Thousands Gather in Tiberias for Major Rally Against Artificial Intelligence Risks

Thousands of residents and Torah scholars convened in Tiberias this week for the central event "Purifying the City 2," focused on strengthening holiness and cautioning against technological dangers, particularly artificial intelligence. The gathering was led by senior members of the Council of Torah Sages, yeshiva heads, and community influencers. Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Vaaknin, head of Shaarei Da'at institutions, opened the event with Psalms for the success of Torah study and the recovery of Rabbi Chizkiyahu Dov HaKohen Kuk.

Rabbi Reuven Elbaz, a Council of Torah Sages member and head of the Or HaChaim yeshiva, spoke about the flourishing of Torah in Tiberias over the past decade. Addressing the recent controversy over Sabbath desecration at Hof HaTarfaz, he recalled the late Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman’s directive to strengthen internal spiritual resilience, which helped quell the threat. Rabbi Elbaz warned that the challenges posed by technology and artificial intelligence represent "the last war of the generation," urging the audience to accept the yoke of Heaven.

Following him, Hasidic influencer Rabbi Elimelech Biderman emphasized the need for strict boundaries within Jewish homes, comparing societal decline to a slow snake bite rather than a sudden lion attack. Rabbi Pinchas Erlanger also stressed that even filtered internet access for work should not lead to leniency regarding browsing news, shopping, or entertainment sites. The event concluded with Rabbi Menachem Stein sharing a personal story about his late son Uriah, underscoring the communal obligation to protect eyes and Jewish homes from the harms of screens and digital exposure.