 The organisation is based on the Millet system employed in the Ottoman Empire.At the beginning of the 17th century the title of Rishon LeZion was given to the chief rabbi of Jerusalem.In 1842, the position of ""Hakham Bashi"", Chief Rabbi of Constantinople who represented the Turkish Jews before the Sultan, and the position of Rishon LeZion which at that time already represented the Old Yishuv before the Sultan, were combined into one position called Rishon LeZion.