Collapses and apologizes: Avi Mimran, the host of the main edition on the radio station 'Kol Hai', who confronted Rabbi David Stav, the rabbi of Shoham and head of the 'Tzohar' rabbinical organization, live last night (Monday), in a blatant manner during a conversation about the establishment of alternative conversion courts - apologized today at noon.
Mimran tweeted on his Twitter account: ""I apologize to Rabbi Stav. He is a rabbi by virtue of his ordination by the Rabbinate. If there is no Rabbinate, there will be no rabbis. I was wrong in the way I criticized him on the air.".
Last night, during an interview with Rabbi Stav, Mimran slammed him for saying his words were "demagogy.".
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Rabbi Stav responded: "You wouldn't talk to a rabbi in Israel and tell him demagogy.".
Mimran replied to him: "You are not a rabbi in Israel.".
At this point, Rabbi Stav hung up the call.
After the broadcast, Mimran responded: "The one who gave David Stav the title of "Rabbi" is the Chief Rabbinate. Today, David Stav and other rabbis have determined that the Rabbinate is not the sole determiner and that it is possible to disagree with it and rely on other poskim.".
""I acted like him, and overturned the Chief Rabbinate's ruling that defined him as a "rabbi," and relied on another rabbi named Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who defined David Stav as a person who is dangerous to Judaism.".
Mimran later tweeted: "Rabbi Stav determined today that the Chief Rabbinate is no longer relevant. That it needs an alternative. The Rabbinate is the one that ordained him as a rabbi. If it is not relevant, he is not a rabbi.".
Mimran's behavior caused a stir on social media, and many media and religious Zionist figures announced that they would boycott the radio station until Mimran issued an apology.
In an interview with Channel 7 today, Rabbi Stav addressed the incident on the air and said: "I want to separate the Haredi public on the one hand and an unethical broadcaster on the other. The Haredi public is a public with good qualities. The reactions I receive from the Haredi public following the incident are amazing and extremely impressive.".
According to Rabbi Stav, "It is difficult for some broadcasters, like some politicians, to manage a culture of controversy with respect. They think that if they want to criticize, they must slander. Rabbi Ariel and Rabbi Druckman also have criticism, but they speak with respect. This does not diminish the severity of the criticism. Our responses are also not weak, but from a common sense perspective. I hope that the culture of discourse will change. It is possible to argue and say pointed things without hurting people or removing them from their positions.".
