Yosef Mizrachi

Yosef Mizrachi (Hebrew: יוסף מזרחי‎) is a Sefardi Haredi rabbi and founder of DivineInformation.com, an Orthodox Judaism outreach organization, based in Monsey, New York.[1]

Early life and career

Yosef Mizrachi was born in 1968 in Israel.[1] After his mandatory military service in the Israel Defense Forces he worked in finance in New York City. In 1994, Mizrachi began dedicating himself to Orthodox Judaism outreach, and in 1997, Mizrachi left his professional career and began learning and teaching Torah at Yeshivat Ohr Yisrael in Monsey.[1]

Mizrachi discussed his Semikhah (rabbinical ordination) credentials in a January 9, 2016 radio interview with Zev Brenner. When asked if he has Semikhah, Mizrachi stated that he lacks such Semikhah which involves testing and is common among Synagogue rabbis. However, Mizrachi went on to explain that he has received certification in recognition of his Torah background by Rabbi Eliyahu Ben Haim qualifying him to be a rabbi.[2]

Kiruv work

Mizrachi founded a Kiruv organization in 1995.[3] The organization provides free DVDs, Audio CDs, and MP3 CDs, sponsored by donors. As of 2013, the organization has handed out thousands of these audio and video disks.[4][5][6] Mizrachi offers an extended ethical audio and video lecture series, called "The Path of the Just",[7] based on the musar text Mesillat Yesharim composed by Moshe Chaim Luzzatto.

In 2001 Mizrachi opened a Kolel and a Yeshiva in Alfandari Street, Jerusalem.[1]

In 2002 a movie called Divine Information was produced by Mizrahi and Yuval Ovadia.[8] Two years later, in 2004, Mizrachi launched the "DivineInformation.com" website posting many of his video and audio lectures.[9]

Controversies

In early 2014, before a lecture tour in London, concern was expressed about statements by Mizrachi in his previous lectures relating to the behaviour of secular and religious Jews during the Holocaust[10] suggesting that Down's Syndrome and autism are "punishments for sins committed in a previous life" and among others.[11][12] Mizrachi was criticized for his views while he explicitly maintains are "Torah sourced." His views also include lectures using Bible Codes to "explain" the Holocaust.[13] As a result, at least one of his planned lectures in London was initially cancelled.[14][12]

In December 2015, in one of his lectures, Mizrahi claimed that it is possible that only one million Jews died in The Holocaust as opposed to the well accepted figure of 6 million, since many of them were not Jewish according to Jewish law which requires a person's mother to be Jewish.[15][16] Mizrahi was criticized by academics and Jewish leaders including Efraim Zuroff, director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, who said that he "made up history to suit an agenda."[15] He was also criticized by Berel Wein who stated that "It is too damaging a matter to be left unanswered and unrefuted."[17] Later Mizrahi issued an apology.[16][18][19] According to The Times,[20] Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis has spoken out against the travel plans of this "Jewish hate preacher"; and the UK Home Office has suggested that the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, was considering banning Mizrahi should he apply to visit Britain.

A meeting with Dr. Katz and Rabbi Mizrachi concluded the controversy about the holocaust, when Rabbi Mizrachi met with the holocaust survivor. Rav Mizrachi publicly apologized to Dr. Katz, the other Jewish Nation survivors, and victims of the holocaust. Dr. katz told Rav Mizrachi that his apology was accepted chiefly because of the Rabbi's quick response to his invitation.[21]

In December 2016, 16 prominent US rabbis issued an open letter about Mizrachi. They said that Mizrachi "reduce[s] complex issues to simplistic and misleading sound bites," and his assertions are "objectionable, and even dangerous."[22] The letter continued that institutions should be more "discerning" with the guests they invite.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "DivineInformation.com – Torah and Science – Rabbi's Bio". www.divineinformation.com. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
  2. ↑ Mizrachi, Yosef (2016-01-09). "Talkline with Zev Brenner with Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi on Holocaust Denial" (Radio interview, online audio. Remarks beginning 59:54 minutes into the interview). Interviewed by Zev Brenner. Talkline Communications. Retrieved 2017-02-26. ZB: And what do you have Smicha from? YM: So here is the point now, now when I learn in Yeshiva, for many years in Yeshiva, I don't have the kind of Smicha to be a rabbi in the Young Israel synagogues that in order for you to get it you need to go and bring certain documents that they tested you on such and such things. But when I started to learn in Yeshivot, and I learn- taught 10 years Gemara in Yeshiva, I got a certificate after they saw my knowledge that I have more than 10 big rabbis including the Av Beit Din signed on it that not only I'm a rabbi I'm a very big one and I'm—. ZB: Which Av Beis Din, what's the name. YM: Rav Eliyahu ben Chaim.
  3. ↑ "DivineInformation.com – Torah and Science – About". www.divineinformation.com. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
  4. ↑ Mizrachi, Yosef. "About". Divine Information. DivineInformation.com 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  5. ↑ "About Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi". Radio. Arutz Sheva, IsraelNationalNews.com. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  6. ↑ "Yosef Mizrachi". zoominfo.com. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  7. ↑ Mizrachi, Rabbi Yosef. "The Path Of The Just Series". Divine Information. Irgun Kiruv - divineinformation.com. Retrieved 2 June 2013. (21 lectures á c. 1h30min each)
  8. ↑ Mizrahi, Rabbi Yossef. "Rabbi's Bio". DivineInformation 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "About Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi - Radio - Arutz Sheva". Arutz Sheva.
  10. ↑ "Manners - The Right Way To Behave (Section on non-religious Jews during the holocaust - at 1 hour 41minutes into talk)".
  11. ↑ "Synagogue cancels talk by 'Down's Syndrome is a punishment' rabbi".
  12. 1 2 https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/synagogue-cancels-talk-by-down-s-syndrome-is-a-punishment-rabbi-1.52154
  13. ↑ "Rabbi Mizrachi - Why Did The Holocaust Happen? Torah Codes, Having Faith in God No Matter What".
  14. ↑ "Synagogue cancels talk by 'Down's Syndrome is a punishment' rabbi".
  15. 1 2 "Orthodox rabbi: Only one million Jews killed in Holocaust". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  16. 1 2 "Rabbi apologizes for challenging number of Jews killed in Holocaust". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2015-04-01.
  17. ↑ "THE NEWEST HOLOCAUST DENIERS: Rabbi Wein: Jewish Destiny".
  18. ↑ "Rabbi Mizrachi apologizes to Holocaust survivor" (Google YouTube). Official channel. Yeshiva World News.
  19. ↑ "#1 Threat To Our Nation, Gossip, False Hate, The Media Murder Machine, 31 Violations Of Loshon Hara" (Google YouTube). Official channel. Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi.
  20. ↑ "The Times" -September 9, 2016, page 17
  21. ↑ Rabbi Mizrachi Apologizes To Holocaust Survivor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHueaPhnA6g
  22. ↑ Chizhik-Goldschmidt, Avital (8 December 2016). "U.S. Orthodox Leaders: Rabbi Who Said Fewer Than 1 Million Jews Died in Holocaust Is 'Dangerous'" – via Haaretz.
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