Israeli-American Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi is facing intense criticism for mocking the reverence Hindus hold for cows and their associated religious beliefs. A video of his, which circulated on social media, has sparked widespread outrage in India, Israel, and beyond.
In the video, Mizrachi claims, “Hindus in India worship cows. They drink cow urine, and if it spills on the floor, they lick it up.” He even ridicules Indian doctors, alleging that some of them engage in such practices.
Mizrachi mentions an individual from India who once worked on his Facebook page and had expressed an interest in converting to Judaism. He claims that this person lived with a family in India where the father and brother worshipped cows.
Mizrachi states that this family would bring the cow inside their home, and whenever the animal urinated on the floor, they would lick it up.
He further claims that some people in India purchase cow urine from pharmacies. Mocking Indian medical professionals, he suggests that if someone were to visit a hospital in New Delhi, the doctor might greet them with a “good morning” after having consumed cow urine the previous night.
The Rabbi also mocks the traffic congestion caused by cows on the streets of Delhi. At one point, he thanks God for not making him like the Indians.
Mizrachi has faced criticism in the past for various controversial statements. In 2015, he issued an apology after making false claims regarding the number of Jews killed during the Holocaust. He has also characterized autism and Down syndrome as punishments for sins committed in a past life. In 2016, 16 Orthodox Jewish Rabbis condemned his methods of outreach.
