On Wednesday, Rav Dovid Yosef was officially designated as Rishon Letzion, Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, during a ceremony that was attended by the Shas party’s Council of Torah Sages and Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
The title of Rishon Letzion is traditionally assigned to Sephardic Chief Rabbis and holds historical significance dating back to the 17th century.
During the ceremony, Rav Yosef was adorned with the customary rabbinical attire by Rav Avraham Salim, Rav Shmuel Betzalel, and Rav Reuven Elbaz, who are members of the Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah of Shas.
The traditional turban was placed on the Chief Rabbi’s head by Rav Shlomo Ben-Shimon, as well as Rav Dovid’s brothers, Rav Avrohom and Rav Moshe Yosef.
The event took place in the Rav Yochanan Ben Zakkai Shul, located in the Old City of Yerushalayim.
President Herzog remarked during the ceremony: “During these difficult times when our brothers and sisters are still being held captive by the cruel enemy – in terrible pain, while entire communities are uprooted from their homes, when hundreds of thousands of our sons and daughters are still valiantly fighting, and most importantly when it seems that the Israeli society is being torn from within, the job of the Rishon Letzion gets a deeper meaning.”
{Matzav.com Israel}
