One recent afternoon, while I was riding on a gender-segregated bus in Jerusalem, an Orthodox woman told me she didn’t mind sitting in back and out of sight, because it helped the men “keep cleanliness of the eyes.” Her reasoning was familiar to me; it followed a logic similar to the rationale behind a men-only path at the Western Wall that was cleared just two years ago so that men would not have to look upon women as they make their way to the Kotel to pray. It’s no coincidence that Jerusalem’s first gender-segregated buses were for routes going to and from the Wall.
If you want a quick lesson on the growing gender segregation and discrimination in Israel, I suggest taking a look at the policies in place at the Western Wall, which are being constantly revised to deny women equal access at this sacred space. Things have changed tremendously in my 21 years of going to pray with Women of the Wall every Rosh Hodesh.
Women of the Wall is sometimes accused of protesting against the “status quo” at the Western Wall. In fact, there is no status quo at the Wall — things change all the time. Men and women used to enter the Western Wall plaza together through the Jewish Quarter’s Dung Gate; in 1994, separate, gender-segregated entrances were created. Within the past decade, women soldiers were still allowed to sing the national anthem during ceremonies at the Wall — now they are instructed to be content with mouthing the words.
People sometimes ask us: “When will you achieve your goal?” This is a question one asks of a general. A general has soldiers, uniforms and a strategy. With Women of the Wall, we don’t know whether 10 or 100 women will show up each month — though we hope for 10,000. We have no uniforms, as we are a pluralistic group and come from all streams of Judaism. As far as strategy, we are only as bold as our least brave member.
Simply put, our goal is to obtain the freedom to pray and to do everything that is halachically permitted for women on the women’s side of the mechitza. This includes reciting prayers together that do not require a minyan, and, yes, most of all, it includes reading from the Torah. (Though it has been many years since we have been able to read from the Torah in the women’s section at the Wall.) At a minimum, we want to be allowed to pray at the Wall for one hour each month, free of injury and fear. This should not be a provocative request.
If I wanted to mount a provocation at the Wall, I certainly wouldn’t do so by inviting a group of modestly dressed women — most of them devoted Orthodox Jews — to show up early in the morning to pray in a manner entirely consistent with Halacha. That some are provoked does not make us provocative. We have been waking up early to pray every Rosh Hodesh for the past 21 years — this is no fad, no political act. It is done for the sake of prayer.
But given Israel’s current religious climate, anything we do will seem unreasonable. The Ministry of Religious Services apparently feels that even an hour a month is too much. Perhaps the religious authorities believe that the Wall has ears and eyes, and that when it hears our prayers and sees us in our tallitot (which, as directed by the police, we wear like scarves, and not in the traditional way worn by men), it is deeply offended.
To the self-proclaimed guardians of the Kotel, our prayers are seen as an act of desecration. That is why Nofrat Frenkel was arrested this past November after praying at the Wall. And it is why I was recently questioned and threatened with felony charges by the police.
Since the recent controversy, Women of the Wall members have been accused of acting as a gateway to bringing about Buddhist chants and Catholic hymns at the Kotel. This “slippery slope” argument implies that those of us in Women of the Wall are not practicing Judaism, but moving one step further away, in the process ushering in non-Jewish religious services at the Wall.
This is not correct. Our prayer is halachic and allows for the entire Jewish world to partake. We are not the slippery slope away from Judaism, but the path toward greater involvement and inclusion.
We are committed to and inspired by the words of Mordecai to Esther that we will read this coming Purim. He tells Esther not to keep silent, and she obeys, telling Mordecai to assemble all the Jews in Shushan in support. The antidote to silence is action; we are now turning to the whole Jewish world, men and women alike, to help us reclaim the Wall for all Jews. HaKotel l’kulam — the Kotel is for all of us.
Anat Hoffman is director of the Israel Religious Action Center of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism and chair of Women of the Wall.
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Kol tov ve yasher koach.
You are a strong and brave women standing up for those of us who can't be present and defending our halachic rights against those who would deny them falsely in the name of religion, a self appointed pseudo Sanhedrin.
My prayers are with you. Thank you.
