Mirvis’s anger with Israeli counterpart

CHIEF RABBI Ephraim Mirvis has publicly condemned the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel for referring to black people as “monkeys”.

Rabbi Mirvis said Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef’s comment was “deeply offensive and totally unacceptable.”

It is believed to be the first time a British Chief Rabbi has ever publicly criticised a Chief Rabbi of Israel.

Rabbi Mirvis also said his office had contacted the Chief Rabbinate in Israel “directly” over the issue.

In response, Chief Rabbi Yosef’s office said there had been no intention to cause offence.

In a sermon last week,

Rabbi Yosef had been discussing blessings made when one sees an “unusual” person.

The Talmud describes how such a blessing is made when one sees a black person, red person and very white person.

However, according to Rabbi Yosef, the blessing should not be made every time one sees a black person because “in America you see one every five minutes.

“So you make it only on a person with a white father and mother… they had a monkey as a son, so you say the blessing on him.”

Rabbi Yosef also used the word kushi to describe black people. Although the word is used in the Talmud, in modern Hebrew it is a pejorative term for black people.

Rabbi Mirvis’s condemnation followed criticism of Rabbi Yosef by the Board of Deputies.

Jonathan Arkush, Board president, said the organisation “deplored the reprehensible racist remarks made by Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef”, accusing him of betraying his office.

“He should be working to

Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef eliminate all forms of racism, not voicing backwards ideas,” Mr Arkush added.

A spokesperson for Rabbi Yosef said the Sephardi leader had been talking in the context of the Talmud, which says that the same blessing is recited on seeing a number of creatures, including monkeys and apes.

David Arden, chief executive of the British S&P Sephardi community, pointed out that “words of public personalities can and are often taken out of context”.

However, he added: “It is disheartening to hear the apparent great disconnect that the Sephardi Chief Rabbi’s comments express between his important leadership and office — an office that is meant to represent the entire Sephardi community worldwide — and the people.”

It is not the first time Rabbi Yosef has made controversial comments. Last year he preached that women should dress modestly “because they are not animals”. In 2016 he stated that non-Jews should not be allowed to live in Israel, except to serve the Jewish population. He later reversed this position.