List of Sephardi chief rabbis of the Land of Israel

Updated on Oct 05, 2024

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This list of Sephardi chief rabbis of the Land of Israel documents the rabbis who served as the spiritual leader of the Sephardic community in the Land of Israel from the mid 17th-century to present. The Hebrew title for the position, Rishon LeZion, (lit. "First to Zion"), has been used since the beginning of the 17th-century, and is sourced from a verse in Isaiah 41:27.

17th century

Moses Galante (1665–?)

Moses ibn Habib (1689–1696)

18th century

Abraham ben David Yitzhaki (1709–1729)

Eliezer ben Jacob Nachum (c. 1730)

Nissim Chaim Moses Mizrachi (1748–1749)

Israel Jacob Algazi (c. 1754)

Raphael Samuel Meyuchas (1756–1771)

Chaim Raphael Abraham Ben Asher (1771–1772)

Yom Tov Algazi (1772–1802)

19th century

Moses Joseph Mordechai Meyuchas (1802–1806)

Jacob Moses Ayash al-Maghrebi (1806–1817)

Jacob Korach (1817–1818)

Raphael Joseph Hazan (1819–1821)

Yom Tov Danon (1822–1823)

Solomon Moses Suzin (1824–1836)

Jonah Moses Navon (1836–1841)

Judah Raphael Navon (1841–1842)

Chaim Abraham Gagin (1842–1848) - first chief rabbi recognized by Ottoman government.

Isaac Kovo (1848–1854)

Chaim Nissim Abulefia (1854–1861)

Chaim David Hazan (1861–1869)

Abraham Ashkenazi (1869–1880)

Raphael Meir Panigel (1880–1892)

Jacob Saul Elyashar (1893–1906)

20th century

Jacob Meir (1906)

Elijah Moses Panigel (1907)

Moses Franco (1911–1915)

Chaim Moshe Elyashur (1914–1915)

Nissin Yehuda Danun (1915–?)

Jacob Meir (1921–1939)

Benzion Uziel (1939–1954)

Yitzhak Nissim (1955–1972)

Ovadia Yosef (1973–1983)

Mordechai Eliyahu (1983–1993)

Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron (1993–2003)

21st century

Shlomo Amar (2003—2013 )

Yitzhak Yosef (2013—)

References

List of Sephardi chief rabbis of the Land of Israel Wikipedia

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