Yinon Megal Recites Kaddish for Senator Lindsey Graham Following Rabbinic Approval

During a live broadcast of the Channel 14 program "The Patriots," host Yinon Megal and the panel recited the Kaddish prayer in memory of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. This unusual act, as Kaddish is traditionally recited for Jewish deceased, was performed after Megal consulted with prominent rabbinic authority Rabbi Yitzhak Zilberstein. Rabbi Zilberstein approved the recitation of Kaddish for a non-Jew on the condition that a passage from Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) be studied beforehand.

Following this guidance, Megal read a passage from Pirkei Avot 2:12, emphasizing the importance of valuing a friend's property as one's own and dedicating one's deeds to the divine. Subsequently, the panel joined Megal in reciting the full Kaddish prayer, honoring "Lin son of Florence, James Graham." The prayer included the traditional phrases from "Yitgadal v'yitkadash sh'mei rabbah" to "Oseh shalom bimromav."

At the conclusion of the prayer, Megal expressed gratitude to the panel and concluded with "Yehi zichro baruch" (May his memory be blessed), marking a poignant and rare moment on Israeli television. The gesture was a significant tribute to Senator Graham, reflecting respect and mourning within a Jewish religious framework adapted for a non-Jewish figure.