The Women of the Wall have filed a formal protest with Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rav of the Kosel and holy sites, demanding some type of protection from the winter weather, pointing out that men are permitted to enter the covered areas while they are left outside in the rain.
During past years, in the winter season, a number of requests were filed with the rav’s office to provide a temporary solution for the women’s section. This year, a group calling itself “Youths for Yerushalayim” (צעירים למען ירושלים ) have joined the battle, demanding Rabbi Rabinowitz’s immediate intervention.
They are calling on the rabbi to build a covering to protect women from rain towards enabling women to daven during the winter.
“We are happy the winter began with a full force, an abundance of rain, and now rain season is upon us, presenting new challenges, such as last Shabbos, when the skies opened with a force, and the downpour did not permit women to daven at the Kosel or to visit”, they write in their letter to Rabbi Rabinowitz.
Rabbi Rabinowitz’s office hasn’t yet responded.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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12 Responses
Don’t understand the law suit. The women have three places to go. The room off to the left, the Ezras Nashim in the Mearah as well as the place in the tunnels opposite te Kodshei Hakodashim. I uderstand that all they want to do is make trouble, but this aint gonna fly.
They SHOULD build something. Blazes.
They’re actually making a good point! I never thought about that!
Solution: swap men and women sections every week so two weeks of each month one side will have access to Wilson.
It’s not a mitzva for them to daven with a minyan (minyeness?)they can stay home in inclement weather or bring raincoats, boots and umbrellas.
Tell them to stay home like a good tzniusdika woman!
troubledkid – the spot by the Kodesh Kedoshim can only be accessed when they open up at 530 AM (or something like that. After that you can’t get in.
The place in the tunnels isn’t always open either. I was there one year then and I tried to go in but they didnt’ let and pushed me out even though it was pouring buckets (and I wasn’t being aggressive at all. Just trying to go in.)
And, have you ever seen the little room? Its not very large so it works for a few people (tops 10 and even that is pushing it!) but after that, its full.
These women do have a point and I hope that some sort of compromise is worked out.
What have wmen done till now??? Well, I dont hear any orthodox gals complaining. When the Temple stood, was there roofing to hide from the rain?
I think these gals are wanting to be able to tie their teffilin and lain Torah during the rain too. They do want to start more trouble. I think its why the tunnel is on the mens side, since men wear teffilin and read Torah on rainy days.
I dont think many women who go regularly to the Kotel, would want part of their area by the wall closed in. Maybe back by the mised plaza put up a roofed area for those who want to escape the rain when it comes down hard.
#1 (troubledkid)is 100% right (except that it is off to the right, not the left). There are 3 areas for women to daven during the rainy season as opposed to the men who have only one covered area. Neither plazas have coverage. That’s the way it’s always been. Why should these women receive any greater privilege than anybody else?
PURE HAUGHTINESS!!!!!!!!
“Women OFF the Wall” are just a bunch of trouble-makers! They’re SOOOO frum they have to daven at the Kotel, but ask them if they are shomrot Shabbat, or if they observe taharat hamishpacha! The ‘conservative’ movement does not even aspire to see the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash. They removed references to karbanot from their ‘prayer books’ decades ago, but they have to come to the Kotel? They’re just like the toaiyva chevra that want to get a hechsher on their traif ways.
Yes, there SHOULD be a sheltered area for women at the Kotel, but NO area for this bunch.
whatever bunch is there i think it’s a basic chesed to give a request like this. obviously there must be more to what’s going on here but on the surface level it’s a basic request. and there is a tzad in R’ Shlomo Zalman that there is a maylah for women to daven with a minyan. obviously she’s not mitztaref but her tefillos are more mekuabel when with a minyan.
to #5 and #6: you mean the same way Chana stayed home and didnt daven and didnt have a son named shmuel? or have you not gotten to that part of the torah yet?