Rabbi Shalom Cohen
Rabbi Shalom Cohen (1930–2022) was a preeminent Israeli Sephardic Haredi rabbi, dynamic educator, and political kingmaker. For nearly a decade, he served as the President of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah(Council of Torah Sages) for the Shas political party, succeeding the legendary Rabbi Ovadia Yosef as the ultimate spiritual captain of Israel’s Mizrahi and Sephardic ultra-Orthodox community.
While many politicians and figures operate under compromises, Rav Shalom was famous for his unyielding, fiercely authentic traditionalism and complete lack of political correctness.
Lineage and Elite Torah Training
Born in Jerusalem, Rav Shalom was born into Sephardic rabbinic nobility.
His Father: Rabbi Ephraim Hakohen, a revered master of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) who had migrated from Baghdad to Jerusalem and was appointed Rosh Yeshiva of the prestigious Porat Yosef Yeshiva in the Old City.
The Prodigy: At age 13, young Shalom entered Porat Yosef as a student, quickly earning a reputation for intense diligence. He married Yael Ben Shimon, the daughter of Safed kabbalist Rabbi Mansour Ben Shimon.
Flagship of Sephardic Torah: Porat Yosef
Rav Shalom’s primary lifelong devotion was not to politics, but to the Porat Yosef Yeshiva—the historical intellectual incubator of modern Sephardic Jewry.
Dean of the Old City: In 1966, he was appointed Rosh Yeshiva of the Old City branch of Porat Yosef.
Rebuilding From Ruin: Following the destruction of the original campus by Jordan's Arab Legion during the 1948 War of Independence, Rav Shalom spent decades meticulously helping to rebuild and expand the yeshiva's physical presence and academic reputation, training thousands of future Sephardic rabbis, judges, and communal figures.
Taking the Reins of Shas
In 1984, at the personal request of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Rav Shalom entered the public political theater to help launch the Shas party, serving on its inaugural Council of Torah Sages.
Succeeding Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: Following the seismic passing of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef in 2013, the Shas party faced a massive leadership vacuum. In April 2014, Rav Shalom was officially elevated to the Nasi (President) of the Council of Torah Sages.
The Ultimate Boss: While party chairman Aryeh Deri managed day-to-day political maneuvers in the Israeli Knesset, Rav Shalom held absolute veto power over all legislative choices, coalition negotiations, and religious-state policy decisions.
Firebrand Rhetoric and Ideology
Rav Shalom was a fierce ideological warrior who was entirely unfraid of public controversy. He frequently made headlines across mainstream Israeli media for his raw, unvarnished criticisms of secularism and modern religious compromises:
On the IDF and Defense: During the 2014 Gaza conflict, he fiercely opposed the mandatory conscription of yeshiva students, telling soldiers at a prayer rally, "Do you think the nation of Israel needs an army? It is God Almighty who fights for Israel."
On National Symbols: In 2015, he sparked intense national debate when he referred to Hatikvah (the Israeli national anthem) as a "stupid song," criticizing it because it describes a secular yearning for Zion rather than a religious devotion to God and the Torah.
On Modern Orthodoxy: He was an uncompromising critic of the Religious Zionist/Modern Orthodox establishment, once controversially comparing elements of their political leadership to "Amalek" (the biblical archetype of Israel's enemy) due to their attempts to alter state conversion and kashrut laws.
Death and Impact
Rabbi Shalom Cohen passed away on August 22, 2022, at the age of 91, at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem following a severe infection.
His passing plunged the Sephardic world into deep mourning. Shas chairman Aryeh Deri lamented, "Woe to the world that has lost its leader, and woe to the ship that has lost its captain." His funeral procession drew tens of thousands of mourners to the streets of Jerusalem, bringing the capital to a standstill. He was buried in the Sanhedria Cemetery next to his wife and near the resting place of his predecessor, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.
You can witness the staggering communal impact of his passing by watching this footage of the Thousands Attending the Funeral of Rabbi Shalom Cohen, capturing the massive crowds of mourners who gathered in Jerusalem to pay their final respects to the late Shas spiritual leader.