Conference in memory of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef canceled - but High Court will hear petition

The Ministry of Religious Services canceled the theoretical conference in memory of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef planned for October, due to its proximity to elections. The state argued that the petition became theoretical and asked to dismiss it, but the High Court will hear it at the request of the petitioners.

The Ministry of Religious Services canceled the theoretical conference in memory of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, which was scheduled to take place at Binyanei Ha'Uma from October 6-8, 2026. The cancellation followed the position of the Attorney General, who believed that holding the conference with government funding close to elections could turn it into a political event, given the involvement of the Shas party in the election campaign. Shas petitioned the High Court against the decision, arguing that the Attorney General has no authority to prevent the ceremony. The state asked to reject the petition due to the cancellation of the conference, but Judge Ofer Grosskopf ruled that the hearing will proceed as scheduled at the request of the petitioners, although he noted that the petition has become theoretical.