Committee to Convene Next Week to Select New Rabbi for Ra'anana

The Ministry of Religious Services is moving to expedite the process of selecting a new city rabbi for Ra'anana, aiming to avoid delays beyond the upcoming elections. The committee responsible for choosing the rabbi will meet this Sunday at the Ministry to set the official date for the selection. This urgency is driven by the tight schedule before the government's expected dissolution.

The committee is chaired by Dayan Rabbi Israel Shachor, with Zuri Porat coordinating its work. Members include Rabbi David Abuhatzeira, the chief rabbi of Yavne, municipal representatives Aryeh Hildesheimer and Meir Gridish, and ministry representative Avital Almaliach. According to Channel 7, the leading candidate is Rabbi Avichai Katzin, head of the Roshit Beit Midrash in Ra'anana, who enjoys broad support from the city council and national political figures.

Other candidates include Rabbi Shlomo Ishon, the rabbi of Ra'anana's eastern neighborhood and head of the Keter Institute, and Rabbi Shabtai Yagel, rabbi of the Bnei HaYeshuvot community in the city. The committee's prompt convening aims to ensure the selection process advances smoothly before the political calendar complicates matters further.