Jerusalem chief rabbi refuses to shake gay Knesset speaker's hand

The Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem Shlomo Moshe Amar refused to shake hands with Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana at the funeral of Captain Yisrael Yudkin on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on Thursday due to the Ohana’s sexual orientation.

According to sources who were at the scene, Ohana extended his hand to the rabbi, who turned his head away and placed his hand over his eyes to recite "Shema Yisrael." Later, when Ohana was invited to speak, the rabbi left the funeral.

Sources familiar with the details said that earlier, Rabbi Amar's aides conditioned his participation on speaking before Ohana so that he would not have to remain while Ohana spoke. They claimed that because this agreement was breached, the rabbi left the event.

In the past, the Chief Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar also served as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel. In recent years, he has often expressed opposition to the LGBTQ+ community on several occasions.

Remarks on the LGBTQ+ 

In 2021, the rabbi hinted that homosexuals are worse than animals when he said, "They hold their abominable parade as if they were proud of it. Woe is to the shame and disgrace. Animals do not behave like this."

In his statements and public conduct against the LGBTQ+ community, Rabbi Amar demonstrated a different policy from most other Haredi leaders who do not support the LGBTQ+ community but refrain from public attacks or other forms of protest.

Jonathan Yoffe, the chairman of the Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance, responded: "Once again, the Chief Rabbinate, with its myriad rabbis, proves that between 'love thy neighbor as thyself,' 'beloved is man, for he was created in the image,' and Judaism in general, there is nothing and half of nothing. Even the words of unity that we have been hearing from it since October 7 are lip service only.

The time has come to shut down this rotten institution, restore the crown to its former glory, and restore Judaism to the Jews. And you, Knesset Speaker Amir, do not agree to this humiliation; it's not just you who are being humiliated, but hundreds of thousands of us. As a public figure, it's time to stand up and say enough. The Pride and Tolerance March will take place in Jerusalem on Thursday. That's where you need to be, not at humiliating events."