Adhering to the call of HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita and Gedolei Yisrael Shlita, thousands of women and seminary students arrived at the Kosel early Monday morning, taking part in tefilos for Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av 5773. Over 5,000 women reportedly took part in the rosh chodesh tefilla. Egged increased bus service beginning at 05:30 in frum areas of Yerushalayim to permit women wishing to take part to do so.
Gedolei Yisrael called upon the women to come to daven at the Kosel, not to engage in any confrontation with participants of the Women of the Wall (WoW) prayer service.
Baruch Hashem there were so many women, police distanced the Women of the Wall from the Kosel. Police wanted to avoid conflict as the women who daven at the Kosel year round, not just to create a rosh chodesh provocation, outnumbered the Women of the Wall who arrived for their monthly event.
A large police force was on hand, including many undercover policemen who mingled in the crowd, ready to act on a moment’s notice – determined to prevent a confrontation as seen in recent months on rosh chodesh between chareidim and WoW.
For the WoW there was disappointment as they found themselves distanced from the Kosel, pushed away by the thousands of women who understood the significance of adhering to the instructions of Gedolei Yisrael.
“WoW leader Anat Hoffman told Channel 2 TV News “This was the first rosh chodesh we did not even see the Kosel. While police wished to protect us, our intention was to reach the women’s section of the Kosel. The women who davened at the Kosel behaved admirably. The same cannot be said regarding the men. Some of the words heard from them cannot be repeated.
“We are law-abiding and adhered to police. However, regarding the bullies, how is it they receive the largest area and the most space?
“Mehadrin buses are illegal and gender separation is illegal as the High Court ruled and at the Kosel, we cannot be pushed to the rear. This is not proper. We tried speaking with the police commander yesterday asking what arrangements will be in place today but he did not wish to respond.”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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18 Responses
Next thing you know these trouble makers @ WoW will want, and go to court to get the men’s section reduced in size so they can have their own designated section.
Because they put on forbidden items to women, they may even demand intermingling with the men in the men’s section.
Bishvil nashim tzidkaniyos nigalu Yisrael.
This is the way to fight these misguided women!
1. your article fails to mention multiple acts of Haredi citizens throwing eggs, diapers etc – not sure how Torah is defended by such acts taking place at the Kotel!
2. Had the Haredi world not made this an issue, then on each R”H a handful of women at most would be turning up unnoticed, doing their thing and going home. Instead the Haredi world has decided what hashem would prefer tosee at the Kotel causing its international news, a huge Chillul Hashem & WoW has massive PR and many more followers than it deserves to have so Mazeltov – job done!
Shekoyach to our gedolim and to the nashim tzidkaniyos, who faithfully carried out their instructions. Such a beautiful Kiddush Hashem!
“Police wanted to avoid conflict as the women who daven at the Kosel year round, not just to create a rosh chodesh provocation, outnumbered the Women of the Wall who arrived for their monthly event.”
If they daven there year round, why did we need special buses to take them in for Rosh Chodesh? How do they usually get there?
I would be happy to repeat the words heard from the men. I would be happy to repeat them loudly.
B”H- I am Zoche to live in Yerushalaim Ir HaKodesh and there have been times where I – too – could not go in to the place before the Kosel – as it was too full
But even so – these WOW are just looking to provocate trouble and it seems that they have the same amount of provocaters every month – so u see that the “regular secular Israeli” doesnt care
FYI – this issue was already treated in the court and they have a designated place where they can “do their thing” – but this is not enough for them
Kol HaKavod to the women and girls who got there by 6:30 AM
A Gutten Chodesh
PS: Isnt Rav Shteinaman enough of a reason to go (he does NOT rush to get involved in Shtuyot!!!)
How is going every Rosh Chodesh for 20 years a provocation?
#3 you dont know where ‘chillel Hashem’ is applied and where not.It is not applied where you are embarrassed by Gentiles
Women rock!!! especially at Tefillos at the Kosel!!
Anyway we can get the bochurim to daven somewhere else on Rosh Chodesh? How about the kotel hakatan? or by kever Shmuel Hanavi? They are too excitable and rash.
#8 falsesharer: They haven’t been there for anywhere near 20 years wearing talis and tefilin. When they went without talis and tefilin nobody objected. And until 3 months ago the Israeli Police arrested them every month they went there with talis and tefilin. So they’ve never gone long there with their provocative talis and tefilin without being rejected.
#3 which ‘world’ do you belong to?
Great title!!
As someone not privileged to live in Yerushalayim, I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to all the women who got up early this Rosh Chodesh Av and went to daven at the Kosel.
moderators please don’t remove this comment as it does not go against any rules regarding comments.
Where is the halachic issur written for a woman wearing tallis and tfillin.
“your article fails to mention multiple acts of Haredi citizens throwing eggs, diapers etc”
Bovine scatology.
Pics, or it didn’t happen.
To all trying to defend the WOW:
IF you are really sincere and followed all their statements to the media, you will come to the conclusion that they are trying to provoke the Charaidim in order to get publicity. They want to use this publicity to further the agenda of the Reform movement in America. The problem with this agenda is that the Reform have permanently modified many Halachot. According to Torah/Divorim beginning chapter 4(this weeks Torah reading), it is forbidden to change any part of the Torah. The Torah can NOT be changed in Judaism. The Reform (and to a less degree Conservative) movement have tried to make major fundamental changes to our Torah.
The Kosel is significant to Jews because it is the last standing remnant of our Holy Temple and has served our people as a super-holy place of prayer. The women claim to be liberal, worldly, open-minded and compassionate Jews. So what about the very deep emotions of a very large group of fellow Jews that are greatly hurt by their actions and desires to make the Kosel just another national landmark?
No one wants to stop them from praying to our creator. Respect those who were there before. Who are the real Zionists? Who prayed 3 times a day to please return us to Zion? Who prayed after every meal to please return to Zion? These prayers are not once a month or once a week. They are continuous for close to two THOUSAND years. Those Jews wishing to change original Judaism, have never been around very long. Today we find the Reform movement is declining and most studies are predicting their disappearance in the not too distant future.
It seems like the Nashim Tzikaniyos took some of the “WOW” out of the Women of the Wall.
Should they be renamed as Omen f the All?