Shas Extends Tenure of City Rabbis, Enabling Decades-Long Appointments with High Salaries
A recent analysis based on a new document from the Knesset Research and Information Center reveals that the average tenure of city rabbis in Israel is expected to be 35.2 years, with some serving over 50 years. Currently, nine city rabbis are projected to serve more than half a century, and 29 are expected to serve over 40 years. Their base salaries range from 23,300 to 45,500 shekels per month, making these lifelong positions highly lucrative for individuals typically possessing only yeshiva education.
The Shas party has played a significant role in reshaping the appointment rules for city rabbis. After failing to pass legislation allowing the appointment of hundreds of rabbis, Shas altered the selection process and appointed 12 new city rabbis since June 2025, including Rabbi Avraham Deri, nephew of Aryeh Deri, expected to serve 29 years in Beersheba. Other notable appointments include Rabbi Zabdiah Cohen of Tel Aviv and Rabbi Rafael Abu Hatzeira of Ramla.
The tenure length depends on the year of appointment: rabbis chosen before 1974 serve until age 80, those appointed between 1974 and 2007 serve until 75 with possible extensions to 80, and those appointed after 2007 retire at 70 but can be extended to 75. Despite warnings from the State Comptroller in 2010 and 2018 about the risks of prolonged tenures causing stagnation and misalignment with community needs, the 2024 repeal of a 2022 law that limited city rabbis’ terms to ten years effectively restored lifetime appointments.
As of May 2026, there are 76 city rabbis and 74 neighborhood rabbis in Israel. The average tenure of city rabbis before Shas’s recent appointments was 26 years, an unusually long period compared to other professions. Many rabbis have served for decades, with some nearing or exceeding 60 years in office. Neighborhood rabbis, who officially retire at 67, also often serve well beyond retirement age, sometimes past 80, with an average tenure of 31.2 years and expected tenure of 38.3 years.
The Shas party’s efforts to increase the number of rabbis and extend their terms have raised concerns about bureaucratic inertia and the perpetuation of unnecessary positions. The Ministry of Religious Services, led by Minister Michael Malchieli of Shas, aims to appoint more neighborhood rabbis, a move that had been halted since 2003. Malchieli stated the ministry’s goal is to appoint as many rabbis as possible, but so far, attempts to revive these roles have been unsuccessful. However, the potential remains for future success in expanding these appointments.
