This is a 1940 photograph of Sephardi Chief Rabbi Ben-Tzion Meir Hai Uziel. In the photograph Rabbi Uziel is wearing the traditional garments worn by the chief Sephardi rabbi of Israel, also known as the Rishon leZion. He is wearing a robe with metallic embroidery around the neck and down the front and has a turban on his head.
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Rabbi Ben-Tzion Meir Hai Uziel – Rabbi Uziel was born in Jerusalem in 1886. In 1911, when Israel was still part of the Ottoman Empire, Rabbi Uziel was appointed chief Sephardi rabbi of Jaffa. While in this position, he worked very closely with the leader of the Ashkenazi community, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. In 1921, Rabbi Uziel became the chief rabbi of Salonika but returned two years later to become the chief rabbi of Tel Aviv. In 1939, he was elected chief rabbi of Israel, the Rishon leZion, a post which he held until his death in 1953. Rabbi Uziel strove to create an ethical society in Israel based on Jewish law that could be a role model to the world. He believed that Jewish life should combine both work and Jewish studies since work provides not only a living but also a sense of honour and dignity. He also stressed the importance of army service for all, including yeshiva students, and of comprehensive education based on both Jewish and secular studies. His belief that all people are created in the image of God led Rabbi Uziel to fight against discrimination based on religion or race. He spoke fluent Arabic and promoted good relations with his Arab neighbours.
Chief Rabbi of Israel – The State of Israel appoints two chief rabbis: an Ashkenazi chief rabbi and a Sephardi chief rabbi. Both chief rabbis serve for ten years and have jurisdiction over matters of marriage, conversion, kashrut, burial, and religious courts. The term Rishon leZion, meaning “The First of Zion,” was first used in the seventeenth century to designate the chief rabbi of Jerusalem and later became the title used for the Sephardi chief rabbi of Israel.
