Yitzhak Yosef

Why Gadi Eisenkot is rejecting the haredi political embrace that once helped Netanyahu win

POLITICAL AFFAIRS: Yitzhak Yosef’s embrace – and Eisenkot's effort to distance himself from it – reflects Israel's shifting political landscape.

Amid reports that the Shas Party could be willing to sit with him in government, Yashar Party head Gadi Eisenkot did not rule out that option entirely. Here, Eisenkot attends the Sagi Laws for Equality Confrence at the Peres Center in Jaffa earlier this week.
Head of Shas party Aryeh Deri and Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef visit at the scene of suspected arson and vandalism at a Jerusalem synagogue which is often frequented by Rabbi Yosef, June 8, 2025.

Shas spiritual leader appears to open door to Eisenkot government, says Netanyahu ‘won’t repent’

 ARYE DERI sits in the Knesset plenum.

Shas spiritual leader orders support for coalition legislation in exchange for haredi-backed bills

Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, during a weekly teaching at the Yazdim synagogue in Jerusalem, on June 7, 2025.

Shas spiritual leader: Iran deal is punishment for draft dodger arrests, A-G is 'wicked woman'


Chief Sephardi Rabbi opposes calls for death penalty

The Sephardi Chief Rabbi said instituting the death penalty offered "no gain" for the Israeli public, only offering potential danger for world Jewry.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef

Pray-for-rain call issued just in time for this week’s downpour

"Bring umbrellas, because together we will tear open the gates of Heaven."

Uri Ariel

Row over same-sex love lecture 'alarming,' says top UK rabbi

The Sephardi community both in the UK and abroad is upset over one rabbi's lecture over same-sex love.

Britain's chief rabbi Ephraim Mirvis

Sephardic Chief Rabbi: Women can do laundry in the IDF, not serve in combat

Yosef: "There are female pilots, all sorts of stuff. Is that the way of the Torah?! That’s not the way of the Torah."

Female soldiers from the Caracal Battalion practice evacuating an injured soldier

Tradition Today: A fence too tall

Judaism today needs leaders who make it accessible to all rather than erecting more and more barriers that keep people away.

Chief Rabbis Yitzhak Yosef and David Lau

Chief rabbis divided on recognition of US conversions

Lau and Yosef have had a high-profile quarrel for several months over various issues.

Chief Rabbis Yitzhak Yosef and David Lau

Chief rabbis turn the heat up on differences over mikve usage

A difference of opinion between the two rabbis over who should be appointed to the position of director of the Chief Rabbinate became public two weeks ago.

Chief rabbi David Lau

Chief Rabbi Yosef: If a terrorist is trying to commit an attack it is a mitzvah to kill him

Yosef was referring to recent comments by head of the IDF Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot who said in February explicitly that the IDF should not operate according to this precept.

Chief Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak visits desecrated Joseph's Tomb

Chief Rabbi Yosef bans Kol Barama radio station from broadcasting his Torah lessons

“No other station has permission to broadcast the lesson without my approval,” says Yitzhak Yosef.

Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef (L) and former Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar (R).

Sephardi Chief Rabbi visits desecrated Joseph's Tomb

“‘The nations came and desecrated your sanctuary’,” said Yosef, citing a verse from the Book Psalms.

Chief Rabbi Yosef Yitzhak visits desecrated Joseph's Tomb