Chief Rabbi () is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's

Jewish community Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities. Since 1911, through a capitulation by

Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel (; born 23 May 1880, died 4 September 1953), sometimes rendered as Ouziel, was the Sephardi chief rabbi of Mandatory Palestine from 1939 to 1948, and of Israel from 1948 until his death in 1953. Biography Ben-Zion Meir Ha ...

, Israel has had two chief rabbis, one

Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that Ethnogenesis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium Common era, CE. They traditionally spe ...

and one

Sephardi Sephardic Jews, also known as Sephardi Jews or Sephardim, and rarely as Iberian Peninsular Jews, are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the historic Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and their descendant ...

. Cities with large Jewish communities may also have their own chief rabbis; this is especially the case in Israel but has also been past practice in major Jewish centers in Europe prior to

the Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

. North American cities rarely have chief rabbis. One exception however is

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

, with two—one for the Ashkenazi community, the other for the Sephardi.

Jewish law ''Halakha'' ( ; , ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws that are derived from the Written and Oral Torah. ''Halakha'' is based on biblical commandments ('' mit ...

provides no

scriptural Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They often feature a compilation or discussion of beliefs, ritual practices, moral commandments and ...

Talmud The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...

ic support for the post of a "chief rabbi." The office, however, is said by many to find its precedent in the religio-political authority figures of Jewish antiquity (e.g.,

kings Kings or King's may refer to: *Kings: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations. *One of several works known as the "Book of Kings": **The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts **The ''Shahnameh'', an 11th-century epic Persia ...

, high priests,

patriarchs The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in ...

exilarch The exilarch was the leader of the Jewish community in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) during the era of the Parthians, Sasanians and Abbasid Caliphate up until the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258, with intermittent gaps due to ongoing polit ...

s and ''geonim''). The position arose in Europe in the Middle Ages from governing authorities largely for secular administrative reasons such as collecting taxes and registering vital statistics, and for providing an intermediary between the government and the Jewish community, for example in the establishment of the Crown rabbi in several kingdoms of the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

, the ''rab de la corte'' in the

Kingdom of Castile The Kingdom of Castile (; : ) was a polity in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. It traces its origins to the 9th-century County of Castile (, ), as an eastern frontier lordship of the Kingdom of León. During the 10th century, the Ca ...

or the ''arrabi mor'' in the

Kingdom of Portugal The Kingdom of Portugal was a Portuguese monarchy, monarchy in the western Iberian Peninsula and the predecessor of the modern Portuguese Republic. Existing to various extents between 1139 and 1910, it was also known as the Kingdom of Portugal a ...

, likely influenced by the expectations of their

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...

, and

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

governments and neighbors. Similarly, in the 19th century there was a '' Crown rabbi'' of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

By country/region

Albania

Argentina

Sephardi (Syrian)

Salomon Benhamu Salomon may refer to: * Salomon (given name) * Salomon (surname) * Salomon Islands, an atoll of the British Indian Ocean Territory * Salomon Brothers Salomon Brothers, Inc., was an American multinational bulge bracket investment bank headqua ...

Yosef Chehebar Yosef (; also transliterated as Yossef, Josef, Yoseph Tiberian Hebrew and Aramaic ''Yôsēp̄'' and Yosseph, or Joseph, Arabic ''Yusof'') is a Hebrew male name derived from the Biblical character Joseph. The name can also consist of the Hebrew yad ...

Ashkenazi

Austria

* Jitzchok ben Mosche von Wien, "Or Sorua" (ca. 1200–1270) *

Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller Rabbi Gershon Shaul Yom-Tov Lipmann ben Nathan ha-Levi Heller (c. 157919 August 1654), was a Bohemian rabbi and Talmudist, best known for writing a commentary on the Mishnah called the ''Tosefet Yom-Tov'' (1614–1617). Heller was one of the majo ...

, "Tosfos Jomtov" (1578–1654) *

Scheftel Horowitz Stuart Scheftel (September 18, 1910 – January 20, 1994) was an American businessman, journalist, politician, and golfer. Early years Born on September 18, 1910, Scheftel was the son of Herbert Scheftel, a partner in J. S. Bache & Co. bro ...

(1561–1619) * Gerschon "Uliph" Aschkenasi (ca. 1612–1693) *

Samson Wertheimer Samson Wertheimer (17 January 1658 – 6 August 1724) was chief rabbi of Hungary and Moravia, and rabbi of Eisenstadt. He was also a powerful Austrian financier, court Jew and ''Shtadlan'' to Austrian Emperor Leopold I. With the help of Samuel ...

(1658–1724) * Mosche Chanoch Berliner (1727–1793) * Isaak Noah Mannheimer (1824–1865) *

Lazar Horowitz Lazar Horowitz, or Eleazar HaLevi Ish Horowitz, Eleasar ben David Josua Hoeschel Horowitz, aka El'azar Hurwitz (1803/1804, Floß, Upper Palatinate - June 11, 1868, Vöslau) was an Orthodox Rabbi who led the Jewish community of Vienna during t ...

(1828–1868), chief rabbi of

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

Adolf Jellinek Adolf Jellinek ( ''Aharon Jelinek''; 26 June 1821 in Drslavice, Moravia – 28 December 1893 in Vienna) was an Austrian rabbi and scholar. After filling clerical posts in Leipzig (1845–1856), he became a preacher at the Leopoldstädter Temp ...

(1865–1893) *

Moritz Güdemann Moritz Güdemann (; 19 February 1835 – 5 August 1918) was an Austrian rabbi and historian. He served as chief rabbi of Vienna. Biography Moritz (Moshe) Güdemann attended the Jewish school in Hildesheim, and thereafter went to a Catholic ''G ...

(1894–1918) * Zwi Perez Chajes (1918–1927) *

David Feuchtwang David Feuchtwang (27 November 1864 – 6 July 1936) was a Jewish scholar and author, and chief rabbi of Vienna from 1933 until his death in 1936. David Feuchtwang was born in Nikolsburg, Moravia (now Mikulov, Czech Republic) on 27 November 1864, t ...

(1933–1936) * Israel Taglicht (1936), provisional chief rabbi * Insp. I. Öhler (1946), preacher at the

Stadttempel The Stadttempel (), also called the Seitenstettengasse Temple, is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue, located at Seitenstettengasse 4, in the Innere Stadt 1st district of Vienna, Austria. Completed in 1826, it is the main synagogue in Vienna. The con ...

* Akiva Eisenberg (1948–1983) *

Paul Chaim Eisenberg Paul may refer to: People * Paul (given name), a given name, including a list of people * Paul (surname), a list of people * Paul the Apostle, an apostle who wrote many of the books of the New Testament * Ray Hildebrand, half of the singing duo P ...

(1983–2016) * Arie Folger (July 2016)

Belgium

Eliakim Carmoly Eliakim Carmoly (5 August 1802 in Soultz-Haut-Rhin, France – 15 February 1875 in Frankfurt) was a French scholar. He was born at Soultz-Haut-Rhin, then in the French department of Haut-Rhin. His real name was ''Goschel David Behr'' (or ''Ba ...

(1832–1839) * Henri Loeb *

Aristide Astrue Jean-Bertrand Aristide (; born 15 July 1953) is a Haitian former Salesians of Don Bosco, Salesian priest and politician who became Haiti's first democratically elected president in 1991 before being deposed in 1991 Haitian coup d'état, a coup ...

Élie-Aristide Astruc Élie-Aristide Astruc (December 12, 1831 - February 23, 1905) was a French Rabbi, essayist, and the Grand Rabbi of Belgium from 1866 to 1879. Biography Élie-Aristide Astruc was born on December 12, 1831, in Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France, where th ...

(1866–1879) *

Abraham Dreyfus Abraham (originally Abram) is the common Hebrews, Hebrew Patriarchs (Bible), patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father who began the Covenant (biblical), covenanta ...

Armand Bloch Armand Lucien Bloch (1 July 1866, Montbéliard - 5 March 1932, Paris) was a French sculptor. Life and work His father, Maurice Bloch, was a sculptor, who established a metal casting company in 1857. He entered the École des Beaux-Arts in 1884 ...

Bulgaria

* Gabriel Almosnino (1880–1885) * Presiado Bakish (1885–1889) * (1889–1891) * Moshe Tadjer (1891–1893) *

Moritz Grünwald Moritz Grünwald (also spelled Greenwald; 20 March 1853 – 10 June 1895) was the Chief Rabbi in the cities of Bjelovar, Písek, and Mladá Boleslav, and later served as Chief Rabbi for the Principality of Bulgaria. Additionally, he was a writer ...

(1893–1895) * Presiado Bakish (1895–1898) * Moshe Tadjer (1898–1900) *

Mordecai Ehrenpreis Mordecai Ehrenpreis (25 June 1869 – 26 February 1951) was a Hebrew author, publisher and Zionist activist. From 1914 until his death he served as chief rabbi of Stockholm. Biography Mordechai (Marcus Wolf) Ehrenpreis was born in Lviv to Jacob Mes ...

(1900–1914) * M. Hezkeya Shabetay Davidov (1914–1918) * (1920–1925) * No Chief Rabbi (1925–1945) * (1945–1949) *

Behor Kahlon Boheyr or Behor or Bohair or Boher or Buher () may refer to: * Boheyr 1, Ahvaz County * Boheyr 2, Ahvaz County * Boheyr-e Olya, Bavi County * Boheyr-e Sofla, Bavi County {{geodis ...

(1990–2012) * Aharon Zerbib (2012–2015) * Yoel Yifrach (2015–Present)

Chile

* Angel Kreiman Brill, 1970s and 1980s

Colombia

Ashkenazi

* Eliezer Paltiel Roitblatt (1946-1957) * Chaim Menachem Bentzion Blumenkrantz (Early 1950s) * Alfredo Goldschmidt (1974–Present) (appointed 1991)

Sephardi

* Miguel Attias (1948-Early 1950) * David Sharbani (Early 1950s-1978) *

Yehuda Benhamu Judah or Yehuda is the name of a biblical patriarch, Judah (son of Jacob). It may also refer to: Historical ethnic, political and geographic terms * Tribe of Judah, one of the twelve Tribes of Israel; their allotment corresponds to Judah or Jud ...

(1978-1986) *

Yehuda Ari Azancot Judah or Yehuda is the name of a biblical patriarch, Judah (son of Jacob). It may also refer to: Historical ethnic, political and geographic terms * Tribe of Judah, one of the twelve Tribes of Israel; their allotment corresponds to Judah or Jud ...

(1986-2000) *

Shlomo Meir Elharar Shlomo or Szlomo is the English form of שְׁלֹמֹה, the Hebrew name of the Israelite King Solomon. It is a popular name among Jews, especially in Israel. As a mononym * Solomon, king of ancient Israel * Shlomo (beatboxing artist) or Simo ...

