Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef Bans Yeshiva Students From Blocking Roads During Prayer Rally in Bnei Brak

Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the Rishon LeZion and member of the Council of Torah Sages, issued a strict directive to yeshiva students ahead of a prayer rally scheduled for Monday evening in Bnei Brak. In a handwritten letter addressed to Rabbi Masoud Ben Shimon, the local religious authority, Yosef forbade any form of protest involving road blockages or violent actions during and after the event.

The letter, composed following consultations with senior rabbinic figure Rabbi Moshe Maya, confirmed the rally's timing at 9:30 PM at the intersection of Eshkol, Avraham, and Rabinov streets. However, it emphasized that the event must maintain public order and adhere strictly to Torah principles. Rabbi Yosef explicitly prohibited participants from blocking Highway 4 or any other roads, warning against any disruption to traffic.

Furthermore, the Chief Rabbi instructed that the rally be strictly time-limited and that attendees disperse immediately afterward to their homes to avoid any escalation or disturbance of public order. This guidance comes amid ongoing tensions related to ultra-Orthodox protests, underscoring the rabbinic leadership's effort to balance public demonstration with community responsibility.