Grandson of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Reveals Sexual Abuse in Yeshiva

Ovadia Cohen, grandson of the late Sephardic spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, has revealed for the first time that he was a victim of prolonged sexual abuse as a 14-year-old by a supervisor at a Jerusalem yeshiva.

In a candid interview on the podcast "How to Do Things" with Shir Reuven for Kan Podcasts and Kan BOX, Cohen detailed how the abuse began, the delayed emergence of his memories, and his decision to stop carrying the shame.

He described the supervisor gradually isolating him through long, personal conversations, stating, "He would enter the study hall and hunt me. It started with very long conversations. He would ask me many questions, in great detail, about sexual habits, and lecture me morally while doing so. But it was a never-ending nightmare."

Cohen shared that alongside the prolonged abuse, there were difficult details he doesn't fully recall, but parts continue to surface. He felt particularly connected to the story of Shoshana Struc, whose testimony triggered his own memories. "I was drugged, I was somehow dulled. I don't know how or why. I know there were other people around me, I know I was tied up. I remember more points all the time, flashes," he revealed.

For years, Cohen carried feelings of guilt and shame. He explained his decision to speak publicly is to shift responsibility and empower other victims. "This is why I am here today. I want to transfer the shame aside. I don't want to hide, I don't want to conceal myself, I want to be seen as I am. To give some optimism and strength and hope, that it is possible to succeed, it is possible to survive," he said.

The full interview is available on the Kan website and app, in the episode "How to Overcome Sexual Abuse."