Shlomo Amar

Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar is an Israeli Orthodox rabbi who served as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel from 2003 to 2013 and has been the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem since 2014. Born in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1948, he immigrated to Israel as a teenager and rose through the rabbinic ranks to become one of the most influential Sephardic religious leaders of his generation.

As a halachic authority, Amar has ruled on contemporary issues from medical ethics to technology, and his tenure has been marked by both deep scholarship and polarizing public statements. He remains a central figure in Israeli religious life, with his rulings studied in yeshivas and his words shaping national debates on religion and society. [edit]

Born on April 1, 1948, in Casablanca, Morocco, Shlomo Moshe Amar grew up in a family with deep Sephardic Jewish roots. In 1962, at age 14, he immigrated to Israel during the mass migration of Moroccan Jewry. He settled in the Jewish state and threw himself into Torah study at prominent Sephardic yeshivas, where his exceptional memory and sharp intellect quickly set him apart.

His formative years were shaped by his close association with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the Shas Party and former Sephardi Chief Rabbi. Yosef became his mentor, guiding his halachic approach and instilling in him a rigorous, tradition-bound worldview. Amar's early career included serving as a rabbinic judge and heading the Petah Tikva Rabbinical Court, where he built a reputation as a meticulous and respected legal decisor. [edit]

In 2003, Amar was elected Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, a position also known as Rishon LeZion. His decade-long tenure alongside Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger saw him tackle halachic questions on medical ethics, technology, and modern life, and represent Israeli Jewry on the global stage.

After his national term ended in 2013, Amar was appointed Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem in 2014, a role he continues to hold. In this capacity, he has remained a powerful voice in Israeli religious affairs, though his tenure has been marked by controversy. In 2015, he met King Felipe VI of Spain at the Zarzuela Palace, a symbolic moment in Spain's efforts to reconcile with Sephardic Jewry. More recently, he has faced legal scrutiny over statements critics call incitement, including a 2025 High Court injunction demanding the government explain why he has not been disciplined. [edit]

Amar's public image is that of a traditional Sephardic rabbinic authority, known for strict halachic interpretations and forceful statements on moral and social issues. Media portrayal is sharply divided: religious and conservative outlets present him as a principled defender of Jewish tradition, while secular and progressive outlets highlight his controversial remarks on LGBTQ+ issues and non-Orthodox Judaism. His support base is primarily within the Sephardic Orthodox community in Israel, particularly in Jerusalem, where his sermons and rulings are followed by students of Torah and communal members. He does not maintain personal social media accounts; his presence online is limited to third-party pages sharing his content. [edit]

Rabbi Shlomo Amar currently holds no placement in the published iFANN Global Top 1,000 or scope-based rankings, a status confirmed by the August 2026 evaluation cycle. While his name resonates deeply within specific religious circles, he does not register on the global fame charts that track mainstream celebrity consumption and media saturation. This absence of a numeric rank reflects his position as an institutional authority rather than a pop-culture figure whose influence is measured by viral trends or broad public engagement metrics. The iFANN system evaluates his profile against global standards and finds him outside the threshold for a ranked listing, noting that his impact is specialized rather than universal. The community surrounding Rabbi Amar operates without a formal fandom name, distinguishing it sharply from the organized fanbases seen with entertainers. His supporters identify as talmidim, congregants, or adherents to his halakhic rulings rather than fans seeking celebrity interaction. There are no unofficial fan clubs, birthday billboards, or fan-funded projects attached to his name. Instead, devotion manifests through attendance at his lectures, known as shiurim, and the seeking of rabbinical guidance for personal legal matters. Rituals associated with him are strictly religious, such as participating in Lag BaOmer celebrations in Meron or observing the Mimouna festival under his sanction. Unlike the chaotic energy of a pop star's following, interactions here remain hierarchical and institutional, channeled through official rabbinical courts and synagogues. His influence is felt in the quiet adherence to his rulings across the Sephardic Orthodox community rather than in loud, public campaigns or social media movements typical of modern stardom.[edit]

Born Suleiman Moussa Amar in Casablanca, Morocco, in 1948, he immigrated to Israel at age 14 during the mass emigration of North African Jews. A devoted student of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Amar rose through the ranks to become a defining halachic authority for his generation. Beyond his scholarly work on medical ethics and technology, he has been a vocal opponent of the Reform and Conservative movements, actively campaigning against their recognition in Israel. Among the stories retold about his tenure, one incident stands out as particularly defining: his September 2017 declaration comparing Reform Jews to Holocaust deniers. This statement sparked international outrage and led to legal scrutiny from the Israeli High Court, cementing his reputation as a hardline defender of tradition among supporters and a polarizing figure to critics. Another widely cited moment occurred in August 2024, when he described homosexuals as a "cult of abomination," reinforcing his stance on LGBTQ+ issues within the religious establishment. More recently, in April 2026, he spoke out against the growing influence of individuals presenting themselves as "kabbalists" and "righteous figures" without proper authorization. These moments define his legacy not through entertainment, but through the weight of his controversial and unwavering theological pronouncements.[edit]

Amar is married and has children, though details about his wife's name and the number of children are not widely publicized, consistent with the privacy norms of Israeli rabbinic culture. His family life has remained largely out of the public eye, and he has not shared personal anecdotes about his household in the media. [edit]

Rabbi Shlomo Amar is closely associated with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, his mentor and the former Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel. During his national tenure, his Ashkenazi counterpart was Rabbi Yona Metzger. Gilad Kariv, director of the Reform Movement in Israel, has been a vocal critic of Amar. In 2015, Amar met King Felipe VI of Spain in a diplomatic capacity. [edit]

Rabbi Amar has been married to his wife for his entire adult life, in accordance with Jewish religious norms. There are no documented public relationships, engagements, or divorces. As of 2026, he remains married, consistent with his lifelong marital status. His personal life has been characterized by discretion and adherence to traditional Jewish values. [edit]

Per iFANN's editorial analysis, Rabbi Shlomo Amar's net worth is estimated at $1 Million as of 2026. This financial assessment reflects his primary income sources: government-salaried positions as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem since 2014, and previously as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel from 2003 to 2013. Unlike celebrities who accumulate wealth through business ventures or endorsement deals, Amar's financial profile remains tied strictly to the modest salary structure inherent to Israeli rabbinic roles. No external commercial activities or private investments have been documented to supplement these official earnings, and any figures suggesting higher valuations would be purely speculative.[edit]