(2000-2010) * Avi Amsalem (2010-Dec. 2020)

Chabad

* Yehoshua Rosenfeld (1980–Present)

Cuba

* Meyer Rosenbaum (Son of Isamar of Nadvorna, Elected 1948: left Cuba in 1956, a little more than two years before

Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...

came to power in the

Revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...

) * Raphael Yair Elnadav (1956–1959) * Shmuel Szteinhendler current Chief Rabbi of Cuba and regional director for

Masorti Judaism Conservative Judaism, also known as Masorti Judaism, is a Jewish religious movement that regards the authority of Jewish law and tradition as emanating primarily from the assent of the people through the generations, more than from divine rev ...

in Latin America.

Croatia

Miroslav Šalom Freiberger Miroslav Šalom Freiberger (; 9 January 1903 – 8 May 1943) was a Croatian chief rabbi, translator, writer and spiritual leader. He was educated as a lawyer and doctor of theology. Biography Freiberger was born in Zagreb on 9 January 1903. He ...

(1941–1943) * Kotel Da-Don (1998–2006) from 2006 rabbi of the Bet Israel community

Zagreb Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...

Luciano Moše Prelević Rabbi Luciano Moše Prelević (born 1953 in Zagreb) is the Croatian rabbi of the Jewish community in Zagreb and chief rabbi of the Montenegro Jewish community. Early life and family From his mother's side of the family, he is a descendant of ...

(2006–)

Cyprus

Arie Zeev Raskin Rabbi Arie Zeev Raskin (; born 1976) is the Chief Rabbi of Cyprus and the first rabbi on the island in many years. Career Rabbi Arie Zeev Raskin's brothers are also serving as rabbis in Jewish communities, with Rabbi Shlomo Raskin in Frankfurt an ...

(2005–)

Czech Republic

* Karol Sidon

Denmark

* Abraham Salomon (1687–1700) * (1700–1728) * Marcus David (1729–1739) * Hirsch Samuel Levy (1741–1775) * (1778–1793) * Abraham Gedalia (1793–1827) *

Abraham Wolff Abraham Alexander Wolff (; 29 April 1801 – 3 December 1891) was the chief rabbi of Denmark and translator of the Torah into Danish language, Danish. Wolff was born in Darmstadt, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, Hesse-Darmstadt, to the merchan ...

(1828–1891) *

David Simonsen David Jacob Simonsen (; 17 March 1853 – 15 June 1932) was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. He studied Oriental languages at the University of Copenhagen, and received his rabbinical training at the Jüdisch-Theologisches Seminar, Jewish Theologi ...

(1892–1902, 1919–1920) * Tobias Lewenstein (1903–1910) * Max Schornstein (1910–1919) * Max (Moses) Friediger (1920–1947) *

Marcus Melchior Marcus Melchior (1897 – 1969) was a Danish rabbi. The rabbi of the main synagogue in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the time of the rescue of the Danish Jews in October 1943, during the World War II, Second World War. After escaping with his family and ...

(1947–1969) *

Bent Melchior Bent Melchior (24 June 1929 – 28 July 2021) was a chief rabbi of Denmark. Life and career Melchior was born to Danish parents in the German city of Beuthen (now Bytom in Poland), where his father, Marcus Melchior, was rabbi. In 1943, during t ...

(1970–1996) * (1996–2014) * (2014–)

Ecuador

*Menachem Mendel Fried (2022- )

Egypt

* Moses Israel (?-1802) * Refael Aharon Ben Shimon (1891–1921) * Masoud Haim Ben Shimon (1921–1925) *

Chaim Nahum Chaim (Haim) Nahum Effendi (; ; ) (1872–1960) was a Turkish Jewish scholar, jurist, and linguist of the early 20th century. He served as the Grand Rabbi of the Ottoman Empire.Kuneralp, Sinan. "Ottoman Diplomatic and Consular Personnel in t ...

(1925–1960) * Haim Moussa Douek (1960–1972)

Estonia

Michael Asher Alony Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

(1995–1996) *

Shmuel Kot ''Shmuel'' or Schmuel/ Shmeil is an Ashkenazi Jewish variant of the name Samuel. It comes from שמואל in Hebrew, and is popular also in Polish Yiddish versions of the name: Szmul or Szmuel and Szmulik or Szmulek. Shmuel and variations may refer ...

(2000–)

The Far East

* Aharon Moshe Kiselev (1937–1949)

Finland

* Simon Federbusch (1931–1940) * (1946–1951) * Mika Weiss (1957–1961) * Shmuel Beeri (1961–1963) * Mordechai Lanxner (1973–1982) * Ove Schwartz (1982–1987) * Lazar Kleinman (–1992) * Michael Asher Alony (1995–1996) * Moshe Edelmann (1999–2012) * (2012–)

Chabad-Lubavitch

* Benyamin Wolff (2003–)

France

* David Sintzheim (1808–1812) * Abraham Vita de Cologna (1808–1826) *

Emmanuel Deutz Emmanuel Deutz (1763-1842) was a German-born French rabbi. Biography Emmanuel Deutz was born in 1763 in Bonn, Germany. Deutz served as a rabbi in Koblenz, Germany. He served as the Chief Rabbi of France from 1810 to 1842. Nevertheless, Deutz was ...

(1810–1842) * Marchand Ennery (1846–1852) *

Salomon Ulmann Salomon Ulmann (February 25, 1806 at Saverne, Bas-Rhin – May 5, 1865 in Paris), was a French rabbi. He commenced his rabbinical studies at Strasburg under Moïse Bloch (better known as Rabbi Mosche Utenheim), and was the first pupil enroll ...

(1853–1865) * Lazare Isidor (1866–1888) * Zadoc Kahn (1889–1905) *

Alfred Lévy Alfred Lévy (; 14 December 1840 – 23 July 1919) was a French rabbi who became Chief Rabbi of France in the period immediately before and during World War I. Life Alfred Lévy was born in Lunéville on 14 December 1840. He studied at the Coll� ...

(1907–1919) * Israël Lévi (1920–1939) * Isaïe Schwartz (1939–1952) *

Jacob Kaplan Rabbi Jacob Kaplan (November 28, 1895 – December 5, 1994) was a French rabbi who served as the Chief Rabbi of Paris from 1950 to 1980 and as the Chief Rabbi of France from 1955 to 1980. Biography Jacob Kaplan was born in Paris, France, to a ...

(1955–1980) *

René-Samuel Sirat René-Samuel Sirat (; 13 November 1930 – 10 February 2023) was a French rabbi who served as Chief Rabbi of France from 1981 to 1988. He was also a director of the Hebrew studies department at the Institut national des langues et civilisation ...

(1981–1987) *

Joseph Sitruk Joseph Haïm Sitruk (‎; 16 October 1944 – 25 September 2016) was a former Chief Rabbi of France, a position he held from June 1987 to 22 June 2008. Born Joseph Sitruk in Tunis, after suffering a stroke in 2001 and recovering he added the nam ...

(1987–2008) * Gilles Bernheim (2009–2013) (elected 22 June 2008, resigned 11 April 2013) * Haim Korsia (2014–)

Galicia

* Aryeh Leib Bernstein (1778–1786) *

Edgar Gluck Edgar Chaim Baruch Gluck (Glück) (born 14 June 1936, Hamburg, Germany) is currently the Chief Rabbi of Galicia. Subsumed into countries now part of Central and Eastern Europe, Galicia ceased to exist as a political entity, however Chasidim sti ...

Galicia is a historical region in Eastern Europe, that today forms part of

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

and

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

; the title of its Chief Rabbi was abolished on November 1, 1786 as part of the

Josephinism Josephinism is a name given collectively to the domestic policies of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (1765–1790). During the ten years in which Joseph was the sole ruler of the Habsburg monarchy (1780–1790), he attempted to legislate a series o ...

Reforms. Due to its being a center for Jewish scholarship, the Rabbi of

Lemberg Lviv ( or ; ; ; see #Names and symbols, below for other names) is the largest city in western Ukraine, as well as the List of cities in Ukraine, fifth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of It serves as the administrative centre of ...

was traditionally seen as the Rabbi of Galicia in the era prior to

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Greece

Elias Barzilai Elias Pinhas Barzilai (; 1891, Thessaloniki – 31 October 1979, Athens) was the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish community of Athens, the capital of Greece, during the Axis occupation (1941–1944). His actions saved the lives of more than 3.000 Jews d ...

* Jacob Arar * Gabriel Negrin

Guatemala

* Meyer Rosenbaum (Son of Isamar of Nadvorna, Later Chief Rabbi of Cuba)

Honduras

* Aaron Lankry

Hong Kong

Ephraim Mirvis Sir Ephraim Yitzchak Mirvis (born 7 September 1956) is a British Orthodox rabbi who serves as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. He served as the Chief Rabbi of Ireland between 1985 and 1992. Early life ...

* Mordecai Avston * Netanel Meoded

Hungary

:''Note that this list is not in chronological order.'' *

Meir Eisenstadt Meir ben Izsak Eisenstadt (, ''also'' Meir Ash, c. 1670 in Poznań – 1744 in Eisenstadt) was the author of responsa and other works of rabbinic literature. An authority on Halakha, he was consulted by rabbis from Turkey, Germany and Italy. ...

known as the ''Panim Me'iros'' (1708–), rabbi of Eisenstadt and author of "Panim Me'irot" * Alexander ben Menahem * Phinehas Auerbach * Jacob Eliezer Braunschweig * Hirsch Semnitz * Simon Jolles (1717–?) *

(1693?–1724) (also

Eisenstadt Eisenstadt (; ; ; or ; ) is the capital city of the Provinces of Austria, Austrian state of Burgenland. With a population of 15,074 (as of 2023), it is the smallest state capital and the 38th-largest city in Austria overall. It lies at the foot o ...

and

Moravia Moravia ( ; ) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, roughly encompassing its territory within the Danube River's drainage basin. It is one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The medieval and early ...

) * Issachar Berush Eskeles (1725–1753) * Joseph Hirsch Weiss—grandfather of

Stephen Samuel Wise Stephen Samuel Wise (March 17, 1874 – April 19, 1949) was an early 20th-century American Reform rabbi and Zionist leader in the Progressive Era. Born in Budapest, he was an infant when his family immigrated to New York. He followed his father ...

* Samuel Kohn * Simon Hevesi (father of Ferenc Hevesi) * Ferenc Hevesi * Moshe Kunitzer a pioneer of the Haskalah movement in Hungary (1828–1837) * Koppel Reich * Chaim Yehuda Deutsch * József Schweitzer * Robert (Avrohom Yehudoh) Deutsch

Iran

Yedidia Shofet Yedidia Shofet (also spelled ''Shophet'', and often referred to as Hakham Yedidia; November 14, 1908 – June 24, 2005) was the former Chief Rabbi of Iran and the worldwide spiritual leader of Persian Jewry. Early life Yedidia Shofet was born o ...

