Rabbi Yosef Mizrahi's remarks on cows and cow urine draw anger in India and Israel

A viral video of American-Israeli rabbi Yosef Mizrahi has set off a fresh international controversy. In the video, Mizrahi makes derogatory remarks about Hinduism and Indian traditions. He is seen ridiculing the cow, which Hindus hold sacred, and Hindu religious practices. People in India, Israel and many other countries are deeply angered. Many members of the Jewish community have also condemned the remarks, calling the rabbi's conduct uncivil and objectionable.

In the video, which is spreading quickly online, Mizrahi talks about Hinduism and the Indian way of life. He claims that many families in India tie cows up in the living room and lick the floor when the cow urinates. He did not stop there. He also openly mocked Indian doctors and the medical system, saying doctors treating patients in hospitals in New Delhi may well have drunk cow urine the night before.

In his speech, Mizrahi also said, "Thank God I was not created like the Indians." He is being criticised for trying to spread racial hatred through the remark. He also mentioned a person from India who worked on his Facebook page and wanted to convert to Judaism. The remarks trample on tolerance and respect, the core of any religion, and have drawn criticism from across the world.

The first and sharpest opposition came from within Israel. Israeli writer and researcher Yeshaya Rosenman took serious note of the matter. Rosenman has lived and studied in India for some time and knows Indian culture closely. He said such irresponsible remarks are badly damaging Israel's image internationally. According to Rosenman, Mizrahi has a long history of controversial statements. He had earlier made insensitive remarks about Christians, Muslims and children with autism.

Palestinian ambassador to India Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh also strongly condemned the incident. Without naming anyone, he said that mocking and disrespecting another person's religious traditions amounts to a direct attack on human values. He stressed that racism of this kind is extremely dangerous for all of humanity.

After the video surfaced, users' anger spilled over on X (formerly Twitter) and other social media platforms. Indians and many Israeli citizens sharply criticised Mizrahi. Most people felt that being a religious leader is not a licence to insult another faith. Some users have demanded that the government permanently ban Mizrahi from entering Israel. A user named Roman Bisht wrote on X, "The elephant keeps walking its path while the dogs keep barking; Mizrahi should be ashamed of himself."

India's Jewish community has a safe and prosperous history of more than 2,000 years. More than 5,000 Jews live in India in harmony and respect. India is one of the few countries in the world where Jews have never faced racial or religious persecution. The remarks of one deranged cleric will not affect the historical and familial ties between India and Israel, but the episode has sparked a fresh international row on social media.