BS"D
You have no concept of Torah. You have no concept of anything but gratification of your own ego. You know nothing about Judaism, if this is your so-called philosophy.
I hope you are kept far, far away from Torah true folks. I pray we can keep our children clear of the likes of you until you learn about what you are doing and saying, and can do tshuvah.
You make the Kotel un-holy. You desecrate the very soul of Judaism and Jews. Collectively, you are a lost cause. Individually, please G-d, you are all salvageable, and I hope for that more than anything.
Stay away from secularizing our holy places. Stay away from speaking with the children. Stay away from bringing Avodah Zarah amongst any of Israel.
You are definitely a good reason to never look at the Forward again.
Chazak U'Barukh Anat for your courage.
@Sarah Leah-What is wrong with you charedim? You are living in Babylon & yet you persecute people who only want to pray!
@ Sarah Leah Lawent - If you were Charedi you wouldn't be online, just another Born Again Jew taking things to extremes. It's not Judaism, it's a cult.
Want to be really holy - start with cutting out Lishon HaRa'a.
Sarah Leah Lewent says "You make the Kotel un-holy. You desecrate the very soul of Judaism and Jews. Collectively, you are a lost cause. You are definitely a good reason to never look at the Forward again" Sarah Leah Lawent, it's a bit hypocritical to say those things to someone for not following what you believe to be Judaism and by doing this, makes you less religious because you are not showing kindness and respect to other Jews. You need to learn more about Judaism and especially learn about Tisha B'Av, the destruction of the second temple which was caused by the hatred the Jews had for each other.
I've never forgotten a comment from a fellow WOW-er: She joined because Women of the Wall was the only group in Israel where people were willing to renounce their preferences (the Reform and Conservative among us) to accommodate others' reading of halacha (the Orthodox among us). As Anat said, Women of the Wall prays according to Orthodox halacha.
The wall you are referring to is the Al Buraq wall, which has immense significance to Islam. Both your men and your women are provocations to one billion Muslims. If you want to worship whatever you worship, go to Minsk and Las Vegas. Al Quds is ours
Anat- It's interesting that you bring up Mordechai and Esther in your article, because in my opinion, a women's megilla reading (women reading for other women) is a legitimate way to give women a more active synagogue role than women reading Torah for other women and trying to create a "quasi-minyan."
Why is that? Because women are obligated to hear megilla and therefore one woman can fulfill another woman's obligation by reading it to her. An actual mitzvah occurs when this is done.
When women get together to read Torah,the mitzvah of kriyat haTorah is not being fulfilled. That's why the blessing must be borrowed from birkat hashachar and inserted before Torah reading, because there is no mitzvah for women to read Torah in and of itself.
People doubt the sincerity of these groups because in the traditional/halachic view - closeness to God is supposed to be achieved by fulfilling mitzvot that actually exist, not by trying to make something *appear* to be a mitzvah and then doing it.
Ah, the Judge Others and the Absurdly Slippery Slope arguments -- and from those who know but forget the call to us to aspire to something finer:
“for My House shall be called a House of Prayer for all peoples…” Isaiah 56:7
Many blessings Anat-- for your courage--for your caring--there's such a need for all of us to be allowed "under the tent"! I am remembering Purim 14 years ago when WOW had it's first Megilla reading at the Wall--and you handed me your infant son when it was time for you to chant your chapter--the day was beautiful after many days of rain--your older son sat behind you--we were a holy gathering of women, fulfilling a mitzva. I'm so sorry this is so misunderstood-- and for the difficulties it must create in your life. You are a great blessing. May you & your family remain safe and well. Love, Ellen
esthermiriam - Is your response supposed to be in reference to my comment? I didn't make my point in order to judge others, and I don't know what slippery slope you're referring to - I didn't mention one.
In terms of the verse from Isiah, what does that have to do with anything? I'm with Isiah on that one - it's great for all people to pray!
You didn't address the essence of my comment, and maybe it's because there's just not a good answer, but what I'm still wondering is how does performing something that mimicks an actual mitzvah, but is not a mitzvah in and of itself get one closer to God?
"People doubt the sincerity of these groups because..."
