Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: An Israeli Revolutionary - AL-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

A YOUNG SUPPORTER OF SHAS PARTY SMILES BEHIND POSTERS OF RABBI JOSEF
OVADIA DURING ELECTIONS RALLY IN ASHDOD. - RTRGS9Y

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A YOUNG SUPPORTER OF SHAS PARTY SMILES BEHIND POSTERS OF RABBI JOSEF
OVADIA DURING ELECTIONS RALLY IN ASHDOD. - RTRGS9Y

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Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men mourn during the funeral of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the ultra-religious Shas political party, in Jerusalem October 7, 2013. More than half a million mourners turned out on Monday for the funeral of Yosef, an Iraqi-born sage who transformed an Israeli underclass of Sephardic Jews of Middle East heritage into a powerful political force. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS RELIGION OBITUARY) - RTX1431P

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's Funeral And the Secular Media

Mazal Mualem

In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics

Aryeh Deri, (L), a political kingmaker and head of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, kisses the hand of the party's spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, at a women's conference March 16, a day before an Israeli court is due to rule in his fraud and bribery trial. Israeli Police are preparing for large protests by Shas supporters if the verdict goes against Deri, who has been on trial since 1993 on charges he illegally channelled government funds to Shas-affiliated organisations and pocketed some of the money

The Ailing Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Who Sought to Prevent Wars

Shlomi Eldar

Israel's President Shimon Peres (2nd L) meets Aryeh Deri (L), Eli Yishai and Ariel Attias (R), leaders of the religious Shas party, at his residence in Jerusalem January 31, 2013. Peres began talks with political parties on Wednesday over who should form a new government and appears certain to ask incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to assemble it. REUTERS/Sebastian Scheiner/Pool (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTR3D6U4

Israel's Shas Party at Crossroads

Mazal Mualem

In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics

A general view shows crowds of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men attending the funeral of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of the ultra-religious Shas political party, in Jerusalem October 7, 2013. Yosef, an Iraqi-born sage who turned an Israeli underclass of Sephardic Jews of Middle Eastern heritage into a powerful political force, died on Monday at the age of 93, plunging masses of followers into mourning. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS RELIGION OBITUARY) - RTX142Z0

Two trampled at massive ultra-Orthodox funeral

Nurit Canetti