Eisenkot Urges Israeli Mayors to Block Haredi Municipal Rabbis Opposing Mandatory Military Service

Gadi Eisenkot calls on mayors to reject municipal rabbis who oppose IDF service as Tel Aviv votes on its first chief rabbi in nearly a decade.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 26, 2026, 5:49 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Times of Israel

A Call for Values Based Religious Leadership

Gadi Eisenkot, the former IDF chief of staff and current chairman of the Yashar party, has initiated a public campaign targeting the selection process for municipal rabbis across Israel. In a statement released on X, Eisenkot asserted that religious leaders in local government must explicitly champion enlistment in the military and national service. He argued that residents who fulfill their reserve and regular army duties are entitled to a spiritual representative who reflects their commitment to mutual responsibility and national solidarity.

Tel Aviv Breaks a Decade Long Rabbinical Void

The catalyst for Eisenkot's demand is a pivotal vote by a committee in Tel Aviv tasked with selecting the city’s first chief rabbi in almost ten years. The outcome of this election is expected to set a precedent for how municipal religious authorities are chosen in major urban centers. Eisenkot has specifically appealed to mayors to use their influence to ensure that any successful candidate is aligned with the values of the majority of the tax-paying, serving public rather than specific sectarian interests.

The Political Shadow of the Shas Party

Rabbi Zevadia Cohen, currently the head of the city’s rabbinical courts, has emerged as the frontrunner for the Tel Aviv position with the backing of the Shas party. Cohen maintains deep ties to the Yosef rabbinical dynasty, being a close associate of former chief rabbi Yitzhak Yosef. This connection is significant, as Shas has historically viewed control over local rabbinates as a strategic necessity for maintaining its political base, frequently advocating for legislative changes that grant the central government more power over these local appointments.