Shas-backed candidate Zevadia Cohen appointed new chief rabbi of Tel Aviv |
Shas-backed Rabbi Zevadia Cohen, who currently serves as the head of the rabbinical courts in Tel Aviv, was selected as the new chief rabbi of the city, which has gone eight years without one, the Religious Services Ministry announced Sunday.
Municipal rabbis must be men ordained by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and be strictly Orthodox. They are meant to serve as the chief religious authority for their city’s Jewish residents, signing off on documents such as marriage licenses and kosher certificates for local restaurants. They also act as a city’s spiritual leader, attending events, meeting the public and appearing in the media.
Cohen was selected by a 64-member committee featuring all the city council members (31 people, including Mayor Ron Huldai); the head of the local religious council; 21 members appointed by the Religious Services Ministry, which organized the election; and 11 members appointed by the city council.
He received 37 votes, ahead of Rabbi Haim Amsalem, who received 22. Once a Shas MK himself, Amsalem, over the past 15 years, has broken with the party and advocated a return to a Sephardic Judaism that, in his view, was once more pragmatic and open. He was supported as the more liberal contender by several factions within the municipal council, both from the coalition and the opposition, including Meretz, Yesh Atid and Religious Zionism.
Cohen, who has served as the head of the rabbinical courts in Tel Aviv since 2016, is considered a respected dayan (rabbinic judge). Among other areas, he is known for his efforts in favor of women “chained” in marriages against their will because their husbands refuse to grant them a divorce (as required........