The Chief Rabbinate in Jerusalem: Another Machlokes

Rafi G. at Life In Israel has a great post where he dissect the some of the arguments over the elections. See there for the full text.

My comments on his here:

Polk's argument is really backwards considering the subject of the argument. They are arguing over the Rabbanut - the Rabbanut was designed to be more lenient, not to be more stringent. The Rabbanut is meant to provide the services for people who would otherwise not keep kashrut or kosher marriage. It is meant to make it easier for them and therefore make them more willing to keep at least certain, less stringent, standards.

 I don't know. Was the Rabbanut really designed to be so? Or was it designed to provide Halachic services for these who need/want them?

Also, he claims that haredim are benefiting from the Rabbanut services, because right now it is under haredi control. I don't know what he is referring to. I have never heard of haredim eating in Rabbanut certified restaurants...

Yes, true.

I am not saying the Chief Rabbi should not be a haredi rabbi for these reasons.

Indeed, they do seem to have the majority. Which in a real democracy , would give them a clear win.

Nobody involved is objective though, so it is completely meaningless.

Of course, these argument all come from the want for more power and control. So I don't really look at the argument from either side, just whats better for me.

Just like there is probably a very qualified Dati Leumi rabbi for the position, there is probably a very qualified Haredi rabbi for the position.

Agreed.