Public Funds Used for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Memorial Campaign Weeks Before Election
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Israel's Ministry of Religious Services is running a radio campaign commemorating Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, founder of the Shas party, less than two weeks before national elections. While the ministry asserts the campaign is legally approved and part of a national commemoration effort, its timing has raised questions about the use of public funds. A previous government event honoring Rabbi Yosef was canceled due to its proximity to the election and political associations. The campaign's cost is estimated to be significant, and the article questions the ethical implications of such state-funded advertising during an election period.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Public funds are being used for a radio campaign honoring Rabbi Ovadia Yosef weeks before Israeli elections.
- The Ministry of Religious Services states the campaign is legally approved and for national commemoration.
- Rabbi Ovadia Yosef is the founder and spiritual leader of the Shas party, raising political concerns.
- A previous government event for Rabbi Yosef was canceled due to its proximity to the election.
- The campaign's cost is estimated to be tens of thousands of shekels.
- Questions are being raised about the ethical use of public funds for election-timed political associations.
Less than two weeks before Israeli citizens head to the polls for the 26th Knesset elections, public funds are being used for a radio campaign centered on Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, a figure strongly identified with the Shas party. The Ministry of Religious Services stated that the campaign has been legally vetted and approved by its legal counsel and the Ministry of Justice. The campaign, marking 13 years since Rabbi Yosef's passing, encourages the public to light a memorial candle and remember him. This initiative includes distributing 300,000 memorial candles, organizing study sessions, and funding hundreds of buses to transport people to his grave in Jerusalem.
The timing of this commemoration is particularly sensitive as Rabbi Ovadia Yosef was the founder and historical spiritual leader of the Shas party, and his image remains closely associated with the party during the current election period. This follows a recent instance where Shas itself reportedly used his image in a political campaign. A larger government event planned in Rabbi Yosef's memory at Binyanei Ha'uma was previously blocked by the Attorney General due to its proximity to the elections and the clear political association with Shas.
While the Knesset passed a law in January 2025 to commemorate Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's legacy, allocating 10 million shekels for this purpose, questions remain about the specific cost, media placement, and content approval of the current radio campaign. Market prices suggest that such a campaign could cost tens of thousands of shekels, potentially more if it includes national stations and prime time slots. The article questions whether, even if legally permissible, using public funds for a campaign so close to an election, featuring a figure so closely tied to a specific political party, crosses an ethical line.
The Ministry of Religious Services maintains that all actions are for national commemoration and to allow the public to connect with Rabbi Yosef's heritage, a figure whose influence extended beyond Shas. However, the article concludes by posing the question of public perception, suggesting that the appearance of state-funded advertisements for a party's symbolic founder just before an election might raise concerns beyond mere legal compliance.
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