The Women of the Wall (WoW) organization members and supporters were at the Kosel on erev Shabbos 1 Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan as they are every rosh chodesh. One of the women brought a small Sefer Torah in her bag and therefore they did not have to request using a Torah from the men’s side of the Kosel, registering a major victory after decades of fighting to daven and read from a Sefer Torah on rosh chodesh.
There is a 2013 Jerusalem District Court ruling permitting women to read from a Sefer Torah at the Kosel but the regulations of the Kosel permitting one to use the Sifrei Torah from the Kosel exclusively. Since the women were not given a Torah from the men’s side, the court ruling did not change the status quo.
Rabbi of the Kosel & Holy Sites Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz responded harshly and added in the future they will be prevented from bringing in a small Sefer Torah as all other men and women are prohibited from doing.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
Did they bring it into the toilet with them…What did we do to deserve these rashaim.
Oh boy – women with too much time on their hands.
Its a non story! A bunch of weird hotheads who are very bored. Their numbers are dwindling across the world.
Lets just ignore them and they go away.
Relax, #1, it was probably a photocopy like the ones my eineklach “use” on Simchat Torah. They wouldn’t know pasul from kosher if it bit them. Note how it was in a “bag” – not wrapped, not taken care of, probably next to her lunch & general shopping.
Leah Aharoni is both brilliant and righteous
Hopefully klal yiroel will be further impacted by her activism
If there was an award for leadership and excellence in the frum world, Leah Aharoni would win.
Does she do speaking tours?
Multiple terrorist attacks in the past week, and Jerusalem ‘ s police are out in force to stop…torah scrolls…unsuccessfully.
I don’t know which is more worrysome — the distorted priorities or the lack of success.
“Leah Aharoni”
Her arguments against Women of the Wall have been devoid of halachic content. I would have hoped that the standards for “brillant” and “excellence” in the frum world were a bit higher.
Computerbubby, I think you should relax.
According to Israeli media the “bag” was a tallis bag. You can be sure the torah was looked after properly.