that this same Rav who is advocating the Sephardisation (I made up that word) of Jews of Ashenazi decent, is dressed up like a Lithuanian Rosh Yeshiva.

Does he say WHY ?

"smart" people say stupid things. There is absolutely nothing wrong in the holy Ashkenazi traditions which are firmly rooted in Torah and Messorah. To paraphrase a great scholar, "The Torah does not belong to the Sephardis, it belongs to us all!"

Will his royal holliness also be requesting the credit card details of these so called newley religious , as we all knwo what the Shas cult is really about.

BUT WE ARE SUCH A FANATIC THAT WE DRIVE RIGHTEOUS CONVERT AWAY ! AS MORDECHAI ABERGEL IN SINGAPORE ! NO PLACE TO SITS, ALL SITTING PLACES SOLD AND BOUGHT FOR EXCLUSIVE RICH AN FAMOUS ! POOR JEWS HAVE NO PLACE TO SIT !

This kind of Jewish leadership is as dangerous to the future of this country, as our enemies are. Maybe, even more so. It steals freedom, it removes choice, it eliminates common sense. It is Judaism, but only one kind, one form, and one way. It is totalitarian. It is dictatorship. Judaism comes in many forms, and it is important to embrace and engage such diversity. Single party states, single forms of government, and single methods of Judaism will fail. This is not what Jews need, and this is not what Israel needs.

how about harmonizing these 'taditions' and ending exile

Change this hated Ashkenzi outfit onto some lovely jalabia & tarbush, than we shall talk... LOL))))

Why does the Sephardic fool dress up like a 17th Century European then?

I agree with TBers 2 and 4, The good Rabbi dressed in Ashenazi garb is allowing his stupid to show because it isn't about the adjective Sephardi or Ashkenazi...it is all about the noun and that noun is Jewish! May it please G-d that all the house of Israel should find their way to remembering our Jewish traditions...each one in his/her own way and according to his/her own ability. And may we all remember that being Jewish is a happy activity not meant to be divisive, corrosive or corsion of anyone by anyone else! Be happy Be Jewish! but most of all have a good day spreading kindness to others!

senior. What Israel needs is to ban sh-ass and its' institutions. They are a racist group of parasites. Even after the Holocaust, most of the Jews in the world are Ashkenazi. And let us tell the truth. Yiddish jokes are the funniest. Ashkenazi food is far superior.

I agree on the jokes, but "Superior Food", you're joking. Except hering, all others foods are tasteless or terrible to eat.

Whatever is the most connected to our ancient roots has more truth. Oi va voi, while a fun language from 16 century Germany, and black clothes from 18th century Poland, and Fur hats from 19th cenutry Russia, and cultural humras and halachahs that come from exile Judaism may be sentimental to some it is not what Moses our Teacher brought down from Sinai, the Sephardim are more correct in most things than Ashkenas. The most important thing is Love your fellow as yourself, be a mensch ;) to use the yiddish ;)

Others have noted the irony of one in the garb of the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox saying "Embrace the Sephardic way". But the irony goes much deeper. Sephardim have long followed the "middle way" of Maimonides, yet many of Israel's Sephardi rabbis promote more stringencies in religious practice. Sephardim have also been much more relaxed when it comes to issues of gender mixing, but their rabbis today often side with Ashkenazi extremists in pushing for more separation. And Sephardim have never considered a "studying Torah" as a worthy occupation while reliant on others for their support. (Again, Maimonides fought such a practice.) The overall shift toward religious extremism is easily traced to the Das Torah movement among Ashkenazim who feared modernity itself ("Everything new is forbidden"). It's too bad so many of its notions have infected Sephardim who fear being seen as "not Jewish enough".

I might be wrong but that is what I read in the past. Is it true? If it is how can he say this. II hear a ruling that when you do Teshuva you follow your family traditions, If there is no traditions ie if the family is not observant, then you take the minhag of your Rabbi. It does not matter really because you could be whatever you want. Yemmenites sport peyots as well and some sephardim let tzit tzit hand and some of them become Breslovers and some Chabadnicks and what not. As long as they are observant Jews who care if one or the other.

Whilst most of the world seeks to murder us, or collaborate with those who would, we desperately seek conflict among ourselves. Just like when the second Temple was destroyed.

You're as bigoted as the Yosef's- even in jest!

Garbanzo beans and rice for Pesach, woo hoo!!!

BRING BACK AUTHENTIC JEWISH DRESS BURN THE BLACK CLOTHING LETS SEE COLOR!

Bunch of knot heads!

How much do you know about being Sephardic? What are the REAL differences? I doubt that the Rabbi is advocating separation but rather is trying to harmonize. Has anyone tried to ask him some details. I am sure the answers will surprise the many talkbacks blabbers.

Please do enlighten us!

Converging to a single tradition leads to unity. As 23 sarcastically noted, perpetuating your silly divisive differences perpetuates fragmentation and divisiveness. Especially divisive differences stemming from European assimilation reflects Europolotry, NOT "holy Ashkenazi" tradition emanating from Har Sinai. For that, the only long-term unifying tradition is the Teimanim... who are a lot more similar to Sepharadim than to Ashkenazim. Paqid Yirmeyahu Paqid 16, The Netzarim, Ra'anana, Israel Israeli Torah-reverer: Teimani, Baladi, Dor Dai Jew Advocate for Logic as Hermeneutic Halakhic Authority www.netzarim.co.il Welcoming All Torah-reverers (Jews & non-Jew geirim)

will lead you in the right path. First learn in a formal fashion then realize how little you know about being Jewish and then ask as many questions as you have

a) we should all be wearing turbans and stuff b) If you can get your hands on a class photo with hakham ovadia and hakham benzion abba shaul et al (the dream team at Porat Yosef) - many are at least wearing different coloured suits, and many are also clean-shaven. IN-teresting how easy it is to pick and choose what parts of your tradition you and we are to follow.

WHY ARE YOU DRESSED INI EUROPEAN ARITOCRACY CLOTHING THAT OF THE ASHKANAZ WAYS? WHY ARENT YOU DRESSED IN SIMPLE DARK SUITS AND WHATS WITH THAT HAT....