If all people did was doubt the sincerity of these groups, we wouldn't be having this discussion at all. We are having this discussion because some people feel that doubting a group's sincerity gives them the right to also threaten, berate, arrest, harrass, abuse and humiliate members of that group. I'm not accusing you of this, AFS, but that's what's happening in the country right now, and you have to pinch yourself to remind yourself that you're in Israel and not Afghanistan.
"That some are provoked does not make us provocative." Truer words were never spoken, Anat. I think of this quote when a I read the rapid commentary that inevitably surrounds the annual gay rights march. People express outrage that others have dared to thus offend them, and I always wonder what gives some people the idea that they have an absolute right not to be offended.
@ Raed Kami - what you call Al Quds is built upon the site of the Temple. Some symbolism there, huh? And it was a part of the Temple construction. Your presence offends a lot of people as well, and not just Jews or Israelis.
The muslim "holiness" of the Kotel is a little late in arriving - not mentioned by the Waqf literature as late as 1990 - probably more as a provocation than anything else.
I was at the wall last week. I have to say that honestly, it did not matter to me that my daughter and I were segregated from my sons and my husband. It was not about who I was with...but about my personal connection to G-d. What is the big deal, anyway?
@ Leslie: I'm glad you had a peaceful experience.
Next time you go to pray at the Kotel, and you are screamed at - when you feel fear because of the hatred being tossed in your direction - when you are *not* permitted to pray or to allow sound to come from your mouths, you will know what the big deal is.
AFS says "but what I'm still wondering is how does performing something that mimicks an actual mitzvah, but is not a mitzvah in and of itself get one closer to God?" Many women go to synagogue on Shabbos to pray because they think that makes them feel closer to God and is what he wants, praying at the wall is the same principle.
There are three elements here. One of them is the "Women of the Wall" (pluralism and equality), the other is the "Haredim" (the Rabbinical Court which has been given authority by the government), and the third is the Israeli people (who have elected the government officials). Hence, we must appeal to Israelis themselves to elect officials who will represent Jews from all backgrounds. We in the diaspora, particularly Americans, have known all branches of Judaism for decades, but in Israel, only those Israelis who have been adversely affected by the dominance of the Haredim understand that the present situation is unfair and must be changed to include all Jews, not only those who are Orthodox.
Dear Anat Hoffman, we are with you, exactly because you put your ego aside and think on all the members of the Jewish People who cannot pray as their minhaguim, with equality and inclusion. You know that what you and de Women of the Wall represent for 21 years is far bigger than any massage to the ego. Shabat shalom, tamshich kacha vaanachnu itach.
Lydia- if women go to shul on Shabbos and pray with a minyan - a mitzvah, i.e. praying with a minyan (answering "amen" to kaddish and various other blessings) occurs. Women are not *obligated* to do this, but they are fulfilling an non-obligatory mitzvah when they do, which according to halacha, is a vehicle towards closness to God.
I understand that the women's prayer group *feels* nice and *feels* "spiritual," but spirituality in the traditional sense is not defined by feelings alone, but rather by the perfomance of mitzvos. A nice feeling along with the mitzvah is an added bonus and certainly something one should strive for whenever possible, but the nice feeling *without* the mitzvah at its root seems to not actually be a vehicle towards closeness to God.
I am a conservative Jew and grew up in an orthodox shul where I was bar mitzvahed. I always wondered why the women sat separately. Where did these rules come from? Do we pray separately, or in a group? Does sitting in a huge sanctuary with people I don't know help me understand G-d any better than sitting with my wife and family? How can an enlightened religion consider women second class?
Over the millennia, the Jewish people have been exposed to customs from other cultures, which Jews have absorbed. The names of the months came from Babylonia, the Yahrzheit candles from German Christians. Other customs began as superstitions, like the 11 month Kaddish after death, the graveside unveiling and so forth. The separation of men and women is not mentioned during Temple times nor practiced. It is a misogynistic custom we absorbed from the MUSLIMS during the Dark Ages. And it doesn't speak well of men, either, when men are considered to have such limited self-control of their sexual urges (assuming that all such urges are evil, of course) that they must hide women from their sight. Should Jewish women, therefore, be made to wear burkas? Logically and religiously, this is a custom the Jewish people could well do without. Anat, I commend your efforts at this integration and those who support you. Women cannot be separate but equal. We all know that.
