By COLlive reporter
Residents of the central Israeli village of Kfar Chabad are up in arms that their respected rabbi was told to retire by the Ministry of Religious Services.
The letter of retirement said Rabbi Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazi must step down as rabbi of the Lod Valley Regional Council, an area which includes Kfar Chabad, because of his age.
Israeli law requires that government employed rabbis retire at the age of 70.
But Yosef Kaminetzky, chair of the local religious council, said “It’s not a secret that Rabbi Ashkenazi is now 71 years of age and the topic of retirement was always on the table.”
Kaminetzky said: “I do not know of any such letter from the Ministry of Religious Services and therefore there isn’t any change in the employment of Rabbi Ashkenazi.”
Other residents pointed out that the law allows for an two-time extension, until the age of 75 and another until 80. Fellow rabbis complained that in a country where Shimon Peres was able to function as president until the age of 91, rabbis should be able to do the same.
Binyomin Lifshitz, Chairman of the committee that runs the village, noted that Rabbi Ashkenazi works out of his home, not a government office, and will therefore remain in his position.
“We are not looking for another rabbi,” he stated.
what about perez?