In the same fashion we see a growth of Islamism in the Arab world, I heve the feeling that the same is coming up with extremists of Shas. I see absolutely no difference between radical moslem clerics calling to do things " with the support of God or in the name of God " and such propaganda stance by Shas. Both have their own source : the weight of religion and intermixing of religion with affairs of the state. God may or may not exist this is not the point . The point is that without the " secular organisations" which were at the spearhead of the construction of the state, there would be today no Israel ! Mising religion and politics never did work. It turned most of the arab countries into places where only a "unique train of thought and way of life " is allowed. Shas is no different. It is a Juedistic party in the same fashion any radical Islamic party is Islamist. And for God's sake , ask Ovadia to change his funny hat and the shades...he already look like a mollah !

What gobbledigook in the name of religion....this man is an embarassment.

How very sad that any religious leader should so distort the truths of his faith for political gain.

Let them say what they want, damn Ynetnews you are def going on the track to be one of the worst Anti-Sephardic papers. If they want to believe that, let them, you'd have to be very very religious to vote for Shas,so you'd gain passage to Messianic times. Those that agree with Olmert and evicting out Israeli settlers is correct than your are not a Jew. You think they were illegal settlers, every single Israeli is a settler, and could be called an illegal one too. If you do not believe in the Israel a state for the Jewish people, you are not a Jew. What you are is an Erev Rav, someone that changes Hashe*m's divine passages into making it more suitable for your lifestyle. The Jewish religion is not the religion of kummbyah, its not the religion of sharing our G-d givin land. G-d doesnt love everyone, why dont you read passages about Amalek, see how much we are supposed to love them. We have waited 2000 years to return back to our land, and now you stupid Erev Rav secular scum are trying to make the second Diaspora. You are on the side of the terrorists, the ones that would decapitaet every single Jew if they had the chance. You are on the side that would give up Jerusalem just do be a dhmini. If they ever regained Jerusalem, you know what they would do? They'd use a tank to topple the Western Wall. If you believe on the side of Erev Rav, Amalek, and the side of the children of Esau, then so be it, but you are not a Jew, your soul is not Jew. It is written by the Almighty. Do not call your self a Jew if you dont believe in the right of Greater Israel. PS: Gays, go to America or some place else where you have more freedoms and etc, Israel was given to us to the religious not to the flamers which desecrate Jerusalem with your flaming parades.

Where I live, votes are often bought and sold. If I can work out an arrangement, how much can Heaven cost me.

get you into Heaven, no questions asked....but I hear with that vote you get a free toaster when you get up there...what a deal..a new toaster and you're in heaven..I can't decide if I'd rather live or die!

If you want to stay alive, vote NU/NRP

I'm voting Shas. Not because i think this will send me to heaven because Ovadia said so, but because Shas is the only party in my mind that actually gives a hoot about our Mizrahi communities and that actually deliver what they promise. i hate the fact that they tie in social aid and work with a rather rigid orthodox religosity. So they provide all these good and wonderful things, education, employment and strong communities who take pride in their Sephardi and Mizrahi heritage, but they also are turning more families to be religious in the way Shas sees fit. I strongly disagree with that and i am against it. I believe that more Mizrahim should engage with Shas and start serious dialogue and change from within. They need to understand that we can have strong Mizrahi communities that nurture and cherish our disappearing culture without turning into ultra-orthodox Charedi lookalikes. We need Shas and Shas needs us.

DEAR RABBI OVADIA YOSEF , MAY BE I AM WRONG BUT IT SEEMS YOU ARE FROM AN ARAB ORIGIN , AND YOUR RELIGION IS JUDAISM , AND SINCE ANY SHAS VOTER CAN REACH HEAVEN , PLEASE CONFIRM TO US IF HE WILL FIND THE 73 VIRGIN WAITING FOR HIM OR NOT….?

Shas has a proud history of building Torah schools, spreading Torah and helping the poor. BH we have saved the sfardim from the clutches of Ben Gurion etc. Remember what the leftist apikorsim did to the Temani babies we went to hospital, they told their parents they were dead and then sold them to chilonim. Remember what Henrietta Schold did to the children from Teheran. BH for Shas

A vote for Shas is a vote to hell.

