Rabbi Tzvika Cohen (Shas Party)

“The Breslov Shuvu Banim community is respected and valued by us,” replies Rabbi Tzvika Cohen, one of the leading activists of the Shas party in the Jerusalem municipality and the holder of the education portfolio.

“All of us (in the Shas party) are in great pain over everything that is happening these days with Rabbi Berland shlit"a. You can publish this in my name: all of us, from the greatest to the smallest—privately in our families and publicly among Shas people—are in very, very, very great pain over what is happening with Rabbi Berland shlit"a. Who knows how many tragedies we have all gone through because, sadly, a major protest did not arise on behalf of Rabbi Berland shlit"a. He is among the great ones of Israel, and we all know how to honor and cherish him.”

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The path of the gaon and tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a is to nullify himself before every person in the world. And if someone comes to voice his opinion, the Rav shlit"a, as is always his way, will not argue. But if he is asked what the truth is, he will answer with his view. The Rav shlit"a has tremendous honor for Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt"l—beyond anything that can be described.

“Honorable Rabbi Tzvika, did you say that Rabbi Aryeh Deri does not like Shuvu Banim and that, in his view, this community should be erased?” he was asked, shocked.

“Anyone who says such a thing is a fool—irresponsible in a way that cannot be described. I deny it; it never happened and it never existed. Know one thing: we are close to Breslov, we respect Breslov, and we are committed to Breslov; we are by Rebbe Nachman many times. And these are words that are a shame to say, and it is even laughable to have to apologize for them. But to remove any doubt: if someone understood things we did not mean, we respect, cherish, and value you—and these are evil words that never happened and never existed. What kind of question is this? We are part of you.”

“Anyone who says that Aryeh Deri spoke out against Rabbi Berland or against his community is talking nonsense and emptiness. It is not even fair to make us apologize for something like that, which never happened and never existed. Through you, I am passing these words onward.”

“Anyone who speaks slander against you is also not a friend of ours—not of Aryeh Deri, and certainly not of me.”

The interview is courtesy of Rabbi Yaakov Salma shlit"a, Rosh Kollel of ‘Netzach Netzachim,’ Bnei Brak.