Minister to Reconvene Meeting Over Yerushalayim Chief Rabbi’s Post

Religious Services Minister Yaakov Margi caved in last week to critics and called to redo a step in the process of choosing the next chief rabbis of Yerushalayim. Yerushalayim citizens concerned that Margi was attempting to rig the voting process have petitioned the High Court of Justice, demanding more transparency.About two weeks ago, Margi convened a committee of five that chose a voting body of 24 representatives of shuls in Yerushalayim that would have the task of choosing the next chief rabbis. However, minutes from the meeting were never released.

Dr. Aviad Hacohen, dean of the Sha’arei Mishpat College, petitioned the High Court in the name of “Ne’emanei Torah Ve’avoda,” a religious Zionist organization, and Yerushalayim Municipality Council Member Rachel Azaria to demand the minutes and gain more information on how that vote was conducted.

Sources close to Margi were quoted in the charedi press as saying that although he had done nothing wrong, the religious services minister did not want to engage in a long legal battle that would needlessly delay the election of chief rabbis. He therefore agreed to repeat the process by which the voting body is chosen.

Yerushalayim Mayor Nir Barkat has declared that he supports the appointment of at least one religious-Zionist chief rabbi. Chacham Ovadia Yosef has supported one of his sons, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, to be elected as chief Sephardi rabbi.

{JPost/Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}