Worshipers at the synagogue of Chief Sephardic Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef were left stunned following an arson attack that caused significant damage to the synagogue – but one item escaped damage.
Worshipers at the synagogue of Chief Sephardic Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef were left stunned following an arson attack that caused significant damage to the synagogue. The fire, which broke out early in the morning, targeted the Rabbi’s chair and the adjacent library.
Eliyahu Daniel Ozan, one of the congregants, recounted the incident, saying the arsonist reached the Rabbi’s seat, a central place where Rabbi Yosef regularly receives dozens of visitors seeking guidance, and set it ablaze. The flames spread to the library behind it, damaging religious texts, including volumes of the commentary Yalkut Yosef and works by former Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. The prayer stand used by the Rabbi was also burned.
Despite the destruction, Ozan noted a remarkable detail: the Rabbi’s personal prayer book was left untouched by the flames. “We hope the police, with God’s help, will catch the arsonist and bring him to justice,” he said.
Reflecting on the history of the synagogue, Ozan shared that Rabbi Yosef had prayed at the site even before being appointed Chief Rabbi. At the time, the synagogue was modest and small. After his election, several wealthy donors offered to build him a more luxurious house of worship, but Rabbi Yosef insisted on staying. “He remained loyal to the synagogue that honored him before he became chief Rabbi,” Ozan said. Since then, the synagogue has grown significantly, becoming a hub for worshipers from across Israel.
“The Rabbi prays here every morning, and often returns for afternoon and evening prayers. People from all over the country come to seek his blessing,” Ozan said. “Seeing this devastation, it’s heartbreaking and shocking.”
Security camera footage reportedly shows the arsonist dressed in Haredi clothing, though it is unclear whether this was a disguise. Ozan expressed particular anguish over the possibility that a fellow Jew committed the crime.
Fire department investigators have confirmed that the blaze was deliberately set. The ISA has joined the investigation.
Shas Chairman MK Aryeh Deri spoke with the head of the Shin Bet, who informed him that the agency is treating the incident as a serious nationalistic hate crime. An accelerated investigation is underway, with authorities hoping for a swift breakthrough.
“This is a grave act of hatred, not just against one of our greatest Rabbis, but against an entire traditional community and the Jewish identity of the State of Israel,” Deri said. “We must not remain silent in the face of such an attack on our Rabbis and sacred spaces. We demand firm and immediate action from all security and law enforcement agencies.”
In response to the attack, Deri has ordered private security to be stationed at Rabbi Yosef’s residence until state security measures are in place and the investigation progresses.
