Clash Erupts at Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef’s Weekly Lesson Over Controversial Draft Law

A disturbance broke out on Saturday night at the conclusion of the weekly lesson of Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, held at the Hezyadim synagogue in the Bukharim neighborhood of Jerusalem. Several extremist protesters confronted senior Shas party Knesset members attending the lesson and the central Selichot prayer event. The protesters shouted harsh accusations, including calling the Shas MKs "murderers," blaming them for supporting a draft law that would conscript ultra-Orthodox youth into the Israeli military.

As Rabbi Yosef and the Shas MKs left the synagogue and headed to his car en route to his residence in the Sanhedria neighborhood, the protesters continued their verbal attacks. In response, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox participants at the lesson physically pushed back the demonstrators and began singing in honor of Rabbi Yosef. This incident occurred amid heightened public tensions surrounding the draft law, which has been a major topic of debate in recent months.

Earlier this week, Rabbi Yosef addressed the draft law issue during Shas’s first election conference, warning of difficult struggles ahead after the elections. He emphasized the deep emotional and spiritual significance of the draft issue for the ultra-Orthodox community, recalling the sacrifices of previous religious leaders for yeshiva students. The confrontation highlights the ongoing friction within Israeli society over the military conscription of Haredi Jews and the political challenges faced by Shas in this context.