Longest-Serving Rabbi of Eilat, Moshe Hadaya, Dies at 91

Rabbi Moshe Hadaya, who served as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Eilat for nearly seventy years, passed away on Saturday at the age of 91. He was a central figure in shaping the religious and community life of the southern city, accompanying generations of residents since its early days.

Rabbi Hadaya's funeral is scheduled to take place in Jerusalem, with details to be announced later. Just months prior, at a tribute event, he emotionally placed his rabbinical hat on his son, Rabbi Yair Hadaya, who was chosen to succeed him as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Eilat. This symbolic gesture marked the end of nearly seven decades of rabbinical leadership, which began with a short-term assignment.

Born in Syria in 1935, Rabbi Hadaya immigrated to Israel at a young age. He hailed from a distinguished rabbinical family, with his grandfather being the Kabbalist Rabbi Shalom Hadaya, his father Rabbi Yitzhak Hadaya serving as the rabbi of Jerusalem's Nachlaot neighborhood, and his uncle the Kabbalist Rabbi Ovadia Hadaya, head of the Beit El yeshiva. He began his rabbinical career at 18, serving in Yerucham and Dimona before being sent to Eilat by the Chief Rabbinate.

Initially intended as a brief mission in 1957, Rabbi Hadaya remained in Eilat, dedicating most of his life to the city when it was still a small, remote settlement. Alongside his wife, Rebbetzin Esther, he established a family and worked to build Jewish and religious life, founding synagogues, the first women's mikvah, and serving as Eilat's first mohel, performing thousands of circumcisions. He also prepared boys for their bar mitzvahs and officiated at weddings.

Rabbi Hadaya was known for his close ties with all residents, religious and secular alike, working to foster community cohesion. In March 2025, the Eilat Municipality honored him with a lifetime achievement award during a special city council meeting celebrating Eilat's liberation anniversary and his 90th birthday. The award recognized his decades of service, establishment of religious institutions, and contribution to community strengthening and inter-group relations.

Another tribute event in June, organized by the Eilat Municipality and the Religious Council, marked his seventy years of religious and public activity. Attendees included Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, Mayor Eli Lankri, and Rabbi Yosef Hecht. A significant moment was Rabbi Hadaya's blessing of his son, Yair, as his successor, symbolizing the transfer of rabbinical leadership. With Rabbi Moshe Hadaya's passing, a significant era in Eilat's rabbinate concludes, leaving a legacy of nearly seventy years of religious and public work, with his son continuing his path.