A popular young, orthodox journalist, who is strict with his Yarmulke-wearing, Yair Cherky, came out of the closet in a social media statement that received positive feedback from politicians and celebrities all across Israel's social spectrum.
Cherky wrote on Tuesday evening: "Due to avoiding the sorrow of my very good and beloved father and mother, and the sorrow of the place where I grew up and which I love; but now I am thirty years old. And I write not because I have the strength to write, but because I do not have the strength to live like this anymore; And for my son who has not yet come into the world. I love men. I love men and I love the Holy One, blessed be He," he wrote.
Famous Israeli Haredi journalist, @yaircherki last night announced “I love men & Hashem”.
— Chaim • חיים (@ChaimSmierc) February 15, 2023
He was brave. Not because of the response of love & acceptance from the whole of Israeli society. But for the difficulty he will face from his community.
Sending him lots of love & support❤️ https://t.co/5yt8bZ9yAC pic.twitter.com/UeJnqDeLQX
Cherky received a lot of support among ministers and members of the Knesset from many factions in the legislature and also from former officials in the political system.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eli Cohen, is the most senior in the government who has congratulated Cherky so far. Cohen, who was in Turkey at the time, wrote: "You moved me! I wish you happiness." Another Likud member, the Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar wrote: "I am sure that the Holy One, blessed be He, loves you too." The Minister of Education, Yoav Kish, also responded: "Cherky you moved me! I appreciate your courage and wish you happiness."
One of the most important Orthodox journalists in Israel, Yair Cherki, just came out. "I love men and I love God. That's not a contradiction." ❤️ ❤️ https://t.co/00i5tHmw1G
— Shayna Weiss (@shaynamalka) February 14, 2023
Another minister who congratulated the journalist is the Minister of the Negev, the Galilee and national resilience, Yitzhak Wesarlauf of Otzma Yehudit, who commented on Cherky’s post with a red heart. Along with supporters of the minister's blessing from Ben Gvir's party, the Speaker of the Knesset, MK Amir Ohana, who is a self-proclaimed homosexual and father, also commented with a red heart.
אוהב אותך אח יקר. וגאה בך מאד.
— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett) February 14, 2023
The opposition also embraced Cherky. The chairman of the opposition, MK Yair Lapid, congratulated Cherky: "Sending you a hug, for your courage, for your sensitivity, for your inner honesty. You moved a lot of people today, you brought good into the world, and you taught us a lesson in courage."
In the last few weeks Israel’s fragile consensus has been hijacked by fundamental extremism!
— Ran Harnevo (@harnevo) February 11, 2023
Yair Cherky, a highly acclaimed journalist at Israel’s biggest news network, explains where we are.
We’re in a fight to defend our democracy Please share it to your communities! pic.twitter.com/Bs86Pmgkab
In his post, Cherky also referred to his internal conflict between his love for god and his homosexuality. "I live the conflict between my sexual preference and faith all the time. There are those who have resolved the conflict for themselves by saying that there is no God, and others explain that there is no homosexuality. I know that they both exist. And I try to reconcile this contradiction within me in all kinds of ways. These are things between a person and god".
