Posted on 11/25/21
| News Source: Arutz-7
Following statements by Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef against Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana's proposed kashrut reforms, Ombudsman of the Israeli Judiciary and former Supreme Court Justice Uri Shoham called on Minister Kahana to summon Rabbi Yosef for a reprimand and to even consider removing him from his position as a halakhic judge.
In his remarks, he attacked the participation of halakhic judges in a recent conference against the reform of the kashrut system and wrote that "things should be clarified and the judges should be instructed not to take part in any conference, meeting or assembly, which raise issues of political controversy."
"This is especially so when there is a fear that at the end of that conference a notice will be published bearing the names and titles of the judges as those who agree with the decisions made at that conference.
He further wrote that "it is not possible to carry this decision without referring to the conduct of the Dayan (halakhic judge) Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef - Rishon LeZion, who did not bother to respond to our inquiries."
"From the material before us, it appears that the members of his bureau invited the rabbis to attend the conference in question, which raised controversial issues, and he also published positions attacking reforms promoted by the Religious Affairs Minister and the Israeli government. As stated, this was a mistake, since they believed that if it was a conference on behalf of the Chief Rabbinate there would be no impediment to their participation, and they probably did not assume that a notice would be published on the controversial issues, bearing their name and title.
In his remarks he called for considering the dismissal of Rabbi Yosef. "Following his remarks and the harsh remarks of the dayan towards the judiciary in general and the Supreme Court in particular, we recommended to the Religious Affairs Minister that the selection committee be convened soon, and decide whether Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef should continue in his role as a judge in the Great Rabbinical Court."