Ok first off...anyone who belives this MAN...should look and see the similarities of what he is saying and what the Muslims are told by there clerics. The only thing this MAN of (god?) Ovadia Yosef left out was the prize....you know the 72 virgins you get after you vote for Shas and die...boom!!! It should be said that if you vote for Shas it is NOT heaven you will be going to... Thou shalt not curse Elohim, or curse a ruler of your people, where the parallelism suggests that Elohim may refer to human rulers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elohim

"I see absolutely no difference between radical moslem clerics calling to do things " with the support of God or in the name of God " and such propaganda stance by Shas." -- YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING HIRAM! FIRST OFF, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD ONE OF OUR RABBIS (YOURS TOO, LIKE IT OR NOT BUDDY) ADVOCATING KILLING IN THE NAME OF G-D? SECOND, WHO CARES ABOUT R. OVADIA YOSEF'S ATTIRE. PERHAPS PEOPLE LIKE YOU, AS YOU ARE USED TO JUDGING PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR APPEARANCE. THIRD: THE PROPER SPELLING IS JUDAISM, NOT JUDEISM. AND LASTLY, THE SECULARISTS WHO WERE AT THE "SPEARHEAD OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE STATE" ARE NOT THE FOUNDATION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL. LIKE IT OR NOT, IT IS OURS BY THE GRACE OF G-D, IT IS THE LAND THAT HE GAVE TO US AND IF YOU WANT TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT IS DUE, THEN GO DIRECTLY TO THE SOURCE.

Remember when this clown said that Katrina was God punishing blacks for not practicing Torah? If those blacks vote for Shas will God forgive them?

Your reaction is the same as the one which propped up Hamas to represent the " palestinian people". To be a real citizen of any country, one needs to share its burden...ALL OF THEM....this is not the case with the community represented by Ovadia and the like of him. And if you vote for him , put a motion for me will ya ? Ask him to change his hat and the shades...He already looks like a Mollah....!

Any proof that God gave you this land ? Any clear description of its boundaries in biblical times ? I do not judge people. I hear what they say, and by the look of theses posts I am not the only one understanding what I understand...As for my talking with Rabbis, you would be surprised to know how many of them are in my inner circle in Tel Aviv, London, Barcelona AND other places in the middle east. I say and I maintain that the stance of Shas is a nationalistic aggressive vision of the world , possibly valid to the believers but totally erroneous when facing the 21st century. I also add again that when political propaganda is performed in the name of God ...it smells of sulphur ! Now, if you know the bible so well...look with what Sulphur is associated !!!! As far as the funny Hat is concerned, and the shades, its says it all about Ovadia's megalomania ! About your comments on the foundation of the state of Israel as a state under the terms of the united nation chart , I refer you to History and suggest that you re-read the available documentation available on the subject. Too many people died defending this country, and still die nowadays victim of religious propaganda of all kinds - including shas- I am unsure if God really approves of that and I am not convinced that he approves either of what the man with the funny hat is saying when he mixes politics and religion together like it has been done in this country for years in the hope of bringing this country down to the level of Islamic nations.

"Put a nickel in the box and you'll be saved, Put a nickel in the box and you'll be saved, Put a dollar sixty seven and you'll surely go to heaven, Put a nickel in the box and you'll be saved!" ======================== Of course it wasn't Jews that we were having a giggle at!

Hey, I always thought they were cool. Very New Orleans.

I am against promises of going to Heaven. That is not within the power of Rav Ovadiah Yosef. G-d is the judge and he has his standard. Regarding comments such as his "funny hat" is ridiculous smacks of ignorance and racism. 1) The Rabbi's dress (excluding the sunglasses) predates foreign/gentile "modern" european clothing. Maybe your clothes are funny? 2)It even predates foreign/gentile older european clothing of black and white that is popularily worn by Ashkenazim(and embarassingly by Sephardim)Haredim and which is "called" Jewish(LOL). (THis holds true even if the clothing resembles a 17th century Lithuanian noble in winter. If you would like to see something al ittle more authenthically Jewish visit www.begedivri.com Perfom a search for Reuven Prager. That being said every Israeli should vote for a party that is willing to protect its citizens (Security) and will not lead us closer to Destruction. In other words a vote for Labor, Kadima or Likud is a vote for destruction and greater pouring of Jewish blood. The platform of Hazit(Marzel) is not extreme right wing. It is similar ot the platform of Mappai/Labor or 35+ years ago. The minority but publicized in media has moved EXTREME LEFT. POPULAR MYTH/LIE: Likud is a right wing party. ROFL! Likud is currently or WAS a CENTRIST party. Kadima(to nowehere but destruction) and Labor are DANGEROUS EXTREME LEFT.

