The controversy surrounding the unusual appearance of social media star Rabbi Eyal Tzionov at the Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony continues to draw attention. Tzionov, who runs YouTube and TikTok accounts and dresses similarly to Chief Rabbi David Yosef, addressed the issue in an interview with Ynet.
“I’m not impersonating anyone — I’m here to make peace,” Tzionov said when asked why he wears a robe and headdress resembling that of the Sephardi chief rabbi, known as the Rishon Lezion (a traditional title for the Sephardi chief rabbi). “This is not clothing that belongs only to the chief rabbi. In the past, rabbis in Jaffa, Ramla and other places dressed this way. Now it’s been decided that it belongs to a specific role, so I also decided it’s fine to dress like this.”
According to Tzionov, the choice of attire is intentional and serves as a way to attract an audience. “When people see it, it piques their curiosity,” he said. “They invite me to give lectures, and then I speak to them about the value of peace. I tell them it’s not just about Torah and commandments, but first and foremost about peace.”
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Rabbi Eyal Tzionov in the audience at the torchlight ceremony, where he was mistaken for the chief rabbi
(Photo: Knesset Channel)
Tzionov, who teaches in various settings and operates an online platform featuring his lectures, said this is his central mission: “to bring peace and explain how to create peace in the world.”
However, his distinctive appearance has caused confusion. He said he was unaware of cases in which security officials contacted the Chief Rabbinate’s office following his appearances. “If there’s a security issue, they should tell me. I haven’t heard anything about it from the Shin Bet,” he said.
Tzionov also addressed why he wears glasses similar to those of the chief rabbi. “I have a medical issue with my eyes, so I wear them. It has nothing to do with anyone else,” he said.
Still, a video shows him ascending the Temple Mount (a site in Jerusalem sacred to Jews and Muslims), saying: “The Rishon Lezion is the first to ascend the Temple Mount.” Asked whether he was presenting himself as the chief rabbi, Tzionov responded: “I don’t want to be the Rishon Lezion. It’s not the Rishon Lezion of the state — I was told I’m considered the Rishon Lezion in heaven, because I’m the first rabbi to go up to Zion, to the Temple Mount. Not of the state. ‘Rishon Lezion’ means the one who goes first to Zion, to the Temple Mount. No rabbi is willing to go there, and I am.”
He said he received permission from a rabbi he described as one of the “hidden righteous” to visit the site, but refused to reveal the rabbi’s identity. “My rabbi allowed me to go up and said it would bring redemption,” Tzionov said. He also rejected any sectarian affiliation: “I don’t belong to any group. I love everyone and want to make peace.”
Tzionov said his presence at the torch-lighting ceremony, which became a focal point of the controversy, was incidental. “I actually came for the memorial ceremonies for fallen soldiers and victims of terror. Then they told me there was also the torch-lighting ceremony, so we went in. We found tickets and everything was in order, including security checks,” he said.
Nevertheless, his appearance did not go unnoticed. During the ceremony, as rabbinical judge Rabbi Avraham Zarviv lit a torch dedicated to the rabbinical courts, the broadcast camera focused on Tzionov, who was dressed in attire associated with the chief rabbi. Event organizers said he had been invited, and the Shin Bet noted he had been identified in advance as not being the chief rabbi. Tzionov said he was surprised by the reaction. “I don’t have a television and I don’t follow this. I didn’t even realize there was a controversy,” he told Ynet.
Despite the criticism, he did not rule out changing his approach. “If it truly poses a security concern, of course I will reconsider. But the professionals need to tell me,” he said. For now, he said he will continue in his current path, emphasizing that “everything is done with the intention of bringing unity and peace.”
Officials in the Chief Rabbinate dismissed the incident, saying: “This is a clown who goes around like this. More than once he has caused problems.”
First published: 18:32, 04.23.26