A new battle for the character of Jerusalem is taking shape - and, for a change, this one has nothing to do with construction or settlements.

On Tuesday, an electoral panel will choose two chief rabbis for the city. The move will come after a decade-long hiatus during which, for bureaucratic reasons, top clerical posts have remained empty.

Jerusalem's mayor, Nir Barkat, has used his six years in office to re-brand the city.

He has tried hard to change its reputation for being increasingly dominated by Charedi values, and channelled much energy into stopping non-Charedim from leaving.

For Mr Barkat, having a Zionist rabbi who shares his vision about the importance of Jerusalem to the modern state of Israel would be the icing on the cake - while having a Charedi figure who does not, would bolster the kind of image he is trying to expunge. His supporters would like nothing better than to see him standing at ceremonies on Independence Day with a local chief rabbi as enthusiastic as him about the city's significance in the Zionist story.

This is why he will be pressing for the election of the religiously moderate Aryeh Stern, who teaches at the flagship Zionist yeshivah Merkaz Harav. Rabbi Stern's main opponent is the Charedi Moshe Haim Lau, brother of the national Chief Rabbi, David Lau.

For Charedim, the election comes at a time of political weakness. In national politics, their parties are stuck in opposition, and many feel under attack from various legislative processes, including the drafting of yeshivah students into the army.

Winning some power in Jerusalem would be a big morale boost.

This particular race is for the Ashkenazi chief rabbi post. There is also a Sephardi equivalent being elected, but that contest is dominated more by political power games than by ideology.

In the Sephardi race, Naftali Bennett, who is minister for both religious affairs and Jerusalem affairs and is close to Mr Barkat, is backing former national Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar.

Confusingly, Rabbi Amar is Charedi. While the Ashkenazi race is being used to set the ideological tone for the city, the Sephardi race is seemingly being used to settle a political score. Rabbi Amar has fallen out with the Shas party, and Mr Bennett has long despised Shas. In this case, the logic of "your enemy's enemy is your friend" is guiding the election.