(1922–1980) * Uriel Davidi (1980–1994) * Yosef Hamadani Cohen (1994–2007) * Mashallah Golestani-Nejad (2007–2011) * Yehuda Gerami (2011–present)

Ireland

Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog (; 3 December 1888 – 25 July 1959), also known as Isaac Herzog or Hertzog, was the first Chief Rabbi of Ireland, his term lasting from 1921 to 1936. From 1936 until his death in 1959, he was Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of th ...

(1921–1937) *

Immanuel Jakobovits Immanuel Jakobovits, Baron Jakobovits (8 February 192131 October 1999) was the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from 1967 to 1991. Prior to this, he had served as Chief Rabbi of Ireland and as rabbi of the Fi ...

(1949–1958) * Isaac Cohen (1959–1979) * David Rosen (1979–1984) *

(1985–1992) * Shimon Yehudah Harris (1993–1994) *

Gavin Broder Gavin Broder (born 1959) is the former Chief Rabbi of Ireland, serving from 1996 to October, 2000. Broder left Dublin in October 2000 to become London chaplain of University Jewish Chaplaincy, the Jewish student organization. He was inaugurated ...

(1996–2000) * Yaakov Pearlman (2001–2008) * Zalman Lent (''acting'', 2008–2023) * Yoni Wieder (2023–present)

Israel

The position of chief rabbi () of the

Land of Israel The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine. The definition ...

has existed for hundreds of years. During the Mandatory Period, the British recognized the chief rabbis of the Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities, just as they recognized the

Mufti of Jerusalem The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem is the Sunni Muslim cleric in charge of Jerusalem's Islamic holy places, including Al-Aqsa. The position was created by the British military government led by Ronald Storrs in 1918.See Islamic Leadership in Jerusal ...

. The offices continued after statehood was achieved.

Haredi Haredi Judaism (, ) is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that is characterized by its strict interpretation of religious sources and its accepted (Jewish law) and traditions, in opposition to more accommodating values and practices. Its members are ...

Jewish groups (such as

Edah HaChareidis The Charedi Community of Jerusalem (, ''haEdah haCharedit'', Ashkenazi pronunciation: ''ho-Aideh HaCharaidis'' or ''ho-Eido ha-Chareidis''; "Community of God-Fearers") is a large Haredi Jewish communal organization based in Jerusalem. It has s ...

) do not recognize the authority of the Chief Rabbinate. They usually have their own rabbis who do not have any connection to the state rabbinate. Under current Israeli law, the post of Chief Rabbi exists in only four cities (

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

Haifa Haifa ( ; , ; ) is the List of cities in Israel, third-largest city in Israel—after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—with a population of in . The city of Haifa forms part of the Haifa metropolitan area, the third-most populous metropolitan area i ...

, and

Beersheba Beersheba ( / ; ), officially Be'er-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the centre of the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in Israel, the eighth-most p ...

). In other cities there may be one main rabbi to whom the other rabbis of that city defer, but that post is not officially the "Chief Rabbi". Many of Israel's chief rabbis were previously chief rabbis of Israeli cities.

Sephardi

* Moshe Galante (the Younger) (1665–1689) * Moshe ibn Habib (1689–1696) * Moshe Hayun * Abraham ben David Yitzhaki (1715–1722) * Binyamin Maali * Elazar ben Yaacob Nahum (1730–1748) * Nissim Mizrahi (1748–1754) * Israel Yaacob Algazy (1754–1756) * Raphael Samuel Meyuchas (1756–1791) * Haim Raphael Abraham ben Asher (1771–1772) * Yom Tov Algazy (1772–1802) * Moshe Yosef Mordechai Meyuchas (1802–1805) * Yaacob Moshe Ayash al-Maghrebi (1806–1817) * Jacob Coral (1817–1819) * Raphael Yosef Hazzan (1819–1822) * Yom Tov Danon (1822–1824) * Salomon Moshe Suzin (1824–1836) * Yonah Moshe Navon (1836–1841) * Yehudah Raphael Navon (1841–1842) *

Chaim Abraham Gagin Chaim Abraham Gagin (1787–1848) was Chief Rabbi of Ottoman Palestine from 1842 to 1848. He was a foremost ''posek'', ''mekubal'', author, and the head of the Tiferet Yerushalaim Yeshiva. One of his notable actions was saving the Samaritans fro ...

(1842–1848) * Isaac Kovo (1848–1854) * Haim Nissim Abulafia (1854–1861) * Haim David Hazan (1861–1869) *

Avraham Ashkenazi Avraham Ashkenazi (; 1813–1880) was a Sephardi chief rabbi (Rishon LeZion). Rabbi Ashkenazi was born at Janishar, near Salonica, in 1813.Isidore Singer & Herman Rosenthalpalestine Abraham Ashkenazi ''1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia'', Jewish E ...

(1869–1880) *

Raphael Meir Panigel Raphael Meir ben Yehuda Panigel (; 1804–1893) was the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem during the reign of the Ottoman Empire. Panigel was born in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria, but his family emigrated to the Land of Israel when he was a child. In 18 ...

(1880–1892) * Yaacob Shaul Elyashar (1893–1906) * Yaacob Meir (1906) * Eliyah Moshe Panigel (1907–1909) * Nahman Batito (1909–1911) * Moshe Franco (1911–1915) * Haim Moshe Elyashar (1914–1915) * Nissim Yehudah Danon (1915–1921) * Yaacob Meir (1921–1939) *

Benzion Uziel Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel (; born 23 May 1880, died 4 September 1953), sometimes rendered as Ouziel, was the Sephardi chief rabbi of Mandatory Palestine from 1939 to 1948, and of Israel from 1948 until his death in 1953. Biography Ben-Zion Meir Ha ...

(1939–1954) *

Yitzhak Nissim Yitzhak Nissim (; 1896 - August 9, 1981) was a Sephardic chief rabbi of Israel. Nissim was born in Baghdad and immigrated to Israel in 1925. He studied under Rabbi Sadqa Hussein. In 1955, he became Chief Sephardic Rabbi. As a gesture of goodwill ...

(1955–1973) *

Ovadia Yosef Ovadia Yosef (, ; September 24, 1920 – October 7, 2013) also known as Maran (Hebrew language, Hebrew: מרן) "Our Master", was an History of the Jews in Iraq#Otoman rule, Iraqi-born Talmudic scholar, hakham, posek, and the Sephardi Jews, Sephar ...

(1973–1983) *

Mordechai Eliyahu Mordechai Tzemach Eliyahu (; March 3, 1929 – June 7, 2010, on the Hebrew calendar: 21 Adar I, 5689 - 25 Sivan, 5770),

(1983–1993) *

Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron (‎; April 5, 1941 – April 12, 2020) was an Israeli rabbi who served as Rishon LeZion (Chief Rabbi of Israel) from 1993 to 2003. Prior to that he served as Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Bat Yam and Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Haif ...

(1993–2003) *

Shlomo Amar Shlomo Moshe Amar (; ; born April 1, 1948)Gantz, Nesanel. "A Chief Rabbi of the Past and Future". ''Ami (magazine), Ami'', November 5, 2014, pp. 26-27. is the former Chief Rabbinate of Israel, Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel. He served in the po ...

(2003–2013) *

Yitzhak Yosef Yitzhak Yosef (; born ) is an Israeli Haredi rabbi. The former Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, he also serves as the rosh yeshiva of in Jerusalem's Romema neighborhood. Since the end of his term as Chief Rabbi, he joined the rabbinic leade ...

(2013–2024) * David Yosef (2024–)

Ashkenazi

Meir Auerbach Rabbi Meir Auerbach (; 1815–1878) was president of the Jewish court at Koło, and author of ''Imrei Bina'' (Words of Wisdom). After his immigration to Ottoman Palestine in 1859, he headed the Poland Kollel and became the first Ashkenazi Chief Ra ...

—Rabbi of Jerusalem (1860–1871) * Samuel Salant (1871–1909) *

Abraham Isaac Kook Abraham Isaac HaCohen Kook (; 7 September 1865 – 1 September 1935), known as HaRav Kook, and also known by the Hebrew-language acronym Hara'ayah (), was an Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox rabbi, and the first Ashkenazi Jews, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbina ...

(1921–1935) *

(1936–1959) *

Isser Yehuda Unterman Isser Yehuda Unterman (; 19 April 1886 – 26 January 1976) was the third chief rabbi of Tel Aviv, and later the third Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel from 1964 until 1972. He was a leader of the Mizrachi movement and was awarded ...

(1964–1973) *

Shlomo Goren Shlomo Goren (; 3 February 1918 – 29 October 1994), was a Polish-born Israeli rabbi and Talmud#Scholarship, Talmudic scholar. An Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox Jew and Religious Zionism, Religious Zionist, he was considered a foremost Posek, rabbin ...

(1973–1983) *

Avraham Shapira Avraham Shapira (; , Jerusalem – 27 September 2007) was a prominent rabbi in the Religious Zionist world. Shapira had been the head of the Rabbinical court of Jerusalem, and both a member and the head of the Supreme Rabbinic Court. He se ...

(1983–1993) *

Yisrael Meir Lau Yisrael (Israel) Meir Lau (; born 1 June 1937) is a Holocaust survivor who served as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1993 to 2003. He was previously Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, Israel. After his tenure as chief rabbi, he was appointed chairm ...

(1993–2003) *

Yona Metzger Yona Metzger (; born 1953) is an Israeli Orthodox rabbi and the former Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel. In 2013, while chief rabbi, a fraud investigation was opened. Metzger later pleaded guilty to a number of corruption charges, was tried and ...

(2003–2013) *

David Lau David Baruch Lau (; born 13 January 1966) is an Israeli rabbi who served as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 2013 to 2024. He previously served as the Chief Rabbi of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, Israel, and as the Chief Rabbi of Shoham. La ...

(2013–2024) *

Kalman Ber Rabbi Kalman Meir Ber (; born 24 December 1957) is the Ashkenazi Jews, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel and President of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, Chief Rabbinate Council. Previously, he served as the rabbi of Netanya and as the rabbi in Ye ...

(2024–present)

Military Rabbinate

(1948–1968) *

Mordechai Piron Mordechai Piron (; born Egon Pisk; 28 December 1921 – 28 May 2014) was the second chief military rabbi in the history of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), after his predecessor, Rabbi Shlomo Goren, created the position in 1948. Rabbi Piron serve ...

(1968–1977) *

Gad Navon Gad Navon (1922 – 25 June 2006) was the third Chief Military Rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces. Biography Mimun Fahima (later Gad Navon) was born in Morocco. He was ordained there as Rabbi after completing the study of the entire Talmud. He pa ...

(1977–2000) *

Israel Weiss Israel Weiss (; born 1949) was the Military Rabbinate, Chief Military Rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces serving in the position between 2000 and 2006, with a rank of Brigadier General. His predecessor in that position was Rabbi Gad Navon. Biogra ...

(2000–2006) *

Avichai Rontzki Avichai Rontzki (; October 10, 1951 – April 1, 2018) was an Israeli Chief Military Rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces. He served in the position from 2006 to 2010, with a rank of Brigadier General. His predecessor in that position was Rabbi Is ...

