center in Ashod has four synagogues that serve more than 1,200 worshippers, a yeshiva with over 300 full-time students, and a soup kitchen that provides 3,000 meals a day. Pinto has also established a network of yeshivas in Israel, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York in the U.S. In October 2010, Pinto led thousands to Silistra, Bulgaria, for an annual pilgrimage in homage of Eliezer Papo. During his stay in Bulgaria, Pinto held a meeting with 80 Jewish American businessmen, asking them to invest $5 billion in the Israeli economy. In March, 2020, Pinto called upon the Jews of Morocco and the global Jewish community to comply with governmental regulations intended to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, in response to reports of Orthodox Jewish Haredi communities around the world defying restrictions on their traditional lifestyle. Business career Pinto has extensive connections in the real estate community in New York, including an executive with Metropolitan Real Estate Investors and one with Ilan Bracha of Prudential Douglas Elliman. His followers include Jay Schottenstein (chairman of the American Eagle Outfitters clothing company) and real estate mogul Jacky Ben-Zaken. Pinto has been characterized as "something between a guru and a Hasidic rebbe" and as a "mystically inclined" Kabbalist with an interest in the esoteric elements of the Jewish tradition". Although Pinto has no formal business background, a number of prominent Israeli and Jewish-American businessmen have visited him for consultation, including talk-show host Donny Deutsch; jeweler Jacob Arabo ("Jacob the Jeweler"); former Congressman Anthony Weiner. Prominent non-Jews who have consulted with Pinto include New York City politician Michael Grimm and basketball player LeBron James. Pinto has said that he does not consider his help to be advice, saying instead that "It’s more of a blessing". Politicians and businessmen who have visited Pinto in Israel include Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman, former Bank of Israel governor Jacob Frenkel, and Israeli soccer star Guy Levy. Because of Pinto's influence, he has been called the "rabbi to the business stars", and was described by Yoel Hasson, a Kadima member of the Knesset, as having connections and influence with a number of people in Israeli politics. According to an article in the Globes business journal, in June 2012, Forbes Israel named Pinto as one of the 10 wealthiest rabbis in Israel, "with a fortune of NIS 75 million" "based on organizational holdings" such as "charitable activities and properties". Political career In