Sephardic Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef issued a call today to all Jewish communities to pray for Syrian and Iraqi Jews on the night of Tisha B’Av tomorrow night. The Chief Rabbi urged communal leaders to exert unceasing pressure on governments and international organizations to in turn pressure the Syrian and Iraqi regimes.
“Until they treat our brethern in a civilized manner and let them live in peace or leave their countries.” Rabbi Yosef urged particular pressure to be brought to bear on Iraq where the murder of the Kashkosh family had been admitted by the Premier. Iraq should be urged to allow their remaining Jews there leave.
At the same time, Rabbi Yosef composed a special prayer to be recited in all Israeli synagogues on Tisha B’Av saying inter alia: ‘Please O Lord look upon our brothers in the House of Israel with your great mercy wherever they may be living under sorrow and oppression and deliver them from darkness into great light.
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