I normally wholehartedly support liberal causes, but I cant get excited about this one. San Francisco is my Jerusalem, and I worship at Sabellas Seafood Restaurant. Men and women are treated equally at Sabellas. We should give Jerusalem back to the Palestinians and get on with life, dealing with the true issues of our time, such as health care, global warning, and justice to the Palestinian people
AFS says " but the nice feeling *without* the mitzvah at its root seems to not actually be a vehicle towards closeness to God." The author says "If I wanted to mount a provocation at the Wall, I certainly wouldn’t do so by inviting a group of modestly dressed women — most of them devoted Orthodox Jews — to show up early in the morning to pray in a manner entirely consistent with Halacha." Anat has just said that she invites observant women who do the mitzvas to pray at the wall in a Halachic way so by doing the mitzvas and then praying at he wall also enables them to feel closer to God. Women praying at the wall is not just about a nice feeling- it helps them to feel connected to their religion and God and this is very important.
A survey was carried out to find out women's opinions on Judaism and the communnity in the UK (more than half of those who responded belong to an Orthodox Synagogue). http://www.bod.org.uk/file/ConnectionContinuityCommunity.pdf The survey says "if men's halachic role underpins their relationship with synagogue life, it is not surprising that without such underpinning women in many communities feel disenfranchised. Englightened attitudes towards female participation can greatly enhance how connected women feel to their Judaism, and more importantly, the extent to which they can in turn insprire and enable their children to connect with their Jewish heritage". When women feel connected to Judaism and God by their role in the synagogue and by praying, which is what this report has found it enables them to feel more positive about their religion so they are more likely to do the mitzvas.
Doubting the sincerity of a group is not a good enough reason to stop them from praying. If you really believe in God then leave it to him to judge a person's sincerity- Why do people think they are able to play the role of God in judging people's sincerity. A group of women praying at the wall according to Halacha that includes Orthodox modestly dressed observant women can't be seen as going down any slippery slope because it shows they are accommodating different Jews and not trying to offend anyone.
Bravo.
Beautifully written.
As an Orthodox Rabbi with broader views than those who control the Kotel I completely empathize with your point of view. We all benefit from your efforts at the Wall.
Eliyahu Fink Rabbi Pacific Jewish Center http://finkorswim.com
This sexual obsession with separation of the genders is a form of kinky all onto itself. I grew up in Orthodox Jerusalem. Men and women were divided by gender at shul, and that was all that was necessary. Talk about a slippery slope -- what is next? Separate supermarkets, separate shuks? Men and women cannot share the sidewalk? Are we going to wake up one day to a law requiring women in Mea Shearim wear Burkas?
It is not Modern Orthodoxy that is deviating from the path. It is unfortunately Ultra Orthodoxy, in responding to the modern world, which slipped aggressively to the right.
As for women not being *required* to fulfill mitzvot: Young women can have a Bat Mitzvah where they declare an oath publicly onto God that they are taking on "Ol Mitzvot" ("The Burdens of Jewish Law") upon themselves. Such an oath would make women as *required* to fulfill Mitzvot as are Jewish men. If such an oath taken by a gentile can convert him to Judaism, why can't such an oath taken by a Jewish woman bring her into "ol mitzvah?" Would Ultra-orthodox men be willing to demand that women violate their oaths before God?
AFS, if what your saying is right and women should not pray at the wall or wear a tallit because it is not a mitzva, then by that same reasoning no women should ever go to any synagogue because by going to synagogue they are not fulfilling any mitzva which according to you is doing their own thing. It would be hypocritical for any rabbi to tell women not to wear a tallit and pray at the wall because it is not a mitzva but that it is acceptable for them to go to synagogue which is also not a mitzva and which they are also doing to feel closer to God.
When I said that by going to synagogue women are not fulfilling any mitzva I meant they don't have to go to synagogue. If praying at the wall is not doing a mitzva according to you then you are also saying that going to synagogue is not a mitzva.
Exodus 28....And the STONES shall be with the names of children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every onw with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.
