Israel's chief rabbi calls on his followers to bring their weapons to the synagogue

Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef, in Jerusalem, January 30, 2022. © AP - Mahmoud Illean

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1 min

The manhunt for the two terrorists who carried out the attack in Elad, an ultra-Orthodox suburb of Tel Aviv, continues.

Police say the two men from Jenin in the northern West Bank may still be on the Israeli side of the security fence.

And that's probably what prompted one of Israel's leading rabbinical leaders to issue a call to bring their weapons to the synagogue.

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With our correspondent in Jerusalem

, 

It was before the start of Shabbat that the Primate of Zion, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel,

, made this appeal.

Due to the security situation, those with a permit must bring their weapons to the synagogue to help secure the public.

Uncommon Decision

This unusual rabbinical decision follows the wave of anti-Israeli attacks last month which left 19 people dead, including three victims Thursday evening precisely in the small town of Elad.

In this ultra-Orthodox community on the edge of the West Bank where few residents have completed military service, few carry a firearm.

“ 

Open your eyes wide

 ”

This is what would have allowed the two perpetrators of the attack to flee after attacking passers-by with axes and automatic weapons.

A few weeks ago, the Israeli Prime Minister called on license holders to carry their weapons in public.

“ 

 ,” proclaimed Naftali Bennett. 

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