Israel's President Meets Chief Rabbis, Calls for National Unity

President Isaac Herzog visited the sukkah of Rabbi David Yosef, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, in a traditional holiday gathering. The meeting, described as warm and familial, touched upon the legacies of spiritual and political leaders, including Herzog's grandfather, Rabbi Isaac Halevi Herzog, and Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, David Yosef's father and former Sephardic Chief Rabbi.

Separately, Rabbi Kalman Meer, the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi and head of the Chief Rabbinate Council, also met with President Herzog. Rabbi Meer urged the President to serve as a unifying public voice during the sensitive election period, emphasizing the need to counter divisive rhetoric and promote national solidarity. He highlighted that despite differing opinions, Israelis remain a strong family, citing the recent Selichot prayers at the Western Wall attended by over two million religious and secular citizens.

Rabbi Meer stressed that negative campaigns harm the shared social fabric and called for focusing on the positive and unifying aspects of Israeli society. He presented President Herzog with his new books from the "Halacha Berura" series, and they shared a toast for peace and the well-being of the nation.

These meetings are part of a series of holiday visits by President Herzog, who recently hosted Rabbi Mordechai Hassidim at the President's Residence.