Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger
Photo: Government Press Office
Attorney General Menachem Mazuz
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Rabbi Shapira
Photo: Chaim Tzach
Leading rabbis back chief rabbi
Chief rabbi Yona Metzger not in hurry to quit, as he was asked to by Attorney General Menachem Mazuz following affairs of accepting dishonest benefits
Although Attorney General Menachem Mazuz demanded that he resign, Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger is no hurry. On Thursday he even met with Israel's leading rabbis – Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Rabbi Avraham Shapira, and Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, all of whom expressed their support of him.
Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv welcomed Metzger in a warmhearted meeting, encouraged him and expressed his astonishment over the resignation demand.
Harsh Report
Tal Rosner
Scathing report: Attorney general slams Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Metzger, says he lied during investigation into hotel stay in Jerusalem free of charge; Mazuz decides not to indict rabbi but recommends that he resign his post
Shas' spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef told Metzger: "His honor is actively successfully in the Rabbinate. The rabbi must not resign… we will give him the support he deserves".
Rabbi Shapira told Metzger that God is watching over him and that he should fight over the Rabbinate's respects.
'Pure and clear as snow'
"There is a special angel in heaven watching over you," Shapira said.
Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu told Metzger: "his honor is pure and clear as snow, I rule that you should not resign".
Rabbi Metzger aides stated: "The Attorney General ruled that nothing in the Rabbi's actions constitutes a criminal offense and circumvented his attack toward the public aspect. While the great leaders of Israel stand by the rabbi, the Attorney General's case about the Rabbinate's contempt is invalid."
Mazuz' unprecedented and scathing report called on Metzger to resign subsequent to three separate incidents, accusing the rabbi of – among other things – accepting illegitimate perks, disrespecting public funds, and not telling the truth.
