Good Riddance

It's been a long time coming, but finally I can now say good riddance once and for all to the vile and disgraceful figure that was Rav Ovadia Yosef. You really need to look no further than to him to see the large cultural schisms that exist in Israeli society. The man, who proclaimed that "The sole purpose of non-Jews is to serve Jews" happens to be revered as a demigod by millions of Mizrahim and Jews of North African descent. In addition to many others who've come to see him as their true spiritual leader and authority on almost all matters, be it religious or political. While on the other end of the spectrum, people like myself and large segments of secular Ashkenazi Israelis consider him to be nothing more than a Jewish Mullah, a backwards hatemonger responsible for spreading his racist and misogynistic views and values across Israeli society. You really need to look no further than through the list of his associates also. As they saying goes, "You are the company you keep". In this case, surrounding oneself with Shas henchmen and convicted criminals such as Aryeh Deri and Eli Yishai only reinforces and justifies all my feelings.

Reuters

I can only hope that with his passing, a new future will begin to open up. Israel as a modern nation state was founded not only on principles of Jewish culture, but on enlightenment as well. To think that Prime Minister Netanyahu and nearly the entire Knesset and Israeli mainstream has already been outpouring with praise and support for such a man like Yosef, just shows me that Israeli society is as far from the core, mainly Western values this country was founded on as it's seemingly ever been.

Times of Israel

This might not be politically correct to say in today's day and age, but I have no problem speaking up in support of the Ashkenazi pioneers who built and fought for this country, and contributed so much to making it so dynamic and special. And in my view, it is going to be Israelis who adhere to the same founding values of secularism and humanism who are going to be the ones to save us and prevent us from becoming just like some of our neighbors here in the Middle East.