Shas Party Allegedly Controls Hereditary Rabbi Appointments in Israel

An investigation by Israel's Channel 13 revealed that positions of city rabbis in Israel are often passed down through a few families, with appointments allegedly controlled by the political mechanisms of the Shas party. The report highlighted the case of Rabbi Yitzhak Raphael Abuchatzira, who was elected Rabbi of Ramle. He is the fourth member of the Abuchatzira family to hold this position, with the rabbinate in Ramle reportedly being hereditary for over 75 years. He succeeded his father, Rabbi Yechiel Abuchatzira, in December. A legal advisor for the Chief Rabbinate found the candidate's rabbinical diploma invalid, leading the Supreme Court to issue a temporary injunction halting the election. A police complaint was also filed regarding a potential forgery of the document. Despite these significant irregularities, the court later approved the appointment, according to the report. The investigation included a recording of Rabbi Yechiel Abuchatzira attempting to persuade a local resident to withdraw a complaint, citing family lineage and the long-standing family control of the rabbinate. The report also detailed the appointment process, stating that 40% of recently elected rabbis are sons of previous rabbis. Furthermore, 24 out of 26 representatives on the Chief, involved in local rabbi elections, are reportedly directly linked to the Shas party. The investigation also mentioned other "rabbinical dynasties" such as the Yosef, Deri, and Abuchatzira families, noting their intertwined political and familial connections. Yehuda Avidan, Director General of the Ministry of Religious Services and a relative of the Abuchatzira family, reportedly oversees budget allocations. The Ramle municipality responded that Rabbi Yitzhak Abuchatzira was elected with 85% of the vote from the city council and public representatives, and that the Supreme Court had reviewed all claims. The Ministry of Religious Services declined to comment.