Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has decided: Rabbi Avraham Shlush, the rabbi of the city of Kfar Saba, will end his position. The reason: his advanced age does not allow him to continue providing religious services in the city. This was reported by Galei Tzahal.
Previously, Israel Today reported that private investigators were sent in last year with the approval of the Attorney General's Office, and as part of the investigation, employees of the religious council were also questioned. The investigations conducted found that the rabbi does not come to his workplace at all, but only once a week, "for an hour or two and signs certificates.".
According to the law, a city rabbi must reside in the city in which he serves, but Rabbi Shlush actually lives in Jerusalem. Despite being warned many times and receiving warning letters, the rabbi did not change his place of residence.
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As a result, the legal department at the Ministry of Religious Affairs informed the rabbi about six months ago that he could not continue to officiate, and a hearing was even held for him.
A letter sent from the legal department to the religious council stated: "In light of the results of the hearing, and in accordance with the direction of the Ministry of Justice, Rabbi Shleus's tenure will automatically end.".
But then Minister of Religious Services David Azoulay intervened, came to the rabbi's defense - and contacted the Attorney General with a request to delay the implementation of the decision and meet with him as soon as possible to discuss the matter.
A few months ago, the Movement for Quality Government appealed to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and asked to understand why the decision to remove Rabbi Shleus from his position was not being implemented. "Delaying the implementation of the decision harms first and foremost the public and at the same time harms the institution of the rabbinate, and may be seen as transforming the rabbinate from a meaningful mission into a spade to dig in," they said in their appeal.
As mentioned, the legal advisor has now decided that the rabbi will terminate his position.
