Eliraz Sade Credits Yemeni Community in Rehovot for His Turn to Torah Study

Israeli TV host Eliraz Sade shared a surprising anecdote about his path to religious observance, attributing his initial engagement with Torah study to the persistent invitations from the Yemeni community in Rehovot. Sade recounted that upon moving to the city with his wife, Ilinit Levi, he was repeatedly invited to Torah classes. Initially reluctant, he eventually attended out of politeness, finding the community's persistence and strong opinions, which he described as 'stubborn and opinionated,' to be influential. 'The Yemenis in Rehovot stole the show. They took over the discourse. To their credit, I came to Torah because of the Yemenis,' Sade stated on Ben Ben Baruch's podcast. He also touched upon his significant financial losses from his involvement in the fruit and vegetable chain 'HaChaklai,' which he joined as a partner in 2016. Initially focused on public relations, Sade became more involved as the business encountered difficulties. He revealed that he personally funded the company's debts, selling his apartment in Ashkelon and previously two other apartments, resulting in a loss of between 3 to 4 million shekels. Sade had previously spoken about these business losses, emphasizing that he sold assets to protect his public image, but ultimately incurred substantial financial damage.