabbinate officially recognizes Ethiopian Jews

Israeli Chief Rabbinate accepts position of late Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef that Ethiopian Beta Israel community are completely Jewish.

Will restaurant open on Shabbat be certified kosher?

Restaurant which is open on Saturdays but does not violate Shabbat files appeal against rabbinate's decision not to grant certification.

Liberman petitions against DNA testing

Yisrael Beyteinu party submits Supreme Court petition to cancel DNA tests for immigrants from former Soviet Union to prove Jewishness.

Liberman: Sane rabbinate or Inquisition?

Yisrael Beiteinu leader slams genetic testing of immigrants from Russia, calls for state bodies to be removed from haredi control.

Disgraced rabbi convicted of sexual assault to be de-ordained

Rabbi accused of sexual assault years after conviction for the same offense could lose his title as a rabbi.