Yaakov Mutzafi

An anti-Zionist, in his later years Mutzafi served as the Av Beth Din of the Sephardi Edah HaHaredith, and rabbi of the Shemesh Sedaqah Synagogue in Jerusalem.

Mutzafi married the daughter of Sasson Dangour, founder of Yeshivath Dorshei Torah, where he would subsequently continue his studies alongside Silman Hugi Aboudi.

During the late 1930s, the British-backed Kingdom of Iraq was coming under increased pressure from pro-German Arab nationalists who were constantly agitating against the royal government, with Jews and other minorities caught in the middle.

Mutzafi raced to open up the gates of Midrash Bet Zilkha to the surviving Jews who were evicted from their homes, and arranged for their upkeep via donations received from philanthropists in the community.

Mutzafi shared the same beliefs as his fellows in the Edah regarding their disassociation from the Israeli government, most notably regarding the ban on taking part in elections to the Knesset,[2] even encouraging participation in Neturei Karta demonstrations.