Rabbi Yaakov Shapira, head of Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem and the son of former Chief Rabbi Avraham Shapira, announced his decision on Tuesday to run for the position of Ashkenazi chief rabbi. Even though Shapira is considered to be affiliated with the religious Zionist camp, he is also seen as part of the more conservative stream known as "nationalist haredi" and is accepted among several haredi (ultra-Orthodox) rabbis. In a recent sermon to his yeshiva students, Shapira said, "We believe in the strength of the rabbinate, which can spread love and Torah guidance, in a pleasant way and through cooperation with the rabbis of Israel. It is important for the rabbinate to represent not only one sector, which heaven forbid, should also not belong to one [political] party or another." "There are always improvements that can be made," Shapira added, "but we must be careful that pent-up hatred doesn't ruin the people. We must not make the rabbinate only about civil marriage or create a poisonous atmosphere." Earlier this week Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger suspended himself from all roles connected to his position as chief rabbi. The announcement came after Metzger was questioned last Thursday and again on Friday and spent the weekend under house arrest in Tel Aviv following allegations that he took bribes worth hundreds of thousands of shekels, as well as engaged in corruption, fraud, breach of trust and money laundering.
Rabbi Yaakov Shapira to run for Ashkenazi chief rabbi
Shapira, currently the head of Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem, is affiliated with the religious Zionist camp, but is also seen as part of the more conservative "nationalist haredi" stream and is accepted among several of the haredi rabbis.
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