Tel Aviv To Appoint New Chief Rabbi After Eight-Year Vacancy

Tel Aviv is finally set to receive a new chief rabbi in January, ending an eight-year period without one.

The committee responsible for selecting the city’s new chief rabbi convened Monday at the Religious Services Ministry and agreed to hold a vote on January 6, 2026, according to a ministry spokesperson.

Like many cities across Israel, Tel Aviv has lacked a chief rabbi since 2017, when Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau — who also previously served as Israel’s Ashkenazi chief rabbi — completed his term.

Earlier this year, then–Religious Services Minister Michael Malkieli of Shas reversed regulations that had placed the appointment of city rabbis directly under ministry control, a move that had drawn criticism from opposition lawmakers and religious rights advocates.

Municipal rabbis serve as the primary halachic authority for Jewish residents of their cities, overseeing matters such as marriage certification and kashrus supervision for local establishments.

Each city’s rabbinic appointment is decided by a committee composed of city council members, appointees from the Religious Services Ministry, and the head of the local religious council.

For Tel Aviv, the selection committee will be chaired by Rabbi Yaakov Zamir, a former judge on the Great Rabbinical Court. Other members include Rabbi Yitzhak Levy, chief rabbi of Nesher, as well as Rachel Dayan and Tal Tnaami from the Tel Aviv Municipality, and Yonit Gispan from the Religious Services Ministry.

“This is a significant step that restores to Israel’s central city its spiritual leadership,” said Yehuda Avidan, the ministry’s director general.

Avidan expressed appreciation to Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and the city council for their cooperation, adding that “the entire process is being conducted in an atmosphere of partnership, mutual respect, and a shared vision for the benefit of all residents — religious and secular alike.”