The Twelve Tribes---Israel and Judah
It is written....Jeremiah 31...Behold, the daysss coooome(every generation DNA), saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over THEM, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD.
The idol was dedicated to the cross, the mass and the rituals and customs of other religions....you understand...but your own idol you do not. G-D dwells in His people...
Example, say the Vatican fell, my the hand of G-D, and the St. Peter's square which surrounds the Egyptian obelis the symbolism that did not originate in christianity but is rooted deep within paganism. Would you see them run and cry over the great wealth and importants of this ....one of the words for it.....matzebah....meaning "standing images"....This word is used in 1Kings 14:23, 2 Kings 18:4, 23:14; Jeremiah 43:13, Micah 5:13 The LORD displeasure with any thing we erect or hold up that is deeped in sin, the warning of G-D is upon them.
How sad it is that Anat Hoffman fails to call for support of our ancient traditions. All she would have to do is look at the archival photos, pictures, drawings, paintings and woodcuts of the Kotel(there aren't that many). Before May 14, 1948, the day upon which the State of Israel was declared, there was no mechitzah at the Kotel. Men and women mingled and prayed together freely--as they should today!
Rabbi Merrill Shapiro,my friend thank you, for what you stated...that we should pary together freely ....I am reminded of this verse in Ps.19.
May the words of my mouth (your mouth) and the meditation of my heart (your heart) be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Thank you, for you good heart.
The temples, had gates....each gate that nehemiah repaired seemed to have has a symbolic message for all of us. It is written..Jer. 32..Behold, I am the LORD, the G-D of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me. TELL HIM NO, and listen, obey, and return, say HERE I AM, LORD, HERE I AM ----I NEED REPAIR, HEAL ME.
This is the message at this gate---the Dung gate. The people of Jerusalem carried their trash , refuse, and dung out to the Tyropoeon Vally where there was a garbage dump. In every one of our lives, there are those things that must be disposed, to serve G-D in truth and in wisdom, to hear him in the hidden part, were truth will make us to know.
This is the message of repentance; Repentance not only renounces sin, better yet it kicks it out, and with the covenant of day and night we make a vow, to keep it out. We must remember Jacob our forefathers who entered in the House of G-D, made a vow, so that G-D would keep him in that state of peace(sin was kicked out) he could come again into the HOUSE OF HIS FATHER, above, were he was feed given drink, and a covering. Written in Gen.28. The garbage that man puts in his mouth does not defile him before G-D, it is what comes out of his mouth that defiles him, before the Living The food and drink, from the house of G-D, our spiritual food, that will supstain us above as well as below, this food is pure, and we are to eat.
What we put to wear here that will not prefect our holiness, but the raiment that our forefather asked G-D for will be the raiment that covers us above and below, as it is written in Gen.28.
What got me started on thinking of this today, is that I was reading Jeremiah....and the Rechabites . And it started me to think.... Have you ever thought about them? I been thinking all night about them and today their still on my mind.
The point being....this group that lived in Israel oneyed man, and not G-D, they did not know Him. The laws they all keeped were of a foefather, I forgot his name, sorry. But...in Jeremiah....it states that the Jews who knew their Father'S law, did not obey, or listen to , nor did they pay attention to what G-D tells them, their ears were turned. So, who were they hearing??? Was it man, they were listen to...and following man, and not G-D? Is this the reason, G-D speaks of the Rechabites? I looked them up in Malchijah (of the Rechabit tribe) who helped repair the Dung Gate in the days of Nehemiah.
And also...they were to be ruler of the district of Bethhakkerem (the house of the vineyard) the thing....that makes me think....is that it states in Jeremiah...that they did not drink, it was their law that their father set down for them to obey. So, what do you think,? did, the blessing G-D placed on them, also brought in their...salvation, and repentance, and did they turn to see and hear to call of G-D upon them? Think---regarding the wine....What is G-D saying and showing us to do?
Anat, kol hakavot!
THESE MEN (he self-proclaimed guardians of the Kotel, as you call them) ARE NOTHING BUT TALIBANS WITH PEYES! Shame on them!
And many blessings to you Anat-- for your courage to show the truth behind this misogenic view of life and jewish rights.