Little more than a week after their election, signs of friction have developed between Israel’s new Chief Rabbis–Shlomo Goren the Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi, and Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, his Sephardic counterpart. Although the two ostensibly got on well and cooperated as chief rabbis of their respective communities in Tel Aviv during the past three years, a dispute developed between them today over the composition of a rabbinical court to deal with the problem of “mamzerim”–persons of illegitimate birth who are banned by the rabbinate from marrying.
Rabbi Goren, who has promised to find a halachic way to alleviate the personal hardships imposed by the ban, favors a special court consisting of himself. Rabbi Yosef and another “dayan” (judge). Rabbi Yosef insists, however, that the two chief rabbis appoint a special court but exclude themselves from it. Rabbi Goren said last night that he hoped the problem of “mamzerim” and others forbidden to marry by the rabbinate for reasons of halacha would be solved within a year. Rabbi Yosef also complained to newsmen yesterday that Rabbi Goren has made public statements since the election without consulting him.
HOPE FOR RECONCILIATION
Another dispute between the two chief rabbis is developing over whether three incumbents of the Rabbinical Supreme Court who opposed Rabbi Goren’s election should remain in office. The three are Rabbis Bezalel Zolti, Eliezer Goldschmidt and Shaul Yisrael who are regarded as die-hard conservatives.
Rabbi Goren has said privately that he wanted them out because they are “extremists.” He is especially hostile to Rabbi Zolti who headed the re-election bid of former Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi Issar Yehudi Ulsterman, the man Rabbi Goren defeated. But Rabbi Josef has been pleading with the three judges to remain on the rabbinical court and has said it was calumny to call them “extremists.” According to Rabbi Josef the three are the best dayanim in Israel and he intends to try to bring about a reconciliation between them and Rabbi Goren.
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