Israeli-American rabbi ridicules Hindu beliefs over cow worship, faces backlash | Video

Israeli-American rabbi Yosef (Yossi) Mizrachi drew sharp criticism after a video showing him making derogatory remarks about Hindu traditions and Indian doctors went viral on social media.

The US-based Orthodox Jewish preacher’s comments drew angry reactions from users in India and Israel. Critics accused him of racism and disrespecting Hindu religious beliefs.

What did Mizrachi say?

In the video, Mizrachi spoke about an Indian man who, he claimed, had worked on his Facebook page and wanted to convert to Judaism. He alleged that the man’s family worshipped cows and drank their urine.

"You know the Indians that worship the cow? Hindus," Mizrachi said, before claiming that people "lick cow urine from their floors". He also said, "And by the way, some of those people who do that are doctors," before expressing gratitude to God for not making him like Indians.

He went on to mock a hypothetical meeting with a doctor in New Delhi and joked about a cow blocking traffic, suggesting that people would refuse to move it because of their religious beliefs.

Palestine ambassador condemns remarks

Israeli researcher and writer Yeshaya Rosenman criticised the preacher’s comments. He said the damage caused to Israel’s reputation was “astounding in its scope”.

Rosenman also accused Mizrachi of repeatedly making insulting remarks about people from other religions, people with disabilities and cancer patients.

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Palestine’s Ambassador to India, Abdullah M Abu Shawesh, also spoke out against religious hatred in a social media post, although he did not name Mizrachi.

“Racists are a danger to us all,” the ambassador wrote.

Several other social media users also described the rabbi’s remarks as racist and offensive.

Mizrachi’s earlier remarks drew criticism

Born in Israel, Mizrachi runs Divine Information, an online religious outreach platform. Jewish religious leaders have also criticised his past statements.

According to The Times of Israel, he falsely claimed in 2015 that fewer than one million Jews had died in the Holocaust. Around six million Jews were murdered during the genocide. Mizrachi later apologised for the claim.