Yosef Mizrachi

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Yosef Mizrachi

Yosef Mizrachi (Hebrew: יוסף מזרחי‎, born 1968) is a controversial^[1][2] public speaker and Jewish conversion agent, whereby he directs prospective converts to learn and adopt Jewish observance. He has been widely denounced and is held to be misguided by leading Orthodox Jewish authorities.^[3] Contrary to popular misconception, Yosef Mizrachi is not an ordained rabbi.^[4] Yosef Mizrachi is a resident of Monsey, New York.

He is the founder of Divine Information Outreach, an Orthodox Jewish outreach organization, based in Monsey, New York.^{[5][self-published source]}

Early life and career

Yosef Mizrachi was born in Israel, and performed mandatory military service in the Israel Defense Forces. In 1994, Mizrachi became involved in Jewish outreach. In 1997, Mizrachi began learning and teaching Torah at Yeshivat Ohr Yisrael in Monsey, New York.^{[5][self-published source]}

Mizrachi is known to attract prospective converts to Judaism through his online presence, especially those from developing countries.

As a Jewish conversion agent, Mizrachi directs prospective converts to Judaism to learn and adopt Jewish observance. This is part of a conversion process granting prospective converts eventual recognition as Jews, most commonly by the Beth Din of Eliyahu Ben Haim, Badatz Mekor Haim.^[6] Often, conversion is sought in effort to move to Israel, as the Law of Return gives converts to Judaism across the world the right to gain Israeli citizenship.^[7]

Mizrachi is especially popular among those from the Caribbean and Catholic Latinos from Latin America, particularly Venezuela, Colombia, and Mexico. Mizrachi's services are negotiated in personal meetings for those who are truly interested, and cost tens of thousands of dollars. Proselytism is against Jewish Law, and seeking converts is traditionally forbidden by Judaism.^[8]

Although Yosef Mizrachi does not have semikhah, or rabbinic ordination, he has stated that he received recognition of his Torah knowledge by Eliyahu Ben Haim.^[4]

Outreach work

Mizrachi founded Kiruv Organization in 1995.^{[9][self-published source]} 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.^[9] Mizrachi offers an extended ethical audio and video lecture series, called "The Path of the Just",^{[10][self-published source]} 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.^{[5][self-published source]}

In 2002 Mizrahi and Yuval Ovadia produced a film titled Divine Information.^{[5][self-published source]} In 2004, Mizrachi launched a website by that name, posting many of his video and audio lectures.^[9]

Controversies

COVID-19 'cure'

In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mizrachi claimed that blowing hot air from a hair dryer into the throat was a "guaranteed" cure for coronavirus.^[11] He recommended this treatment five times a day for two days for confirmed cases, and twice a day for suspected cases.^[11] Yosef Mizrachi does not have medical expertise and is not a physician.

Human immune system

Mizrachi has claimed that "low spiritual level" is a risk factor in weakening the human immune system, and recommended focus on Torah and prayers as effective therapeutics.^[12] Yosef Mizrachi does not have medical expertise and is not a physician.

Down syndrome and autism as punishment

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^[13] suggesting that Down Syndrome and autism are "punishments for sins committed in a previous life" and among others.^[14] Mizrachi was criticized for his views while he explicitly maintains are "Torah sourced." As a result, at least one of his planned lectures in London was initially cancelled.^[14]

Holocaust revisionism

Mizrachi has claimed that Jews helped bring about the Holocaust by assimilating. ^[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] His views also include lectures using Bible Codes to "explain" the Holocaust.^[17] 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."^[18] Later Mizrahi issued an apology.^[16][19][20]

Pittsburgh synagogue shooting

After hearing a false report that the October 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting took place during a bris ceremony for the son of a gay couple, Mizrahi blamed the shooting on the allegedly sinful behavior of the congregation.^[21]

Condemnation and Banning

Mizrachi is considered a persona non grata by many Jewish Communities and has been banned by many synagogues. He has been barred from entering the UK.^[12]

In 2016, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis spoke out against the travel plans of this "Jewish hate preacher";^[22] and the UK Home Office has suggested that the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, was considering banning Mizrachi should he apply to visit Britain.

In March 2019, a planned visit by Mizrachi to the UK was canceled following reports that the Home Office was considering a ban on account of his track record of spreading hatred and extremism.^[23][24][25] Mizrachi went on to blame Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis - referring to him as "the number one most wicked person in the whole world", along with senior Sephardi rabbi Joseph Dweck, claiming that they are “the two friends, gay lovers, who do everything they can to promote homosexuality and destroy the Jewish nation from inside, destroy the Jewish community in England… he’s going to bring a Holocaust on the Jews in England.”^[26][1]

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."^[27] The letter continued that institutions should be more "discerning" with the guests they invite.

In July 2020, a video from Mizrachi calling 14 prominent rabbis infidels was removed from social media platforms and prompted calls to have his videos removed more broadly from Jewish sites such as Torah Anytime for fear that it will incite violence. Rabbi Natan Slifkin one of the rabbis threatened in the video said, "We need to protest this hateful, potentially violence-inciting rhetoric."^[28]

References

External links

• Official website
• Rabbi Yossi Mizrachi - on TorahAnytime.com