I can also explain to you why sometimes religious people are refered to as " princes" Thank you, I have spent enough years in University earning my grades on the subject ! Religion and money do not go together. Relgion and politics do not go together. Whoever is looking for power in the name of God is not a man of God . You and I know that very well ! Shas is looking for power , Ovadia is looking for power and perks . Nikouda !

has said many stupid things in the past, he got the wrong job. He should be standup comedian. Even shas leaders tried to shut him up a few times (even on tv) because they did not agree with hem and this is just an old man who does not know we live in 2006.

Rav Ovadia has my respect. He stands for Torah and understands that it is only because of the Torah the Jews have any claim at all to the Land of Israel. Rav Ovadia always speaks the truth, but unfortunately the press often takes him out of context. Rav Ovadia is accepted by all people in the religious community, Sephardim and Ashkenazim, as a great sage. He is known to be a man who has genius levels of knowledge of the Torah in all its forms - written, oral, kabbala, etc.

Micha....so was Mollah Omar ! so are ALL the Mollahs in the world explaining to their faithfulls that Allah gave them the orders to fight all non muslims ! They are ALL knowledgeable in their trade...but should only stay in their trade and not mix into politics . Politics and spirituality is a No-No from God's standpoint

You have stated something that may be correct....this is if most of Israel votes for Shas and believes this Man of (god?). They will end up NOT in a place smelling of flowers...but more like #13 (Hiram) has said "...it smells of sulphur ! Now, if you know the bible so well...look with what Sulphur is associated !!!!" ENJOY!!!

Give me a break. Shas is no better than Kadima. One will sell its soul to the Euro elites for international approbation, and the other will sell its soul for a mess of pottage. Shas is a disgrace. By the way, sephardi, ashkenazi, who cares? What matters are people of conscience, so don't play the "race" card here.

Its disgusting that many of you are comparing Shas to Mullahs calling for the destruction of Jews, christians and the West. And what is wrong with Hakham Ovadia's attire? It is traditional Sephardi attire and we take PRIDE in our culture which has for the longest time been eroded by Ashkenzai seculars and overshadowed by Ashkenazi religious norms. And sadly, many sephardim and mizrahim are becoming more and more disconnected with their culture and heritage in order to be more "Israeli" and more "Sabra" and more "modern". I am not anti-Ashkenazi. It is true, kulanu yehudim, we are all Jews, but where is the harm in celebrating our traditions? Unless of course your view of modernity and "Jewishness" precludes Sephardi attire and only extendes to streimels...Why don't you come to our communities and see what Shas is doing for us. i don't agree with all their views and tactics, but demonizing Shas for standing up for Mizrahim, who like it or not, have been marginalized for a long time is pure ignorance! I am against anti-religious belligerence as well as religious belligerence against non-religious individuals. I am not hiloni and neither am i dati, i'm a traditional and respect tradition even when i strongly disagree with it. You people NEED to EDUCATE yourself about the history of Shas, the socio-political, economic and cultural factors that led to the birth of Shas before you condemn it and generalize. Shas should not be the only and final solution for Mizrahi empowerment and representation. Like i said, Mizrahim NEED, indeed they are obligated to engage honestly and actively with Shas in order to better our position in Israeli society, combat discrimination, foster understanding and unity and right the wrongs of the past. The reason for Shas's tough and rigid outlook are numerous, among them a deep feeling of injustice and fracturing of our communities and traditions in the Ma'barot and our first years in the state of Israel. I will not delve too much now, but please, keep an open mind and try to maintain some degree of civil behaviour.... Hazaq oo Barukh

If you are so concerned with advancing the situation of specifically the Mizrahi communities, perhaps you have haeard of the large parties in which to make a difference. I hear Labour even has a new leader now. You say you are not haredi yet you are more convinced by Shas's policies than by Avodah? It makes no sense, unless this is simply a matter of ethnic identification. If so, then so be it, although if that is the case you will have to talk to them about their current list -- it seems they have allowed non-Mizrahim in and threatened the ethnic purity. What to do?