Rabbi Yosef Elnava Calls to Defy Ban on Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Memorial Event

Rabbi Yosef Elnava, former regional rabbi of Gush Katif, has issued a strong letter urging rabbis and synagogue sextons across Israel to hold memorial gatherings for the late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, defying a decision to cancel the official "Hillula" (memorial celebration) for the former Sephardic Chief Rabbi. Elnava described the cancellation as "empty words with no substance" and called for numerous such events to be held nationwide, with a central gathering at Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's grave in Jerusalem's Sanhedria cemetery.

In his letter, titled "Our Rabbis and Our Masters," Elnava linked the cancellation to a duty to protest during the High Holy Days, framing the decision as an act against the Torah. He asserted that those attempting to cancel the memorial event are misguided and that their efforts are futile.

Elnava encouraged the organization of hundreds of thousands of memorial events throughout the country, emphasizing that the most significant celebration should take place at Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's resting place. He directly appealed to religious leaders and synagogue officials to organize these "Hillulas" and arrange transportation to the holy site, honoring Rabbi Ovadia Yosef as the "crown of Torah."

Alongside his letter, Rabbi Elnava also published a notice for a memorial event he plans to host at his "Pe'amonei Zahav" study hall on the night of the "Hillula."