Schlaglicht Israel Nr. 16/13 Aktuelles aus israelischen Tageszeitungen 08. – 20. Oktober 2013 1. Zum Tod von Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Ovadia Yosef, ehemaliger sephardischer Oberrab­biner von Israel und spirituelles Oberhaupt der ultra­orthodoxen Partei Shas, ist im Alter von 93 Jahren gestorben. Die von Yosef gegründete Shas-Partei, die auch von vielen nicht-religiösen Wählern favorisiert wird, setz­te sich für die Rechte der Mizrahim, der aus den arabischen Ländern stammenden Juden, ein. Sie war jedoch auch immer wieder durch Korruptions­skandale in die Schlagzeilen gekommen. Yosef galt außerdem als einer der wichtigsten Torahgelerten seiner Generation. Er stach dabei insbesondere durch seine liberalen Interpretationen der jüdischen Gesetze hervor. So urteilte er, dass Israel Land für Frieden aufgeben dürfe. Er entschied außerdem, dass äthiopische Einwanderer als Juden anerkannt werden sollten. Andererseits war Yosef auch für Hasstiraden gegen nicht-religiöse Juden, Andersdenkende, Homosexu­elle und Araber bekannt. Seiner Beerdigung wohnten Hunderttausende Men­schen bei. A central link in the chain "Contrary to the exclusively sectarian appearance lent to the funeral by certain politicians, the event was actually spontaneous and national.[…] Rabbi Yosef's political associations will not stand the test of time. What will remain is his stature as the central link in the chain of Jewish law in the 20th cent ury[…]. Even in another 500 years, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef will be remembered as a man who, over an extended blip in Jewish history, for more than two generations, served as a conduit for Oral Torah, passing this huge tradition on to future generations." Dror Eydar, IHY 08.10.13 It’s the Torah, stupid! “Put simply, the funeral turnout was all about Ovadia Yosef, the prominent rabbi and Torah sage, not the founder of a political party.[…] This event provided a glimpse of what makes the Jewish people truly unique. For throngs of citizens filled the streets of Jerusalem not to mourn a popular sports figure or rock star, but to pay tribute to a scholar and the Torah that he taught. And that perhaps is Rabbi Yosef’s greatest legacy, and ours as well.” Michael Freund, JPO 09.10.13 Isn't idolatry forbidden? “The behavior of the crowds that came to part with their beloved Rav Ovadia[…] exceeded all expect a­tions.[…] The trouble is that its flavor was absolut e­ly antithetical to the religion it was supposedly rep­resenting.[…] His worshipers’[…] attitude towards the man throughout his life and at its end has been nothing short of idolatry-- one of the biggest prohibi­tions in Judaism.[…] My advice to all the tearful Jews who are fainting in despair right now is that they take a break from their swaying and praying to go back and read what Ovadia and previous Jewish sages have to say about bowing down before idols. It is forbidden, people. Period.” Ruthie Blum, IHY 08.10.13 Rabbi Ovadia's legacy "Along with his virtues and achievements, Yosef will also be remembered as a man who contributed a great deal to the polarization and division of Israeli society, particularly between secular and religious, with scathing remarks like'secular teachers are donkeys.' He undermined the legitimacy of the courts when he claimed that'they are unworthy of judging Jews.'[…] Yosef also represented a racist version of Judaism, claiming that non-Jews were born only'to serve us.'[…] Shas under his leade r­1