Israel Police Chief Inspector Roni Alsheikh is reportedly looking to finally fill the currently vacant position of Police Chief Rabbi. 

According to reports his Alsheikh’s favored choice is the Rabbi of the Samaria community of Talmon in the western Binyamin Region, Rabbi Rami Rahamim Barkheihu.

Rabbi Barkheihu currently heads a special program to encourage religious Jews to enlist in the Israeli police force. He is also a well-known figure for his public activism in enlisting young volunteers to search for the bodies of the three Israeli teenagers kidnapped and murdered in 2014 by Hamas.

Sources within the Israel Police rabbinate have expressed concern though that Rabbi Barkheihu’s appointment may face opposition from the haredi community, with whom he disagrees on certain halakhic practices.

Specifically, they said haredi rabbinate figures would clash with him on issues of kashrut and other religious matters within the police force.