Full Breakdown
High Court Dismisses Shas Petition to Hold State-Funded Memorial for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Court Declines to Rule on State-Funded Memorial
The Israeli High Court of Justice rejected Shas’s petition to overturn Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara’s decision barring a state-funded memorial for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. The petition became moot after the Religious Services Ministry announced it could not organize the three-day conference slated for October 6-8 at Jerusalem’s International Convention Center. Consequently, the judges declined to address whether the attorney-general’s postponement requirement—waiting until after the October 27 election—was proper.
Background & Context
A 2025 law obliges the Religious Services Ministry to hold a conference on Rabbi Yosef’s work on the annual day of his commemoration, October 14, less than two weeks before the election. Shas argued that moving the event past the election would breach the statutory link to the anniversary. The ministry proposed an earlier schedule with no party symbols or political speeches, aiming to satisfy the attorney-general’s concerns about election-time politicization.
Key Figures & Groups
- Rabbi Ovadia Yosef – late chief rabbi of Israel and spiritual founder of Shas.
- Shas Party – Sephardi ultra-Orthodox party; Chairman Aryeh Deri led the petition.
- Gali Baharav-Miara – Attorney General who barred the state-funded event.
- Yehuda Avidan – Director-General of the Religious Services Ministry, responsible for canceling the conference.
- Justice Ofer Grosskopf – emphasized the ministry’s discretion to organize events.
Timeline
- July 16, 2025 – Shas Party Council of Torah Sages meets in Jerusalem.
- October 6-8 – Planned dates for the conference (canceled).
- October 14 – Anniversary of Rabbi Yosef’s death, the statutory reference point.
- October 27 – Scheduled national election.
Official Statements & Responses
Attorney-General Baharav-Miara said a taxpayer-funded memorial within three weeks of the election, with expected Shas participation, would be a party-political event. Ministry director-general Avidan cited the attorney-general’s position, insufficient time, and ongoing court proceedings as reasons for cancellation.
Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the son of the late rabbi and current Sephardi chief rabbi, issued a video urging “a thousand memorial gatherings” across Israel and questioned why memorials for former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin were permitted.
Criticism & Opposition
The religious-rights organization ITIM filed a petition to disqualify Shas candidate Dror Amos for retaining a senior public post while campaigning, arguing that such overlap blurs the line between state religious services and party politics. ITIM founder Rabbi Shaul Farber stressed that religious services belong to the entire public, not any party apparatus.
Data & Statistics
- Approximately one million people participated in a march behind Rabbi Yosef’s coffin, reflecting broad public reverence.
Verbatim Quotes
- “About a million people marched behind the coffin of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, may his memory be a blessing, and many continue to follow his rulings and legacy, regardless of any political affiliation,” — Ya’akov Asher
- “Religious services in the State of Israel belong to the entire public, not to any party apparatus,” — ITIM
Why It Matters
The dispute highlights tensions between Israel’s legal framework governing state-funded religious events and the political sensitivities of election timing. The attorney-general’s stance underscores an effort to prevent public resources from being used for partisan purposes, while Shas argues that the law mandates a commemorative event tied to a specific date. The outcome may influence how future religious-cultural commemorations are scheduled relative to elections.
What’s Next
The High Court’s dismissal leaves the memorial postponed indefinitely. The attorney-general suggested a privately funded ceremony before the election followed by a state-funded event after the October 27 vote. Shas may explore alternative venues or formats pending further legal guidance.