Eyal Tzionov, who declared himself the messiah on TikTok, gave an interview to Channel 13 at the Mahane Yehuda market
In the interview, Tzionov explained the origin of his outfit: it turned out that his followers gave him the luxurious robe as a gift for the holiday of Purim. Since then, this look has become his signature style, and he is invited to give various lectures exclusively in this attire.
The blogger especially emphasized that he has absolutely no intention of impersonating the Chief Rabbi. In his defense, he provided a historical argument, noting that such clothing is not the exclusive “uniform” of a single person—in the past, similar garments were traditionally worn by spiritual leaders from Jaffa, Ramla, and many other communities.
Eyal Tzionov is an Israeli TikToker, prankster, and internet personality known for appearing in public places wearing the luxurious robe of the Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel. He is often called the “preacher from AliExpress” or the “doppelganger” of Rabbi David Yosef.
At the recent state torch-lighting ceremony on Mount Herzl, he managed to pass security control in his costume. Many attendees, including well-known politicians, mistook him for the real Chief Rabbi and approached him for a blessing.
Recently, the Sephardic Community Committee of Jerusalem sent Tzionov a warning letter. They categorically demanded that he take off the Rishon LeZion robe and stop misleading the public, otherwise, lawsuits for fraud will be filed against him.
