100,000 people attended the funeral of former Chief Rabbi of Israel Mordechai Eliyahu. The ceremony was held on Monday night at Jerusalem's Mount Menuhot ceremetery. Current Chief Rabbi Yonah Metzger cried as he delivered a eulogy to the Sephardi Chief Rabbi who served from 1983 to 1993. Leading figures including Rabbi Ovadia Yosef attended the funeral as well as knesset members and local leaders, both religious and non religious including Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barakat. The Head of Rabbi Eliyahu's office Rav Shmuel Zaphrani read aloud a prayer found in Rav Eliyahu's pocket the day he died. Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu was considered a spiritual giant of the religious zionist community in Israel and was widely respected and admired. He died at the age of 81. .
