Rabbi Sues Yair Golan for NIS 250,000 Over Election Video

Rabbi Ezekiel Bromberg, head of the Tiferet Yona yeshiva and CEO of Lev Chaim Moshe, has filed a NIS 250,000 defamation lawsuit against Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party. The suit, filed in Jerusalem Magistrate's Court, alleges that a campaign video released by Golan falsely attributed statements against the IDF, the chief of staff, and the secular public to Rabbi Bromberg, and portrayed him as living off public funds. Rabbi Bromberg is seeking the monetary compensation, as well as an order for Golan to remove the video or the portion concerning him, cease its distribution, and publish a correction and retraction on similar platforms.

The lawsuit argues that Golan's video, which features Golan in his kitchen discussing a news report, intersperses clips of other rabbis making harsh statements against the military and judiciary. Golan then addresses rabbis by name, including Bromberg, stating that "anyone who speaks against the IDF, speaks against the chief of staff, speaks against the secular public that funds your yeshivas, the moment we return to government we will do something very, very simple: we will cut off your tap." Rabbi Bromberg contends that his inclusion in this sequence falsely implies his endorsement of these remarks, asserting he does not know the other rabbis involved and never met them. The suit also highlights that while the other rabbis' statements were heard, Bromberg's own words were omitted, preventing viewers from assessing his actual statements.

Rabbi Bromberg's legal team points to a recent interview where he used a yellow badge metaphor to express the distress of yeshiva students facing conscription orders. He claims this was intended to convey a sense of persecution and exclusion, not to attack the IDF or secular public. The lawsuit further refutes the implication that Bromberg is a financial burden, stating his wife's family has a private business that pays taxes and his organization aids the needy. His extensive work in education and outreach is also cited to counter the portrayal of him as not contributing to society.

According to the lawsuit, Rabbi Bromberg's legal representative sent Golan and the Democrats a warning letter on July 28, 2026, demanding the video's removal or his name's deletion, a prominent apology, and a NIS 10,000 donation to a fund for yeshiva students, instead of compensation. The suit claims these demands were ignored, the publication was not corrected, and the video remains accessible. The lawsuit asserts that Golan, not currently a Knesset member, lacks parliamentary immunity for this publication. The NIS 250,000 claim is for damage to reputation, humiliation, and emotional distress, with an alternative claim for damages without proof of loss due to intentional harm. The suit also seeks court costs and attorney fees. Golan's office declined to comment.