Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef sharply criticized the High Court of Justice's decision to prevent the state memorial ceremony honoring his late father, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. In a video statement, Rabbi Yosef called on the public to organize private memorial gatherings throughout the country in response to the ruling.
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Chief Rabbi Slams High Court Over Ban
Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef calls for memorial gatherings across Israel after court blocks state ceremony honoring his late father, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef
"We are approaching the yahrzeit of Maran my father, in less than a month. Unfortunately, the power of the left has prevailed. The Attorney General has made a final decision not to hold a hillula for Maran," Rabbi Yosef said in the video. "I am calling from here to hold at least a thousand hillulot in every corner of the country. In every synagogue and every place. Maran doesn't need this --- we need this to strengthen Maran's legacy."
He further urged the public: "Send me your names and I will pray for you at Maran's grave, that he should stand in heaven above and pray for them for a complete recovery, for strong health, and especially for nachas from the children."
"How much they think they can forbid us from holding a memorial? Why don't they ban the Rabin hillula? He was a political figure, Maran was a Torah giant. They don't ban him, because he's left-wing. The Rabbi, they do ban," he concluded. "We don't need to consider them, we will hold hillulot in every city and every community. Everyone loved Maran. No decision will erase the people's love for him. 'No weapon formed against you shall prosper.'"
Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef| צילום: Photo: Shas Spokesperson