(2006–2010) *

Rafi Peretz Rafael "Rafi" Peretz (; born 7 January 1956) is an Israeli Orthodox rabbi and former politician. A former military officer and helicopter pilot who also served as the Chief Military Rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces, he was the leader of the ...

(2010–2016) * Eyal Karim (2016–)

Japan

* Binyamin Edre'i (2015–present)

Latvia

Mordechai Nurock Mordechai Nurock (, , 7 November 1879 – 8 November 1962) was a Latvian-born Israeli who served in both the parliaments of Latvia and Israel. He was also Israel's first Minister of Postal Services, though he only held the post for less than two ...

Lebanon

Moïse Yedid-Levy Moise is a given name and surname, with differing spellings in its French and Romanian origins, both of which originate from the name Moses: Moïse is the French spelling of Moses, while Moise is the Romanian spelling. As a surname, Moisè and Mo ...

(1799–1829) * Ralph Alfandari *

Youssef Mann Yusuf ( ') is a male name meaning "God increases" (in piety, power and influence).From the Hebrew יהוה להוסיף ''YHWH Lhosif'' meaning "YHWH will increase/add". It is the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew name Yosef and the English name ...

(1849) * Aharoun Yedid-Levy * Zaki Cohen (1875) * Menaché Ezra Sutton * Jacob Bukai *

Haïm Dana Haim can be a first name or surname originating in Hebrew or derived from the Old German name Haimo. Etymology Hebrew Chayyim ( ', Classical Hebrew: , Israeli Hebrew: ), also transcribed ''Haim, Hayim, Chayim'', or ''Chaim'' (English pronunciati ...

* Nassim Afandi Danon (1908–1909) * Jacob Tarrab (1910–1921) * Salomon Tagger (1921–1923) *

Shabtai Bahbout __NOTOC__ Shabtai ( or ) is a Jewish masculine given name derived from the Hebrew word Shabbat, and is traditionally given to boys born on that day. Alternative transliterations into English include Sabbatai, Sabbathai, Shabbatai, Shabbethai, and Sh ...

(1924–1950) * Benzion Lichtman (1932–1959) * Shahud Chreim (1960–1978)

Lithuania

Avraham Duber Kahana Shapiro Avraham Dov-Ber Kahana Shapiro (1870 – February 27, 1943) was the last Chief Rabbi of Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania) and the author of ''Devar Avraham'', a three-volume collection of responsa (answers to questions of religious practice). Biography H ...

Luxembourg

Samuel Hirsch Samuel Hirsch, (June 8, 1815 – May 14, 1889) was a major Reform Judaism philosopher and rabbi who mainly worked and resided in present-day Germany in his earlier years. He promoted the radical German Reform Judaism movement and published several ...

(1843-1866) * Robert Serebrenik (1929–1941)

Mexico

* Shlomo Tawil (1998–Present)

North Macedonia

* Avi Kozma

Morocco

* Mardo Chee Bengio Chief Rabbi of Tangier. *

Raphael Ankawa Raphael Ben Mordechai Ankawa, also spelled Ankavah or Encouau, (1848–1935) was the Chief Rabbi of Morocco and a noted commentator, talmudist, ''posek'', and author. Biography Born in Salé, Morocco in 1848, he is known to the Jews of North Af ...

(1918–1935) * Mikail Encaoua * Chalom Messas (1961–1978) *

Aaron Monsonego Aaron Monsonego (; 9 February 1929 – 7 August 2018) was a Moroccan rabbi who was the Chief Rabbi of Morocco. Biography Monsonego was born in Fez, Morocco, to rabbi Yedidya Monsonego, the chief rabbi of Fez and Morocco. In his youth, he studi ...

(1994–2018) * Yoshiyahu Pinto (2019–present)

Nepal

* Chezki Lifshitz (2000–present)

Norway

* Isaak Julius Samuel (1930–1942) *

Michael Melchior Michael Melchior (; born January 31, 1954) is a Jewish leader, Orthodox rabbi, thinker, and activist. He is a former Minister of Social and Diaspora Affairs, a former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and a former member of Knesset for Meimad ...

(1980–)

Panama

Zion Levy Zion (Sion) Rajamim Levy (, pronounced ''Ṣiyyon Raḥamim Levi'') (1925–2008) was the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Panama for 57 years. His tenure is thought to be the longest of any religious leader in the region. He built up a Jewish communi ...

(1951–2008) Sephardic Chief Rabbi * Aaron Laine (1986–) Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi * David Perets (2016–) Sephardic Chief Rabbi

Peru

* Abraham Moshe Brener (1930-1967) * Baruj Epstein (1966-1967) *

Yaakov Kraus Jacob, later known as Israel, is a Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions. He first appears in the Torah, where he is described in the Book of Genesis as a son of Isaac and Rebecca. Accordingly, alongside his older fraternal twin brother E ...

(1987-1998) *

Efraim Zik Ephraim (; , in pausa: ''ʾEp̄rāyīm'') was, according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Joseph ben Jacob and Asenath, as well as the adopted son of his biological grandfather Jacob, making him the progenitor of the Tribe of Ephraim ...

(1999-2009) *

Itay Meushar Itay or Itai () is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Itai Anghel Itai Anghel () is an Israeli correspondent and documentary filmmaker. He is a staff reporter for Uvda (TV program), Uvda, a television news program on Channel 1 ...

(2009-2016) * Salomon Cohen (2016-2019)

Poland

Jacob Pollak Rabbi Jacob Pollak (other common spelling Yaakov Pollack), son of Rabbi Joseph, was the founder of the Polish method of halakhic and Talmudic study known as the Pilpul. Biography He was born about 1460 or 1470 in Poland, and died at Lublin in ...

(appointed 1503) * Moses Fishel (1541–1542) * Dow Ber Percowicz (1945–1956) * Zew Wawa Morejno (1956–1957) * Dow Ber Percowicz (1957–1961) * Uszer Zibes (1961–1966) * Zew Wawa Morejno (1966–1973) * Pinchas Menachem Joskowicz (1988–1999) *

Michael Schudrich Michael Joseph Schudrich (born June 15, 1955) is an American-Polish rabbi and the current Chief Rabbi of Poland. He is the oldest of four children of Rabbi David Schudrich and Doris Goldfarb Schudrich. Biography Born in New York City, Schudrich ...

(2004–)

Military rabbinate

* Chaim Elizjer Frankl (?–1933) * Major

Baruch Steinberg Baruch or Boruch Steinberg (17 December 1897 – after 9 April 1940) was a Polish rabbi and military officer. He was Chief Rabbi of the Polish Army during the German invasion of Poland and Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939 and was executed by the ...

(1933–circa 12 April 1940) murdered by

NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (, ), abbreviated as NKVD (; ), was the interior ministry and secret police of the Soviet Union from 1934 to 1946. The agency was formed to succeed the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU) se ...

in the

Katyn massacre The Katyn massacre was a series of mass killings under Communist regimes, mass executions of nearly 22,000 Polish people, Polish military officer, military and police officers, border guards, and intelligentsia prisoners of war carried out by t ...

Romania

* Yaakov Yitzhak Neimerov (d. 1940) *

Alexandru Safran Alexandru is the Romanian form of the name Alexander. Common diminutives are Alecu, Alex, and Sandu. Origin Etymologically, the name is derived from the Greek "Αλέξανδρος" (Aléxandros), meaning "defending men" or "protector of men", ...

(1940–1948) *

Moses Rosen Moses Rosen (known in Hebrew as David Moshe Rosen, ) (July 23, 1912 – May 6, 1994) was Chief Rabbi (Rav Kolel) of Romanian Jewry between 1948–1994 and president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Romania between 1964 and 1994. He le ...

(1948–1994) * Menachem Hacohen (1997–2012) * Rafael Shaffer (2012–present)

Russia

Adolf Shayevich Adolf Solomonovich Shayevich (; born 28 October 1937)Russian Jewish ...

(1983, officially since 1993–) * Chabad **

Berel Lazar Shlomo Dov Pinchas Lazar (born May 19, 1964), better known as Berel Lazar, is an Orthodox, Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic rabbi. He began his service in Russia in 1990. Known for his friendship with Vladimir Putin, since 2000, he has been a Chief Ra ...

(2000–) * Military Rabbinate ** Aharon Gurevich (2007–)

Serbia

Isaac Alcalay Isaac Abraham Alcalay (November 11, 1881 – December 29, 1978) was a Bulgarian-born Jew who served as Chief Rabbi of Serbia and Yugoslavia as well as a leading of American Sephardic Jews. Life Alcalay was born on November 11, 1881 in Sofia, Bulg ...

(till 29 December 1978, also Chief Rabbi of

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

from 1923 to 1941) * Isak Asiel

Singapore

* Mordechai Abergel

Slovakia

Moses Sofer Moses Schreiber (1762–1839), known to his own community and Jewish posterity in the Hebrew translation as Moshe Sofer, also known by his main work ''Chatam Sofer'', ''Chasam Sofer'', or ''Hatam Sofer'' ( trans. ''Seal of the Scribe'', and acron ...

(1806–1839) *

Samuel Benjamin Sofer Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer (), also known by his main work Ksav Sofer or Ketav Sofer ( trans. ''Writ of the Scribe''), (1815–1871), was one of the leading rabbis of Hungarian Jewry in the second half of the nineteenth century and rosh yeshi ...

(1839–1871) * Simcha Bunim Sofer (1871–1907) * Akiva Sofer (1907–1938) * Izidor Katz (1950–1968) *

Baruch Myers Rabbi Baruch Myers (born May 2, 1964, in Orange, New Jersey) is a Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic rabbi. He began his service in Bratislava in 1993. He serves as the Chief Rabbi and head Shliach of Slovakia. Biography Baruch Myers was born in Orange ...

(1993–present)

South Africa

* Judah Leo Landau (1915–1942) * Louis Rabinowitz (1945–1961) * Bernard M. Casper (1963–1987) *

Cyril Harris Cyril Kitchener Harris (19 September 1936 – 13 September 2005) was Chief Rabbi of The Union of Orthodox Synagogues of South Africa from 1987 to 2004 where he served as rabbi of the Great Park Synagogue (previously the Great Synagogue). Back ...

(1988–2004) *

Warren Goldstein Warren Goldstein (born 1971) is the chief rabbi of The Union of Orthodox Synagogues of South Africa since 2005. Born in Pretoria, he currently lives in Johannesburg. He is the first chief rabbi of South Africa who was born in South Africa and ...

(2005–)

Spain

The following are Chief Rabbis of the Jewish Community of Madrid (CJM): * Baruj Garzon (1968–1978), the first Chief Rabbi in Spain since the expulsion in 1492 * Yehuda Benasouli (1978–1997) * Moshe Bendahan (1997–)

Chabad-Lubavitch

* Menachem Naftalin (2025-)

Sudan

* Solomon Malka (1906–1949) * Haim Simoni (1950–1952) * Massoud El-Baz (1956–1965 by which time the Jewish community in Sudan had declined so dramatically that they could not afford to pay a Rabbi)

Syria

* Yom Tov Yedid (1960–1982), moved to the United States in 1982 and died 27 July 2016 in the United States

Thailand

Yosef Kantor Yosef (; also transliterated as Yossef, Josef, Yoseph Tiberian Hebrew and Aramaic ''Yôsēp̄'' and Yosseph, or Joseph, Arabic ''Yusof'') is a Hebrew male name derived from the Biblical character Joseph. The name can also consist of the Hebrew yad ...

