Yaakov Ariel

Who is Yaakov Ariel?

Yaakov Ariel is the chief rabbi of the city of Ramat Gan, Israel and one of the leading rabbis of the religious Zionist movement. Ariel had served as the rosh yeshiva of the yeshiva in the abandoned Israeli settlement of Yamit in the Sinai desert until 1982 and is currently the president of the Ramat Gan Yeshiva. He also served as the rabbi of Kfar Maimon for about 25 years.

Born in Jerusalem, Rabbi Ariel learnt at the Bnei Akiva Yeshiva in Kfar HaRoeh, Midreshet Noam in Pardes Hana, and Mercaz HaRav in Jerusalem. At Mercaz HaRav, he was one of the most important students of Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook.

In 2003, Ariel was a leading candidate for the Israeli Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, but lost due to opposition from the ultra-Orthodox. His brother, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel is the former chief rabbi of Yamit and founder of the Temple Institute.