List of chief rabbis of Israel
This is the list of Chief Rabbis of Israel, including Mandatory Palestine.
There are two Chief Rabbis, one for the Ashkenazi Jews and one for the Sephardi Jews.
Together they are in charge of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.
Ashkenazi Chief Rabbis
| No | Portrait | Name | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100px | Abraham Isaac haCohen Kook (1865–1935) |
1921–1935 | Chief Rabbi of Mandatory Palestine |
| 2 | 100px | Yitzchak haLevi Herzog (1888–1959) |
1936–1959 | Chief Rabbi of Ireland (1919–1936) First Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel Father of Israeli president Chaim Herzog Grandfather of Israeli president Isaac Herzog |
| 3 | 100px | Isser Yehuda Unterman (1886–1976) |
1964–1973 | Chief rabbi of Liverpool and Tel Aviv |
| 4 | 100px | Shlomo Goren (1917–1994) |
1973–1983 | Chief Rabbi of the IDF (1948–1968) |
| 5 | 100px | Avraham Shapira (1914–2007) |
1983–1993 | |
| 6 | 100px | Yisrael Meir Lau (born 1937) |
1993–2003 | Father of David Lau |
| 7 | 100px | Yona Metzger (born 1953) |
2003–2013 | Went to jail for fraud |
| 8 | 100px | David Lau (born 1966) |
2013–2024 | Son of Yisrael Meir Lau |
| Vacant from 1 July 2024-4 November 2024 | ||||
| 9 | 100px | Kalman Ber (born 1957) |
2024–present | Related to Avraham Shapira by marriage |
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Sephardi Chief Rabbis
| No | Portrait | Name | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100px | Yaacov Meir (1856–1939) |
1921–1939 | First Chief Rabbi of Palestine |
| 2 | 100px | Ben-Zion Uziel (1880–1953) |
1939–1953 | First Chief Rabbi of Israel |
| 3 | 100px | Yitzchak Nissim (1896–1981) |
1955–1973 | Father of MK, minister and deputy Prime Minister, Moshe Nissim |
| 4 | 100px | Ovadia Yosef (1920–2013) |
1973–1983 | Started the Shas political party Father of Yitzchak Yosef |
| 5 | 100px | Mordechai Eliyahu (1929–2010) |
1983–1993 | |
| 6 | 100px | Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron (1941–2020) |
1993–2003 | Guilty of fraud |
| 7 | 100px | Shlomo Amar (born 1948) |
2003–2013 | Related to Yitzchak Yosef by marriage |
| 8 | 169x169px | Yitzchak Yosef (born 1952) |
2013–present | Son of Ovadia Yosef Related to Shlomo Amar by marriage |
| Vacant 1 July 2024 - 1 October 2024 | ||||
| 9 | 169x169px | David Yosef
(born 1957) |
2024-present | Son of Ovadia Yosef
Brother of Yitzchak Yosef |
