The grandson of homophobic former cheif Rabbi is to marry his long term boyfriend next week.
Ovadia Cohen, whose grandfather was Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the former spiritual leader of the Shas political party and ex-Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Isreal, will wed his partner Amichai Landsman.
Yedioth Ahronoth reports that the couple have been together for three years.
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef passed away in 2013, aged 93. He was known for his staunch views
In 2013 he labelled World Pride Day in Jerusalem as “filth”.
Cohen was allegedly close to his grandfather, and had grown up in his home following the divorce of his parents.
Cohens fiancé told the newspaper: “I was blessed with a wonderful family which accepted me from the very first moment, and they accepted Ovadia as well.
“We are fully out and proud. Ovadia took a very brave step to be in a relationship with me and we are happy to get married. I am not part of the religious gay community but I think they do great work.”
Rabbi’s son previously married to a woman
Cohen had previously been married to a woman, and together they had two children before divorcing.
He then came out as gay, and met Landsman, who was raised in a religious-Zionist community in Haifa.
The wedding ceremony will be attended by around 200 guests, Landsman’s relatives and those from the religious gay community, alongside a small number of Cohen’s family, reports the publication.
Zahorit Sorek, a lesbian and a member of the religious ceremony, will conduct the ceremony.
The happy couple’s marriage will be the seventh ceremony she has carried out for members of the LGBT community.