(1992–present)

Transylvania (before 1918)

Note: The chief rabbi of

Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

was generally the rabbi of the city of

Alba Iulia Alba Iulia (; or ''Carlsburg'', formerly ''Weißenburg''; ; ) is a city that serves as the seat of Alba County in the west-central part of Romania. Located on the river Mureș (river), Mureș in the historical region of Transylvania, it has a ...

. * Joseph Reis Auerbach (d. 1750) * Shalom Selig ben Saul Cohen (1754–1757) * Johanan ben Isaac (1758–1760) * Benjamin Ze'eb Wolf of Cracow (1764–1777) * Moses ben Samuel Levi Margaliot (1778–1817) * Menahem ben Joshua Mendel (1818–23) * Ezekiel Paneth (1823–1843) * Abraham Friedmann (d. 1879), last chief rabbi of Transylvania

Tunisia

Chaim Madar Chaim Madar (; 1933 – December 3, 2004) was the chief rabbi of Tunisia's Jewish community. Following his immigration to Israel, he was still the spiritual leader of the community until his death in Jerusalem. His funeral services were held at ...

(1984–2004)

Turkey

* Eli Capsali (1452–1454) *

Moses Capsali Moses ben Elijah Capsali (Hebrew: משה בן אליהו קפשאלי) (1495–1420) was ''Hakham Bashi'' (Chief Rabbi) of the Ottoman Empire. Biography Moses ben Elijah Capsali was born in Venetian-held Crete in 1420. When he was a young man, C ...

(1454–1497) *

Elijah Mizrachi Elijah Mizrachi () (c. 1455 – 1525 or 1526) was a Talmudist and posek, an authority on Halakha, and a mathematician. He is best known for his ''Sefer ha-Mizrachi'', a supercommentary on Rashi's commentary on the Torah. He is also known as ...

(1497–1526) *

Mordechai Komitano Mordecai (; also Mordechai; , IPA: ) is one of the main personalities in the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible. He is the cousin and guardian of Esther, who became queen of Persia under the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). Mordecai's loyalty and ...

(1526–1542) * Tam ben Yahya (1542–1543) * Eli Rozanes ha-Levi (1543) * Eli ben Hayim (1543–1602) * Yehiel Bashan (1602–1625) * Joseph Mitrani (1625–1639) * Yomtov Benyaes (1639–1642) * Yomtov Hananiah Benyakar (1642–1677) * Chaim Kamhi (1677–1715) * Judah Benrey (1715–1717) * Samuel Levi (1717–1720) *

Abraham Rozanes Abraham (originally Abram) is the common Hebrews, Hebrew Patriarchs (Bible), patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father who began the Covenant (biblical), covenanta ...

(1720–1745) * Solomon Hayim Alfandari (1745–1762) * Meir Ishaki (1762–1780) * Eli Palombo (1780–1800) * Chaim Jacob Benyakar (1800–1835) * Abraham Levi Pasha (1835–1839) *

Samuel Hayim Samuel is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the biblical judges to the Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy), United Kingdom of Israel under Saul, and again in the monarchy's transition ...

(1839–1841) * Moiz Fresko (1841–1854) * Yacob Avigdor (1854–1870) * Yakir Geron (1870–1872) *

Moses Levi Moses Levi (or Moshe HaLevi Effendi) (1827–1910) was the Chief Rabbi (Hakham Bashi) of Constantinople and of the Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much ...

(1872–1909) *

Effendi (1909–1920) * Shabbetai Levi (1920–1922) *

Isaac Ariel Isaac ( ; ; ; ; ; ) is one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites and an important figure in the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baháʼí Faith. Isaac first appears in the Torah, in which he is the son of ...

(1922–1926) *

Haim Bejerano Haim can be a first name or surname originating in Hebrew or derived from the Old German name Haimo. Etymology Hebrew Chayyim ( ', Classical Hebrew: , Israeli Hebrew: ), also transcribed ''Haim, Hayim, Chayim'', or ''Chaim'' (English pronunciati ...

(1926–1931) * Haim Isaac Saki (1931–1940) * Rafael David Saban (1940–1960) * David Asseo (1961–2002) *

Ishak Haleva Ishak Haleva (, ) (27 April 1940 – 14 January 2025) was ''Hakham Bashi'' (Chief Rabbi) () of Turkey. Biography Haleva was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1940. Before becoming the Chief Rabbi, he studied at Yeshiva Porat Yosef in Jerusalem. Hale ...

(2003–)

Chabad

Mendy Chitrik Rabbi Menachem Mendel Chitrik (; born March 31, 1977), better known as Rabbi Mendy Chitrik, is an American, Israeli, and Turkish Rabbi of the Ashkenazi Synagogue of Istanbul, Ashkenazi Jewish community of Turkey since 2003. He became the chairman ...

(2003–present)

Uganda

Gershom Sizomu Gershom Sizomu (born 1969) is a Ugandan rabbi serving the Abayudaya, a Baganda community in eastern Uganda near the town of Mbale who practice Judaism. Sizomu is the first native-born black rabbi in Sub-Saharan Africa. He is also the first Chief ...

() (see:

Abayudaya The Abayudaya (Luganda for "People of Judah (Biblical figure), Judah") are a Jewish community in eastern Uganda, near the town of Mbale. They are devout in their practice, keeping kashrut and observing Shabbat. There are several different village ...

)

Ukraine

* Yaakov Dov Bleich (1992–) * Moshe Reuven Azman (2005–) * Azriel Chaikin (2003–2008) * Penitentiary rabbinate ** Jonathan Markovitch (2009–)

United Arab Emirates

Levi Duchman Levi Duchman (, ; born 1992 or 1993) is the first resident chief rabbi of the United Arab Emirates. He also serves as the head of the Jewish congregation of Abu Dhabi, of the Jewish Community Center of UAE in Dubai, and as a member of the executi ...

(2015-) first resident rabbi to the UAE, appointed

Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, as well as one of ...

Shaliach In Jewish law, a shaliaḥ (, ; pl. , ''sheliḥim'' or ''sheliah'', literally "emissary" or "messenger") is a legal agent. In practice, "the shaliaḥ for a person is as this person himself." Accordingly, a shaliaḥ performs an act of legal sig ...

to the UAE in 2020, making him the first Chabad Shaliach in a Gulf country. Directs the Jewish Community Center of the UAE. Rabbi Yehuda Sarna is the current Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Council of the Emirates.

United Kingdom and Commonwealth

Presbyter Judaeorum (England)

* Jacob of London, (appointed 1199) * Josce of London (1217–1237) *

Aaron of York Aaron of York or Aaron fil Josce, was a Jewish People, Jewish financier and chief rabbi of England. He was born in York before 1190 and died after 1253. He was probably the son of Josce of York, the leading figure in the York Castle#12th centur ...

(1237) * Elias le Evesque (appointed 1237) * Hagin fil Mosse (appointed 1257) * Hagin fil Deulacres (appointed 1281 by the favour of

Eleanor of Provence Eleanor of Provence ( 1223 – 24/25 June 1291) was a Provence, Provençal noblewoman who became List of English royal consorts, Queen of England as the wife of King Henry III of England, Henry III from 1236 until his death in 1272. She served ...

Ashkenazi chief rabbis

* Judah Loeb ben Abraham Ephraim Asher Anshel (1696–1700) * Aaron the Scribe of Dublin (1700–1704) * Aaron Hart (1704–1756) *

Hart Lyon Rabbi Hirschel Ben Arye Löb Levin (also known as Hart Lyon and Hirshel Löbel; 1721 – 26 August 1800) was Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and of Berlin, and Rabbi of Halberstadt and Mannheim, known as a scholarly Talmudist. Life He was born i ...

(1758–1764) * David Tevele Schiff (1765–1791) *

Solomon Hirschell Solomon Hirschell (12 February 1762 – 31 October 1842) was a British rabbi who served as the List of chief rabbis of the United Hebrew Congregations, chief rabbi of the United Kingdom from 1802 to 1842. He is best known for his unsuccessful a ...

(1802–1842) *

Nathan Marcus Adler Nathan Marcus HaKohen Adler (13 January 1803 – 21 January 1890) (Hebrew name: Natan ben Mordechai ha-Kohen) was the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire from 1845 until his death. Life A kohen, Adler was born in Hanover in present-day Germany. H ...

(1845–1891) *

Hermann Adler Hermann Adler HaKohen CVO (30 May 1839 – 18 July 1911; Hebrew: נפתלי צבי הירש הכהן אדלר) was the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire from 1891 to 1911. The son (and successor as Chief Rabbi) of Nathan Marcus Adler, the 1911 ...

(1891–1911) *

Joseph Herman Hertz Joseph Herman Hertz (25 September 1872 – 14 January 1946) was a British Rabbi and biblical scholar. He held the position of Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom from 1913 until his death in 1946, in a period encompassing both world wars and the ...

(1913–1946) *

Israel Brodie Sir Israel Brodie (10 May 1895 – 13 February 1979) was the Chief Rabbi of Great Britain and the Commonwealth 1948–1965. Biography He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford. He served as a Rabbi of Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in Australi ...

(1948–1965) *

(1966–1991; knighted 1981,

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. With the exception of the D ...

1988) *

Jonathan Sacks Jonathan Henry Sacks, Baron Sacks (8 March 19487 November 2020) was an English Orthodox rabbi, philosopher, theologian, and author. Sacks served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from 1991 to 2013. As ...

(1991–2013; knighted 2005, life peer 2009) *

(2013–present; knighted 2023)

Spanish and Portuguese community Hahamim/senior rabbis

The Sephardi Jews in the United Kingdom are mainly members of independent synagogues. There is no single rabbi recognised by them as a chief rabbi. The Spanish and Portuguese community, however, consists of several synagogues, charities, a beth din and a kashruth authority. These are under the leadership of an ecclesiastical head. Historically, the individual who fills this role is recognised as a senior rabbi of Anglo Jewry, being the leader of the oldest Jewish community in the country. The Senior Rabbi was traditionally given the title, ''Haham,'' meaning "wise one". Since 1918, however, only Solomon Gaon was given this title. The official title of the holder of this office is now The Senior Rabbi of the S&P Sephardi Community of the United Kingdom. * Jacob ben Aaron Sasportas (1664–1665) * Yehoshua Da Silva (1670–1679) *

Jacob Abendana Jacob Abendana (1630 – 12 September 1685) was ''hakham'' of London from 1680 until his death. Biography Abendana was the eldest son of Joseph Abendana and brother to Isaac Abendana. Though his family originally lived in Hamburg, Jacob and h ...

