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Chief Rabbi Yosef denies intent to harm women after N12 exposé on mikveh remarks

The Zioneer Intelligence Desk

Primary source Internal intake · 2 reviewed intake signals · Desk window 22:21

TL;DR

Following the broadcast of controversial footage on Channel 12, Chief Rabbi David Yosef issued a statement Thursday evening asserting his remarks at a conference were about receiving women warmly, not harming them. The denial comes as the SAME-THREAD item. According to N12 journalist Eli Hirshman, the statement is the rabbi's first detailed response since N12 aired the video.

01 · THE DISPATCH

Chief Rabbi David Yosef on Thursday evening responded to the N12 exposé that aired earlier in the day, denying any intent to harm women and framing his original remarks as welcoming. The statement, reported by N12's Haredi affairs correspondent Eli Hirshman, is the rabbi's first direct response since the network broadcast footage of his comments on mikveh attendants shaming women who immerse alone.

As The Zioneer reported earlier Thursday, N12's main newscast aired the footage, which triggered public backlash and led to an ethics complaint by the Reform Center for Religion and State against the rabbi. The complaint, filed with the Commissioner for Complaints Against Judges, alleges the remarks contradict a High Court ruling and constitute improper conduct by a judicial figure.

The rabbi's statement did not address the specific content of the video or the ethics complaint. While Yosef insists his intent was misrepresented, the footage continues to circulate, and the complaint remains pending before the commissioner.

02 · How it developed

3 developments

  1. Latest

    Rabbi Yosef issued a formal denial of intent to harm women.

  2. Yosef clarifies remarks were intended to welcome women and not cause harm.

  3. Israel's Chief Rabbi David Yosef responds after controversial N12 footage airs

Related dispatches
03 · Source and signal

Source and signal

  • Internal intake
Desk accountability

This dispatch is published under The Zioneer Intelligence Desk. Raw intake channels remain internal provenance; an external outlet or channel is named only when it materially helps readers evaluate a specific claim.