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Due to non-appointment of city rabbis: conversion reforms and stuck training | Israel today

2021-12-28T06:45:30.049Z


Upon taking office six months ago, the Minister of Religions promised to appoint city rabbis soon, but so far not a single rabbi has been appointed.


The two main reforms, in the field of kashrut and in the field of conversion, initiated by the Minister of Religions Matan Kahana, may encounter unexpected difficulty a moment after they are launched.

In both reforms, the main figures who gain power at the expense of the Chief Rabbinate and the conversion system, are city rabbis.

But as of today, in many cities in Israel there is no incumbent rabbi.

The Minister of Religions undertook at the beginning of his term about six months ago to act for the appointment of city rabbis as soon as possible, but so far not a single mayor has been appointed.

Data provided by the "Trustees of Torah and Labor" movement and the Center for Judaism and State at the Hartman Institute show that in 35 cities, including some of the major cities, there is currently no incumbent rabbi but deputy.

In addition, in many cities the age of the city rabbis is 69 and over, which means that in many places in a few years they will be left without an incumbent mayor.

On January 1, 2022, kosher areas will be opened, and every mayor will be able to provide kosher wherever he wants.

But in the absence of a mayor, it is likely that many places will not do so.

In the conversion reform it is proposed to allow every mayor to open a house for conversion, but if there is no mayor - there will also be no new court, and as a result the reform may get stuck.


The problem with appointing city rabbis is that it is currently a cumbersome procedure, which is why it takes a long time to appoint a rabbi to the position, something that the experts want to change immediately.

Protest against kosher reform in front of Minister Matan Kahana's home // Photo: No credit,

"The reality that for years there has been no regulated procedure for electing city rabbis in dozens of municipalities is unreasonable," said Rabbi Dr. Ido Pechter, head of the City Rabbis and Religious Councils Initiative in the Torah and Labor Trustees movement. The blessings that Minister Kahana is trying to promote, such as the opening of kosher areas and the conversion reform, which are placed on the shoulders of the city rabbis.

Without appointed city rabbis - there is really nothing in these revolutions. "

"The picture that emerges from the data is worrying," said Tani Frank, director of the Center for Judaism and State at the Hartman Institute and the Trigobof Institute.

"The welcome changes in the areas of conversion and training planned by the current government are based on decentralization of powers for city rabbis, but at the moment it is not at all certain that they will find rabbis who can implement this policy. In a mess that is celebrated in the field of city rabbis, "he said.

The Rabbinical Court in Tel Aviv.

The city is just one of many that operates without a rabbi in a permanent appointment // Photo: Yehoshua Yosef,

Minister Kahana's office said regarding the appointments: "Minister Kahana sees great importance in appointing city rabbis, and works to appoint a rabbi serving in each city. Until the transfer of the budget, it was not possible to promote the appointment of rabbis, "Budget, the Minister's Office and the employees of the Ministry of Religious Affairs are working hard to promote a large-scale appointment in every city in Israel."

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Source: israelhayom

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