(1681–1684) *

Solomon Ayllon Solomon Ayllon (ca. 1655 or ca. 1660 – 10 April 1728) was ''Hakham, Haham'' of the Sephardic congregations in London and Amsterdam, and a follower of Shabbethai Ẓebi. His name is derived from the town of Ayllon, in what is now the province o ...

(1689–1700) *

David Nieto David Nieto (1654 – 10 January 1728) was the Haham of the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish community in London, later succeeded in this capacity by his son, Isaac Nieto. Nieto was born in Venice. He first practised as a physician and officia ...

(1701–1728) *

Isaac Nieto Isaac Nieto (1702–1774) () was Haham of the Portuguese congregation Sha'are Hashamayim, Bevis Marks, London, and the son of David Nieto. He was officially appointed as "ḥakham ha-shalem" in 1733, but gave up the post in 1741 and went abroad. ...

(1732–1740) * Moshe Gomes de Mesquita (1744–1751) * Moshe Cohen d'Azevedo (1761–1784) *

Raphael Meldola Raphael Meldola FRS (19 July 1849 – 16 November 1915) was a British chemist and entomologist. He was Professor of Organic Chemistry in the University of London, 1912–15. Life Born in Islington, London, he was descended from Raphael Me ...

(1806–1828) * Benjamin Artom (1866–1879) *

Moses Gaster Moses Gaster (17 September 1856 – 5 March 1939) was a Romanian, later British scholar, the ''Hakham'' of the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish congregation, London, and a Hebrew and Romanian linguist. Moses Gaster was an active Zionist in Rom ...

(1887–1918) *

Shem Tob Gaguine Shemtob Gaguin(e) (5 September 1884 – 30 July 1953) was a Sephardic rabbi and scion of a famous Moroccan rabbinical dynasty which emigrated to Palestine from Spain at the time of the Inquisition. Biography He was the great-grandson of R. ...

(1920–1953) (officially the "Ecclesiastical Chief of the Spanish & Portuguese Jews' Congregation," not the Haham) * Solomon Gaon (1949–1995) * Abraham Levy (1995–2012) (officially the Communal Rabbi and Spiritual Head of the Spanish & Portuguese Jews' Congregation, not the ''haham'') *

Joseph Dweck Joseph Dweck (born 17 May 1975) is an American rabbi and hazzan, who serves as Senior Rabbi of the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish community of the United Kingdom. Biography Joseph Dweck was born in Los Angeles, California, into a family of Syri ...

(2013–) (elected Senior Rabbi of The S&P Sephardi Community, not the ''haham'')

United States

A chief rabbinate never truly developed within the United States for a number of different reasons. While Jews first settled in the United States in 1654 in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, rabbis did not appear in the United States until the mid-nineteenth century. This lack of rabbis, coupled with the lack of official colonial or state recognition of a particular sect of Judaism as official effectively led to a form of

congregationalism Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice congregational government. Each congregation independently a ...

amongst American Jews. This did not stop others from trying to create a unified American Judaism, and in fact, some chief rabbis developed in some American cities despite lacking universal recognition amongst the Jewish communities within the cities (for examples see below). However,

Jonathan Sarna Jonathan D. Sarna (born 10 January 1955) is the Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History in the department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and director othe Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis Universit ...

argues that those two precedents, as well as the desire of many Jewish immigrants to the US to break from an

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

past, effectively prevented any effective Chief Rabbi in America. *

Eliezer Silver Eliezer Silver (; February 15, 1882Social Security Death Index - February 7, 1968 ) was the President of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the U.S. and Canada and among American Jewry's foremost religious leaders. He helped save many thousands of ...

Uruguay

* Jaime Spector (1931–1937) * Aaron Milevsky (1937–1943) * Aaron Laschover (1943–1967) * Nechemia Berman (1970–1993) * Eliahu Birenbaum (1994–1999) *

Yosef Bittón Rabbi Yosef Bittón is an Argentinian-born community rabbi and the former Chief Rabbi of Uruguay. Biography Early life and education Rabbi Yosef Bittón was born in Argentina to Argentine parents. His paternal grandparents came from Tetouan, ...

(1999–2002) * Mordejai Maarabi (2002–2009) * Shai Froindlich (2009–2010) * Isaac Fadda (2011–2012) * Ben-Tzion Spitz (2013–2016) * Max Yojanan Godet (2017–present)

Uzbekistan

* Baruch Abramchayev

Venezuela

* Sephardi ** Isaac Cohen * Ashkenazi **

Pynchas Brener Pynchas Brener (born 1931) is the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Caracas, Venezuela, starting in 1967. Early life He was born in Tyszowce, Poland and at the age of four emigrated with his family to Peru. He received his Bachelor of Arts and Rabbinic ...

(1967–)

By city

Alexandria, Egypt

* Raphael Della Pergola (1910-1918)

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ashkenazi

Aryeh Leib ben Saul Aryeh Leib ben Saul Löwenstam ( – 2 April 1755) was a Jews of Poland, Polish rabbi. Life Aryeh Leib was born in in Kraków. He came of a famous family of rabbis. His father Saul had been a rabbi of Kraków from 1700 to 1704; his grandfather ...

1740–1755 *

Saul Lowenstam Saul Lowenstam (1717 – 19 June 1790) was a renowned Dutch rabbi and talmudist.He was Chief Rabbi of Amsterdam from 1755-1790. Saul Lowenstam was born in 1717 in Rzeszów to his parents Aryeh Leib ben Saul (who was the rabbi in Rzeszów at the t ...

* B.S. Berenstein *

Joseph Hirsch Dünner Joseph Hirsch Dünner (; 11 January 1833 – 13 October 1911), also known as Ha-Ritzad () was a Dutch Jewish leader and scholar, who served as Chief Rabbi of Amsterdam and North Holland. Biography Dünner was born in Cracow, Poland, in 1833. He ...

* Abraham S. Onderwijzer * L.H. Sarlouis *

Justus Tal Justus (died on 10 November between 627 and 631) was the fourth archbishop of Canterbury. Pope Gregory the Great sent Justus from Italy to England on a mission to Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon England, Christianise the Anglo-Saxons fr ...

* Aron Schuster * Meir Just 1970–1978 * Aryeh Ralbag (2008–2016) *

Eliezer Wolff Eliezer () was the name of at least three different individuals in the Hebrew Bible. Eliezer of Damascus Eliezer of Damascus () was, according to Targum Jonathan Bereishit, 14:14, the son of Nimrod. As mentioned in Genesis 15:2, Eliezer was ...

(

Av Beth Din The ''av beit din'' (), abbreviated ( ''avad''), was the second-highest-ranking member of the Sanhedrin during the Second Temple period and served as an assistant to the nasi. The av beit din was known as the "Master of the Court;" he was consid ...

, 2016–current)

Sephardi

Menasseh Ben Israel Manoel Dias Soeiro (; 1604 – 20 November 1657), better known by his Hebrew language, Hebrew name Menasseh or Menashe ben Israel (), was a Jewish scholar, rabbi, Kabbalah, kabbalist, writer, diplomat, printer (publisher), printer, publishe ...

* Dr Benjamin Israel Ricardo * Dr Pinchas Toledano (2012–)

Antwerp, Belgium

Chaim Kreiswirth Rabbi Chaim Kreiswirth (1918–2001) was an Orthodox rabbi who served as the longtime Chief Rabbi of Congregation Machzikei Hadass Antwerp, Belgium. He was the founder and rosh yeshiva of the Mercaz HaTorah yeshiva in Jerusalem, and was a hi ...

(1953–2001)

Baltimore, Maryland – United States

* Abraham N. Schwartz (d. 1937) * Joseph H. Feldman (retired 1972, d. 1992)

Birobidzhan, Russia

Mordechai Scheiner Mordechai Sheiner (; ) is an Israeli Orthodox rabbi associated with the Chabad Hasidic movement. Sheiner served as Chief Rabbi of Jewish Autonomous Oblast from 2002 to 2011.

(2002–2020) * Efraim Kolpak (2020–present)

Brussels, Belgium

Budapest, Hungary

Yonasan Steif Rabbi Yonasan Steif (‎; August 12, 1877 – August 25, 1958) was a senior Dayan (rabbinic judge), dayan of Budapest, Hungary, before the Second World War, a man whom Rabbis Moshe Feinstein and Joel Teitelbaum referred to as the ''gadol hador' ...

(pre-World War II)

Caracas, Venezuela

Ashkenazi

(1967–present)

Sephardi

Isaac Cohén Isaac ( ; ; ; ; ; ) is one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites and an important figure in the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baháʼí Faith. Isaac first appears in the Torah, in which he is the son of ...

(–)

Chicago, Illinois – United States

Yaakov Dovid Wilovsky Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Wilovsky (; February 7, 1845 – October 2, 1913), known by the acronym Ridvaz or Ridbaz, was a renowned rabbi, Talmudic commentator and educator. Biography Wilovsky was born in Kobrin, Russia on February 7, 1845. Wilovsky he ...

known as the ''Ridbaz'', served as chief rabbi of the Russian-American congregations in the city 1903–1905.

Copenhagen, Denmark

(1879–1891) * Elias Kalischer *

Hirsch Goitein Hirsch is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Afua Hirsch (born 1981), Norwegian-born British writer, broadcaster, and former barrister * Alex Hirsch (born 1985), American animator, screenwriter and voice actor * August Hirsch ( ...

(–1903) * Max Schornstein (19061910) *

(1963–1970) * Jacob Garfinkel (1971–1973)

Frankfurt, Germany

* Menachem Halevi Klein, Menachem Klein * Nathan HaKohen Adler

Gateshead, United Kingdom

* Naftoli Shakovitzky * Betzalel Rakow *

Shraga Feivel Zimmerman Shraga Feivel Halevy Zimmerman is an American-British Haredi Judaism, Haredi rabbi who serves as the ''rov'' and ''Av Beit Din, av beis din'' of the Federation of Synagogues in London. He served as the rabbi and ''av beis din'' of the Jewish co ...

(2008–2020)

The Hague, Netherlands

* Saul Isaac Halevi (1748–1785) * Tobias Tal (1895–1898) * Dov Yehuda Schochet (1946–1952)

Haifa, Israel

Ashkenazi

* She'ar Yashuv Cohen (1927–2016)

Sephardi

(1993–2003)

Hannover, Germany

* Samuel Freund (1924-1939) *

Chaim Pinchas Lubinsky Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Lubinsky (; August 1, 1915November 28, 1985) was the mashgiach of the yeshiva in Bergen Belsen and the Chief Rabbi of Hanover from 1946 to 1949. Early life and ancestry Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Lubinsky was born in Blaszki, Poland ...

(1946-1949) *

Shlomo Zev Zweigenhaft Shlomo Zev Zweigenhaft (Hebrew: ) was a rabbi and Rosh Hashochtim of Poland (overseeing the country's kosher slaughterers) before the Holocaust. After the Holocaust he was Chief Rabbi of Hanover and Lower Saxony. After emigrating to the United S ...

