On Sunday, 3 May 2026 — 16 Iyar 5786 — a meeting was held at the Jewish Community Centre in Kishinev for the election of the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova.
The Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova invited all rabbis of active synagogues from both banks of the Dniester to take part in the meeting. In accordance with the approved regulations, voting rights were granted exclusively to rabbis representing active religious organizations officially registered in the Republic of Moldova.
The participants were welcomed by Mr Alexander Bilinkis, Chairman of the Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova and Vice President of the World Jewish Congress, as well as by Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, President of the Conference of European Rabbis.
Following an open vote, and by a majority of the serving rabbis — 5 out of 8 rabbis — Rabbi Menachem Mendel Axelrod was elected Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova.
Rabbi Axelrod’s election has already been welcomed in messages from Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetsky, Chief Rabbi of Dnipro, Ukraine; Rabbi Sholom Shuchat, rabbinical judge and arbitrator of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada; Rabbi Yehuda Elyakim ben Shlomo Teichtal of the Beit Din Tzedek of Berlin, Germany; as well as colleagues, members of the Council of the Association, and members of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova.
We warmly congratulate Rabbi Mendel Axelrod on his election and wish him wisdom, strength, inspiration, and success in his service to the community, in strengthening Jewish life, tradition, and the unity of the Jewish people in Moldova.
May this new stage be a time of growth, mutual respect, spiritual development, and good deeds for the entire community.
Mazal Tov!
