From 1627 until 1629, he was chief rabbi of Prague.
He was a member of the Israel family, which produced chief rabbis for nearly one hundred years, from about 1730 to 1830.
He served as chief military rabbi until May 2000.
He was the chief rabbi of Croatia from 1998 to 2006.
In his career he spent 40 years as chief rabbi and spiritual leader of Turkey.
From 1833 until his death he was chief rabbi of Turin.
On April 11, 2013, in the wake of these revelations, he resigned as chief rabbi.
From 1914 to 1925, he was chief rabbi of Florence.
In 1948, he became chief rabbi of Geneva, where he remained until his death.
He served as chief rabbi of Ra'anana from 1962 until 1984.