(1949-1952)

Hebron, West Bank

Chaim Hezekiah Medini Haim Hezekiah Medini ( Jerusalem 1834 – Hebron, 1904), also known by the title of his chief halakhic work, ''Sede Hemed'', was a nineteenth century rabbinical scholar. Biography Hezekiah Medini (later Haim Hezekiah Meidini) was born in Jeru ...

(1891–1904) *

Dov Lior Dov Lior (; born 30 October 1933) is an Israeli Orthodox rabbi and political figure part of a far-right, nationalist movement for an ethnic and religious state. He served as the Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Arba, a Jewish settlement near the West Ban ...

– present

Helsinki, Finland

Naftali Amsterdam Naftali Amsterdam (; 1832–1916) was a Lithuanian-born Orthodox rabbi and a leader in the Mussar movement. Mussar movement role A student of Rabbi Yisroel Salanter, the Mussar movement's founder, his teacher categorized the roles of three top ...

(1867–1875) * Avrohom Schain (1876–1881) * Abraham Werner-Homa (1881–1891) * Shmuel Noson Bukantz (1892–1924) * Scholem Triestman (1928–1929)

Hoboken, New Jersey – United States

Chaim Hirschensohn Rabbi Chaim Hirschensohn (; 1857 – 1935) was a prolific author, rabbi, thinker, and early proponent of Religious Zionism. Biography Chaim Hirschensohn was born on August 31, 1857 in Safed, in the Galilee to Rabbi Yaakov Mordechai Hirschens ...

(1904–1935). His post included

Hoboken Hoboken ( ; ) is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Hoboken is part of the New York metropolitan area and is the site of Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's popula ...

Jersey City Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous

, Union Hill and the Environs.

Jerusalem

Sephardi

Levi Ibn Habib Levi ibn Habib (; c. 1480 – c. 1545), also known by the acronym HaRaLBaCh, was Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem from 1525 until his death. Under King Manuel of Portugal, and when about seventeen, he was compelled to submit to baptism, but at the fir ...

* David Ibn Abi Zimra * Moshe Galante I *

Haim Vital Hayyim ben Joseph Vital (; Safed, October 23, 1542 (Julian calendar) / October 11, 1542 (Gregorian Calendar) – Damascus, 23 April 1620) was a rabbi in Safed and the foremost disciple of Isaac Luria. He recorded much of his master's teachin ...

* Betzalel Ashkenasi * Gedalia Cordovero * Isaac Gaon * Israel Benjamin * Yaacov Tzemah * Shemuel Garmison * Moshe Galante II (1665–1689) * Moshe Ibn Habib (1689–1696) * Moshe Hayun * Abraham ben David Yitzchaki (1715–1722) * Binyamin Maali * Elazar ben Yaacob Nahum (1730–1748) * Nissim Mizrahi (1748–1754) * Israel Yaacob Algazy (1754–1756) * Raphael Samuel Meyuchas (1756–1791) * Haim Raphael Abraham ben Asher (1771–1772) * Yom Tov Algazy (1772–1802) * Moshe Yosef Mordechai Meyuchas (1802–1805) * Yaacob Moshe Ayash al-Maghrebi (1806–1817) * Jacob Coral (1817–1819) * Raphael Yosef Hazzan (1819–1822) * Yom Tov Danon (1822–1824) * Salomon Moshe Suzin (1824–1836) * Yonah Moshe Navon (1836–1841) * Yehudah Raphael Navon (1841–1842) * Haim Abraham Gagin (1842–1848) * Isaac Kovo (1848–1854) * Haim Nissim Abulafia (1854–1861) * Haim David Hazan (1861–1869) * Abraham Ashkenasi (1869–1880) *

(2014–)

Ashkenazi

(?–1878) *

Shmuel Salant Shmuel Salant (; January 2, 1816 – August 16, 1909) served as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem for almost 70 years. He was a renowned Talmudist and Torah scholar. Early life Shmuel Salant was born in Białystok, then part of the Russ ...

(1878–1909) *

Chaim Berlin Chaim Berlin (1832, Valozhyn – 1912, Jerusalem) (חיים ברלין) was an Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox rabbi and chief rabbi of Moscow from 1865 to 1889. He was the eldest son of the Netziv, Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin. Biography Ch ...

(1909–1912?) *

(1919–1935) *

Tzvi Pesach Frank Tzvi Pesach Frank (; 20 January 1873 – 10 December 1960) was a renowned halachic scholar and served as Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem for several decades (1936-1960). Biography Frank was born in Kovno, Vilna Governorate, the son of Rabbi Yehuda ...

(1936–?) * Betzalel Zolty (1977–?) * Yitzhak Kolitz (1983–2002) *

Aryeh Stern Aryeh Stern (; born 27 November 1944) is the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council of Israel, and the chief editor of the Halacha Brura and Berur Halacha Institute. Biography Aryeh Stern was born in 1944 in ...

(2014–)

Edah HaChareidis

:''Note: The

is unaffiliated with the State of Israel. It is a separate, independent religious community with its own Chief Rabbis, who are viewed, in the

world, as being the Chief Rabbis of Jerusalem.'' *

Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, also spelled Zonnenfeld (; 1 December 1848 – 26 February 1932), was the rabbi and co-founder of the Edah HaChareidis, the Haredi Jewish community of Jerusalem, during the years of the British Mandate of Palestine. ...

(1919–1932) * Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky (1932–1948) *

Zelig Reuven Bengis Zelig Reuven Bengis (; 1864 – 21 May 1953) was the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem for the Edah HaChareidis. He wrote a seven-volume commentary on the Talmud, called "''Leflagos Reuven''". Youth He was the son of Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Bengis, in the int ...

(1948–1953) *

Joel Teitelbaum Joel Teitelbaum (, ; 13 January 1887 – 19 August 1979) was the founder and first Grand Rebbe of the Satmar dynasty. The Satmar Rebbe is also known as the Krula Rav. A major figure in the post-war renaissance of Hasidism, he espoused a stric ...

Satmar Satmar (; ) is a group in Hasidic Judaism founded in 1905 by Grand Rebbe Joel Teitelbaum (1887–1979), in the city of Szatmárnémeti (also called Szatmár in the 1890s), Kingdom of Hungary, Hungary (now Satu Mare in Romania). The group is a b ...

(1953–1979) *

Yitzchok Yaakov Weiss Rabbi Yitzchok Yaakov Weiss (; 15 February 1902 – 14 June 1989), commonly known as the Minchas Yitzchak after the responsa he authored, was the rabbi of the Edah HaChareidis in Jerusalem at the time of his death, as well as a posek (decider on p ...

(1979–1989) * Moshe Aryeh Freund (1989–1996) * Yisrael Moshe Dushinsky (1996–2002) *

Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss Rabbi Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss (; 26 August 1926 – 30 July 2022) was the Chief Rabbi, or ''Ga'avad'' (''Gaon Av Beis Din''), of Jerusalem for the Edah HaChareidis. He was appointed to this post in 2003, after having served as a ''dayan'', or R ...

(2002–2022)

Kyiv, Ukraine

* Jonathan Markovitch (2000 – present)

Krakow, Poland

* Boaz Pash (2006–2012) * Eliezer Gurary (2014–present)

Leiden, Netherlands

* Simon de Vries

Leeuwarden, Friesland, Netherlands

* (1821–1836) * (1840–1886) * (1886–1895) * Tobias Lewenstein (1895–1899) * (1900–1918) * (1924–1927) * (1929–1932) * (1935–1945)

Milan, Italy

* Avraham David Shaumann * Elia Kopciovsky (195?–1980) *

Giuseppe Laras Giuseppe is the Italian form of the given name Joseph, from Latin Iōsēphus from Ancient Greek Ἰωσήφ (Iōsḗph), from Hebrew יוסף. The feminine form of the name is Giuseppa or Giuseppina. People with the given name include: :''Note ...

(1980–2005) * Alfonso Arbib (2005–)

Modi'in Illit Modi'in Illit (; , lit. "Upper Modi'in") is a Haredi Judaism, Haredi Jewish-Israeli settlement organized as a city council (Israel), city council in the West Bank, situated midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Built on the land of five Palest ...
,
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

Meir Kessler Meir Kessler (; born February 17, 1961) is the Chief Rabbi and head of Rabbinical Court of Modi'in Illit. Biography He was born in Bnei Brak to Rabbi Simcha and Tova Gitel Kessler. He studied at the Ponevezh yeshiva and afterward at Kol Torah ...

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Ashkenazi

Zvi Hirsch Cohen Zvi ( and , ''Tzvi'', Ṣvi, "gazelle") is a Jewish masculine given name. It is sometimes paired with Hirsch, the German and Yiddish word for "deer", in a bilingual pleonasm. Notable people with this name include: * Zvi Aharoni (1921–2012), Isra ...

(1922–1950) * Sheea Herschorn (1951–1961) *

Pinchas Hirschprung Pinchas Hirschprung (; 13 July 1912, Dukla, Galicia – 25 January 1998, Montreal, Canada) was a Polish-Canadian rabbi, ''posek'', and ''rosh yeshiva'', who served as Chief Rabbi of Montreal from 1969 until his death. Biography Early life Pi ...

(1969–1998) * Avraham David Niznik (1998–2006) * Binyomin Weiss (2007–Present)

Sephardi

* David Sabbah

Moscow, Russia

* Yakov Maze (prior to 1924–1933) *

Shmarya Yehuda Leib Medalia Shmarya Yehuda-Leib Medalia (; 1872 – April 26, 1938) was the chief rabbi of Moscow between 1933 and 1938. He was sentenced to death and shot in 1938 during The Great Terror in the Soviet Union. Biography

Shmarya Yehuda-Leib Yankelevich Me ...

(1933–1938) * Shmuel Leib Medalia (1943) * Shmuel Leib Levin (1943–1944) *

Shlomo Shleifer Shloime Mikhelevich (Solomon Mikhailovich) Shleifer was born on December 23, 1889, in Moscow. His father was the rabbi of Alexandria, a town near Kherson. During the First World War, the Shleifer family moved to Moscow, where Rabbi Shleifer worke ...

(1944–1957) *

Yehuda Leib Levin Yehudah Leib ha-Levi Levin (; 1844 – 30 November 1925), also known by the acronyms Yehalel and Yehalal, was a Hebrew socialist maskilic Hebrew poet, writer, and publicist. His poems were the first to introduce socialist themes into Hebrew lit ...

(1957–1971) *

Adolf Shayevich Adolf Solomonovich Shayevich (; born 28 October 1937)Russian Jewish ...

(1983, officially since 1993–) *

Pinchas Goldschmidt Pinchas Goldschmidt (born 21 July 1963) is a Swiss-born rabbi also known as a religious scholar and Jewish community leader. He was the Chief Rabbi of Moscow, Russia from 1993 until 2022, serving at the Moscow Choral Synagogue. He also founde ...

