David Lau facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Baruch Lau דוד ברוך לאו‎
Religion	Judaism
Denomination	Orthodox
Personal
Nationality	Israeli
Born	David Baruch Lau (1966-01-13) 13 January 1966 (age 59) Tel Aviv, Israel
Parents	Yisrael (Israel) Meir Lau
Senior posting
Title	Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel
Predecessor	Yona Metzger
Successor	Kalman Ber
Began	2013
Ended	June 30, 2024
Other	Chief Rabbi of Shoham Chief Rabbi of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut
Residence	Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut

Rabbi David Baruch Lau (born January 13, 1966) is an important Israeli rabbi. He served as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 2013 to 2024. Before that, he was the Chief Rabbi for the cities of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut and Shoham in Israel. His father, Yisrael Meir Lau, was also a Chief Rabbi of Israel.

Early Life and Education

David Baruch Lau was born in Tel Aviv, Israel. His father, Yisrael Meir Lau, was a former Chief Rabbi of Israel. His mother, Chaya Ita, was the daughter of Rabbi Yitzchak Yedidya Frankel.

As a young person, Lau was part of the Ezra youth movement in Tel Aviv. He studied at several religious schools called yeshivas. These included Yeshivat HaYishuv HeHadash, Beit Matityau Yeshiva, and Ponevezh Yeshiva.

Military Service

Rabbi Lau also served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He was a chaplain in the Military Rabbinate, which provides religious services for soldiers. He reached the rank of a reserve major.

Rabbinic Career

Rabbi Lau began his career as the first rabbi of the town of Shoham. Later, when the city of Modi'in was founded, he became its Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi. He worked alongside the Sephardi Chief Rabbi, Eliyahu Alharar. Together, they started Torah classes in the city. These classes taught about Jewish laws like kashrut (kosher food), eruvim (areas where carrying is allowed on Shabbat), and Jewish weddings.

Online Teachings

Rabbi Lau was one of the first rabbis in Israel to teach about responsa (answers to Jewish law questions) online. He also hosted radio and television programs. On these shows, he discussed the weekly Torah portion and answered questions about halakhic (Jewish law) topics.

Chief Rabbi of Israel

On July 24, 2013, Rabbi Lau was chosen as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel. He was the youngest person to hold this important position, being 47 years old at the time. His official inauguration ceremony took place on August 14, 2013.

During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Rabbi Lau advised people not to touch or kiss mezuzot (small scrolls on doorposts). This was to help stop the virus from spreading.

Rabbi Lau finished his term as Chief Rabbi in June 2024. On October 31, 2024, Rabbi Kalman Ber was appointed to take his place.

Public Activities and Reforms

Rabbi David Lau aimed to continue the work of past Chief Rabbis like Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. He visited secular (non-religious) kibbutzim to connect with different communities. He also added the topic of "Derech Eretz" (proper behavior towards others) to the official rabbinical exams.

Media Presence

Rabbi Lau was the first rabbi in Israel to answer halachic questions online through the "Moreshet" website. For many years, he appeared on a national television program called "She'elat Rav" (Ask the Rabbi). He also hosted a daily radio show called "Nekuda Yehudit" (A Jewish Point). Since 2021, he has hosted a weekly TV show where he continues to answer public questions about Jewish law.

Judicial Reforms

As President of the Rabbinical Supreme Court, Rabbi Lau worked to speed up divorce and family law cases. He helped resolve many cases that had been stuck for years. He also created a special family court in Eilat and set rules for how overseas rabbinical courts handle divorces and conversions. He even launched a special phone hotline for these types of cases.

Key Stances

Rabbi Lau strongly disagreed with the Western Wall agreement, even though it caused concerns with Jewish communities in America. He also opposed government plans for conversion and kashrut (kosher food) reforms. He worked to have these plans canceled.

Other Initiatives

During his time as Chief Rabbi, he made changes to the shemitta (sabbatical year) system. This helped ensure that Jewish farmers in Israel did not plant during the sabbatical year. He also reformed the kosher slaughter system. He created a committee to oversee imported meat, which helped expand and supervise international slaughtering teams. This reduced how much importers relied on a few individuals. He also made the rabbinical examination system more efficient by using an outside professional agency.

He spent a lot of time helping agunot (women whose husbands refuse to grant a divorce) and resolving long-standing divorce disputes. In one case, he worked for two days straight until a divorce agreement was reached.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rabbi Lau gave clear guidelines on important Jewish law issues for the religious community.

Post-Chief Rabbinate

After his term as Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Lau founded the Lau Center. This center helps with financial and marital disagreements, provides Torah education, trains rabbis, and supports families in need.

Published Works

Rabbi Lau has written articles for religious journals. He also edited a book of his father's responsa (Jewish legal answers) called Yichil Yisrael. He published a book in memory of his grandfather, Yitzchak Yedidya Frankel. In 2008, he published his own book, Maskil LeDavid, which covers topics like family history, conversion, and military law.

In 2025, he published a book titled Tears of Faith. This book describes his experiences as Chief Rabbi during a time of war, especially after the October 7 attacks in 2023.

Personal Life

Rabbi Lau is married to Tziporah Ralbag. Her father, Rabbi Yitzhak Ralbag, was a member of the Council of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. After Rabbi David Lau's term ended and before Rabbi Kalman Ber was appointed, Rabbi Yitzhak Ralbag served as the Acting Chief Rabbi of Israel.

Rabbi Lau lives in Jerusalem. He has seven children, and about fifteen grandchildren. His son-in-law, Rabbi Yehuda Mann, is a rabbi in Toronto, Canada.

See also

In Spanish: David Lau para niños