Gay-Orthodox-Jewish-Tiktok star exposed for being a Fraud: LGBTQ Efforts to Normalise Homosexuality in Jewish & Muslim Communities

• TikTok star “Yaakov Levi” cosplayed orthodoxy for 3 years. His true identity was exposed through a Twitter thread. 

• When asked about his actions, he said he wanted to inspire people (within the orthodox Haredi community) to “come out”. 

As in all Abrahamic faiths, Judaism strictly prohibits homosexuality

Consequently, Jews perceived Yaakov Levi’s actions as a means to normalise homosexuality within orthodox Jewish communities.

Over the course of three years, TikTok user Yaakov Levi, gained significant attention for his videos that showcased a contradicting blend of identities. Levi claimed to be a member of the strictly orthodox Haredi Jewish community in Israel while also openly identifying as a gay man. Levi garnered a substantial following by “celebrating” the coexistence of these seemingly conflicting aspects of his life.

In his videos, Levi appeared in full religious dress, accompanied by rainbow-colored braces, flags, and umbrellas. His content received millions of likes and attracted over 150,000 followers. Levi’s family even featured in some videos, with his mother shown accepting and supporting him, and his sister participating in comedic skits. 

Additionally, he took part in Pride parades in Tel Aviv and provocatively inserted a Pride flag into Jerusalem’s Western Wall, a sacred site in Judaism. This act outraged many within the Jewish community. 

However, a Twitter thread emerged last month, exposing Yaakov Levi as a fictitious character. It was revealed that Levi’s real name was not Yaakov Levi, and he did not actually belong to the Haredi community. Instead, he came from a liberal, secular background that starkly contrasts with Judaism’s stance on homosexuality. 

Levi’s true identity was revealed to be Erez Oved, an actor

The revelation led to outrage on TikTok, particularly among Jewish viewers who accused Levi of inauthentically portraying orthodoxy.

In a recent interview with inews, Levi said the following regarding his actions: “First of all, I didn’t want it to look like a ‘character’ because I wanted it to look like someone you can really relate to. And I wanted him to inspire people from the community to maybe come out and feel like they’re not alone,” he says. “The fact that he looked real [was] to make people believe that there’s another way or that something like that can happen.”

“…..I think one of the purposes of art is to make positive change. And I saw Yaakov as a fantasy, like a dream I can portray — a utopia. To show a good, supportive family, like I have. The mother [in the videos] is my mother. Our dialogues are not scripted. We are talking and showing how it could be.”

A sustained effort to normalise homosexuality within the Muslim community 

Last year, Western University in Canada posted an image of two females adorned in hijab kissing on their social media account. The university said that the post was made to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. Many commented on the image, saying it was “inappropriate” and that the illustration being portrayed was “disrespectful to the Muslim community.” Following much backlash, the post was consequently removed.

Earlier this year, a “Gay Muslim” was invited to speak at Wood Green Academy, UK. He asserted that homosexuality was allowed in Islam. The Muslim students of the school bravely spoke against the fallacious statements made by the guest speaker. https://youtu.be/RRilDdLKdto

Islam strictly prohibits homosexual acts: 

وَلُوطًا إِذْ قَالَ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ أَتَأْتُونَ ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةَ مَا سَبَقَكُم بِهَا مِنْ أَحَدٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 

“And (remember) Lut (Lot), when he said to his people: ‘Do you commit the worst sin such as none preceding you has committed in the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinn)?”

[al-A’raf 7:80]

Islam prohibits outward displays of immorality in public, such as all illicit relations (whether homosexual or heterosexual). However, unlike other Liberal doctrines, Islam does not impose itself on targeted communities. As we see in the holy Qur’an, Allah says:

لَكُمْt دِينُكُمْ وَلِىَ دِينِ ٦

For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.”

[109:6]