(1993–2022)

Munich, Germany

* Yitshak Ehrenberg (1989–1997) * Pinchos Biberfeld, moved back to Germany from where he had emigrated to Israel over 50 years earlier. (1980–1999) * Steven Langnas, first German (descendance) Chief Rabbi and Av Beth Din of Munich (1999–2011)

Netherlands – Inter-Provincial Chief rabbinate

Dov Yehuda Schochet DOV or Dov could refer to: ''דב'' or ''דוב'', a Hebrew male given name meaning "bear", from which the Yiddish name " Ber" (בער) was derived (cognate with "bear") which was common among East European Jews. People * Dov J. Elkabas (1968), A ...

(1946–1952) hief Rabbi of The Hague* Elieser Berlinger (1960–1985) * Binyomin Jacobs (2008–recent)

New York, New York – United States

Jacob Joseph Jacob Joseph (; 1840 – July 28, 1902) served as chief rabbi of New York City's Association of American Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, a federation of Eastern European Jewish synagogues, from 1888 until his death in 1902. Born in Krozhe, a pro ...

(1840–1902) was the only true Ashkenazi chief rabbi of New York City; there was never a Sephardi chief rabbi, although Dr. David DeSola Pool acted as a leader among the Sepharadim and was also respected as such. Others it has been said claimed the title of Chief Rabbi; eventually, the title became worthless through dilution. * Chaim Jacob Wiedrewitz was the Chassidic chief rabbi of New York and Pennsylvania; he was previously the Chassidic Rav of Moscow and was officially called as "The Moskover Rav", immigrated in 1893 and died in 1911, he's buried in the Chabad society of the Bayside Cemetery in Ozone Park NY. * Jacob S. Kassin was the Chief Rabbi of the Syrian Jewish community of New York 1930–1995. * Leibish Wolowsky was the chief rabbi of the Galician community of NYC 1888–1913, he was previously the rabbi of Sambor, Austria and immigrated to the US in 1888. He died in 1913 and is buried in the Achum Ahuvim of Reizow at the Mount Zion Cemetery in Maspeth NY. * Avrohom Aharon Yudelevitz who was previously the rav of Manchester, England was accepted in 1919 as the chief rabbi of the Jewish Arbitration Court of NYC. He authored many books on Jewish law and

responsa ''Responsa'' (plural of Latin , 'answer') comprise a body of written decisions and rulings given by legal scholars in response to questions addressed to them. In the modern era, the term is used to describe decisions and rulings made by scholars i ...

. He died in 1930 and is buried in family plot at the Bayside cemetery in Ozone Park NY.

Nové Zámky, Slovakia

Ernest Klein Ernest David Klein, (July 26, 1899, Szatmárnémeti – February 4, 1983, Ottawa, Canada) was a Hungarian-born Romanian-Canadian linguist, author, and rabbi. Early life and education Klein was born to father Yitzchok (Ignac) and mother Sara ...

(1931–1944)

Paris, France

* Michel Seligmann (1809–1829) * Marchand Ennery (1829–1845) * Lazard Isidor (1847–1865) * Zadoc Kahn (1866–1889) * Jacques-Henri Dreyfuss (1891–1933) * Julien Weill (1933–1950) *

(1950–1955) * Meïr Jaïs (1956–1980) * Alain Goldmann (1980–1994) *

David Messas Rabbi David Messas (15 July 1934 in Meknes, Morocco – 20 November 2011 Paris) was the son of Rabbi Chalom Messas, the former Chief Rabbi of Morocco who subsequently became the sefardic Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He married Dolly Berdugo. ...

(1994–2011) *

Michel Gugenheim Michel Gugenheim is the Chief Rabbi of Paris. He also assumed the position of interim Chief Rabbi of France in 2013 after the resignation of Gilles Bernheim, the previous Chief Rabbi of France and remained in that position until the election of Ra ...

(2012– )

Rome, Italy

Israel Zolli Eugenio Maria Zolli (27 September 1881 ‒ 2 March 1956), born Israel Anton Zoller, was an Austrian by birth, and an Italian doctorate professor of philosophy and author. Until his conversion from Judaism to Catholicism in February 1945, Zolli w ...

(1940–1945) *

Elio Toaff Elio Toaff (30 April 1915 – 19 April 2015) was the Chief Rabbi of Rome from 1951 to 2002. He served as a rabbi in Venice from 1947, and in 1951 became the Chief Rabbi of Rome. Early life Toaff was born in Livorno in 1915, the son of the city' ...

(1951–2002) * Riccardo Di Segni (2002–)

Rotterdam, Netherlands

* Josiah Pardo (1648–1669)http://www.archieven.nl/pls/m/zk2.inv?p_q=64729996 See his Haskama – Approbation to Sefer Nachalat Shiva, edition Amsterdam 1667, where he is mentioned as Chief Rabbi of both the Sephardi and Ashkenazi congregations in Rotterdam * Yosia Pardo (1648–1669). Left in 1669 to Amsterdam. * Yuda Loeb ben Rabbi Shlomo (1674-abt. 1700). Born in Wilna. * Judah Salomon (1682) * Judah Loeb ben Abraham Ephraim Asher Anshel (1700–1708) Born in

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

, left for

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

. * Solomon Ezekiel (1725–1735) * Judah Ezekiel (1738–1755) *

Abraham Ezekiel Ezekiel Abraham Ezekiel (1757–1806) was an English engraver. Ezekiel was born at Exeter in 1757. He engraved portraits by Opie, Sir Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who spec ...

(1755–79) * Aryeh Leib Breslau (1741–1809) *

Judah Akiba Eger Judah or Yehuda is the name of a biblical patriarch, Judah (son of Jacob). It may also refer to: Historical ethnic, political and geographic terms * Tribe of Judah, one of the twelve Tribes of Israel; their allotment corresponds to Judah or Jud ...

son of Akiba Eger I (invited but refused position) *

Elijah Casriel Elijah ( ) or Elias was a prophet and miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab (9th century BC), according to the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible. In 1 Kings 18, Elijah defended the worship ...

(1815–1833) *

E.J. Löwenstamm EJ may refer to: Businesses and brands * EJ (company), formerly East Jordan Iron Works * eJay, a music software program * New England Airlines (IATA code EJ) * E & J Gallo Winery * Holden EJ, an early Holden car * Subaru EJ engine series, manuf ...

(1834–1845) * Joseph Isaacsohn (1850–1871; one of three sons-in-law of

Jacob Ettlinger Jacob Ettlinger (17 March 1798 – 7 December 1871) () was an Ashkenazi rabbi and author, and one of the leaders of Orthodox Judaism. He is sometimes referred to as the ''Aruch la-Ner'' (ערוך לנר), after his best-known publication. Biog ...

who were Chief Rabbis in the Netherlands) * Bernhard Löbel Ritter (1885–1928) * Simon Hirsch (1928–1930) * Aaron Davids (1930–1944) *

(1945–1954) *

Salomon Rodrigues Pereira Salomon may refer to: * Salomon (given name) * Salomon (surname) * Salomon Islands, an atoll of the British Indian Ocean Territory * Salomon Brothers, a former investment bank, now part of Citigroup * Salomon Group, a sporting equipment company * ...

(1954–1959) * Levie Vorst (1959–1971) *

Daniel Kahn Daniel commonly refers to: * Daniel (given name), a masculine given name and a surname * List of people named Daniel * List of people with surname Daniel * Daniel (biblical figure) * Book of Daniel, a biblical apocalypse, "an account of the activi ...

(1972–1975) * Albert Hutterer (1975–1977) * Dov Salzmann (1986–1988) * Lody van de Kamp *

Raphael Evers Raphael Evers (; born May 8, 1954) is a Dutch-Israeli Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox rabbi. He was a rabbi in the Netherlands and Germany. On August 1, 2021, he aliyah, emigrated to Israel ().

Shanghai, China

Meir Ashkenazi Meir Ashkenazi was a sixteenth-century Crimean Jew. An envoy of the Khan of Crimea in the sixteenth century, Ashkenazi was killed by pirates on a voyage from Gava (near Genoa) to Dakhel (probably Dakhel or Dakleh in the western oasis of Upper Egy ...

(1926–1949)

Sofia, Bulgaria

* Daniel Zion (in World War II) * Asher Hannanel (in World War II)

St. Louis, Missouri – United States

* Chaim Fischel Epstein * Menachem Zvi Eichenstein (1943–1982) * Sholom Rivkin (1983–2011)

Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel

Sephardi

(1911–1939) *

Ya'akov Moshe Toledano Rabbi Ya'akov Moshe Toledano (; 18 August 1880 – 15 October 1960) was an Israeli rabbi who served as Minister of Religions for two brief periods between 1958 and 1960. He also served as chief rabbi of Cairo, Alexandria and Tel Aviv. Biograph ...

(1942–1960) *

(1968–1973) * Hayim David HaLevi (1973–1998?)

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Joseph Weinreb Joseph (Yosef) Weinreb (1869–1943), also known as the "Galitzianer Rav," was the first chief rabbi of Toronto, Canada. Biography Joseph Weinreb was born in Busk, Galicia, son of Rabbi Baruch Shlomo Weinreb and his wife Soore Ratze. Rab ...

1900–1942 * Avraham Aharon Price * Gedaliah Felder

Vienna, Austria

* Yitshak Ehrenberg (1983–1989) * Akiva Eisenberg *

* Arie Folger

Warsaw, Poland

Dow Ber Meisels Dow (Dov, Dob) Ber (Beer, Berisz, Berush) Meisels (1798 – 17 March 1870) was a Chief Rabbi of Kraków (Cracow) from 1832 and later, Chief Rabbi of Warsaw (from 1856). He was active in the Polish nationalist movement, and was a politician in the ...

(1856-1870) * Pinchas Menachem Joskowicz (1988–1999) * Baruch Rabinowitz (1999–2000) *

(2000–)

Würzburg, Germany

Abraham Bing Abraham Bing (1752–1841) was the Oberrabbiner (Chief Rabbi) of Würzburg, and a Rosh yeshiva there. He trained several prominent German rabbis. Biography Bing received his rabbinic training from the talmudist and kabbalist Nathan Adler. (The ...

(1814–1839)

Zagreb, Croatia

* Hosea Jacobi (1880–1925) *

(1941–1943)

"Grand Rabbi"

Occasionally, the term "Grand Rabbi" is used to note a

Hasidic Hasidism () or Hasidic Judaism is a religious movement within Judaism that arose in the 18th century as a spiritual revival movement in contemporary Western Ukraine before spreading rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. Today, most of those aff ...

Rebbe A Rebbe () or Admor () is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spirituality (Audio)''. UCTV, 20 Oct 2011. web. ...

, particularly used on a letterhead when the letterhead is in English.

References

External links

*
Office of the Chief Rabbi in London, England

Chief Rabbinate of Israel
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008161535/http://rabanut.gov.il/ , date=8 October 2017 Orthodox rabbinic roles and titles