David Lau

David Lau is an Orthodox rabbi who has served as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel since 2013. He is the son of former Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau and previously held prominent rabbinical positions in Shoham and Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut. His tenure has been marked by efforts to modernize aspects of the Chief Rabbinate's administration while navigating complex issues of Jewish law and Israeli society.

Early life and education

David Lau was born in Tel Aviv to Yisrael Meir Lau, a prominent Holocaust survivor and later Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, and Chaya-Ita Frankel, a descendant of the Hasidic Frankel family. He studied at the Hebron Yeshiva in Jerusalem and later at Mercaz HaRav, a leading Religious Zionist yeshiva. He received rabbinic ordination from esteemed authorities including Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and former Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Avraham Shapiro.

Rabbinic career

Lau began his public rabbinic career as the community rabbi of Shoham, a role he held for over a decade. During this period, he was also appointed to the Council of the Chief Rabbinate, engaging with national religious policy. In 2005, he became the Chief Rabbi of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, a rapidly growing city, where he oversaw the establishment of religious services and institutions. His leadership there increased his national profile, leading to his election to the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

Chief Rabbinate of Israel

Lau was elected as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel in July 2013, running against Rabbi David Stav. His election was supported by key political parties including The Jewish Home and United Torah Judaism. As Chief Rabbi, he serves as the president of the Supreme Rabbinical Court and heads the Rabbinical Council for State affairs. He has initiated technological reforms within the rabbinical courts and the Kashrut certification system, while also facing criticism over the Chief Rabbinate's monopoly on areas like marriage and conversion.

Views and public positions

Lau generally represents a Religious Zionist and modernist approach within the Orthodox establishment. He has publicly emphasized unity within the Jewish people and engagement with the broader Israeli public. He has issued rulings aimed at easing certain marital bond issues and participated in dialogues with leaders of Conservative Judaism and Reform Judaism, though he upholds the authority of the Chief Rabbinate. His statements on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the Law of Return have often aligned with mainstream Religious Zionist perspectives.

Personal life

He is married to Michal Lau, a teacher and the daughter of Rabbi Yehoshua Weitzman, a rosh yeshiva at Mercaz HaRav. The couple has eight children. His brother, Moshe Chaim Lau, serves as a rabbi in Pardes Hanna-Karkur, continuing the family's rabbinic legacy. Lau resides in Jerusalem and is known for his accessible public persona, often engaging with media outlets like The Times of Israel and Israel Hayom.

Category:Chief Rabbis of Israel Category:Israeli Religious Zionists Category:21st-century Israeli rabbis