Women of the Wall are working hard to arrange for a national Chanukah candle lighting event in the women’s section of the Kosel. Rabbi of the Kosel and Holy Sites Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz is opposed, as is Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita, who earlier this week announced the women’s motivation is not sincere, but rather to change the status quo at the Kosel.
On the organization’s Facebook page, they write, “Just as Women of the Wall marks 27 years of struggle for women’s rights at the Kotel, a new step: A Supreme Court petition against the ban on Torah for women at the Kotel. Anat Hoffman, Women of the Wall Chair: ‘This petition is further proof that women in Israel want to read Torah at the Kotel. Israeli society is primed for this historic intersection. This petition is a direct result of Judge Moshe Sobel’s 2013 District Court decision, in which the rights of Women of the Wall to read Torah at the Kotel were confirmed.’ Despite Rabinowitz’s continuing efforts to deny women access to Torah scrolls at the public site, Women of the Wall have managed to read Torah at the Kotel 6 times this year.
“Hoffman continued, ‘On Hanukah, Rabbi Rabinowitz has the opportunity to prove to the Jewish world that he is committed to resolving this conflict, by inviting women to participate in a national candle-lighting ceremony at the Kotel.’”
The Attorney General’s Office has written to Rabbi Rabinowitz, citing the importance of including women in state ceremonies.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
Let us not forget to ‘thank’ the charedi politicians and all the violent protesters who propelled the WoW to fame and position.
Let them go to learn in Kolel.
Yosef Hatzadik is 17 years old, and is already a Shephard together with his brothers.
So who is sitting in the Beis Hamedrash? Let them go.
I think the WallNuts should be sent to the nut house!
How about a tree lighting?
They want the publicity – they should be totally ignored. They don’t act like people that keep the Torah – wonder if they even keep shabbos – just enjoy being spiteful to the Frum People that are serious about praying at the western wall
These women of the wall are not described properly. Just add an f. Now they are correctly described. They are the WOMEN OFF THE WALL.
I think judaism is unfair to men. We don’t get to light shabbos candles (unless no women are around).
I HEREBY PUSH FOR THE MEN’S SECTION OF THE KOTEL TO HAVE A PUBLIC WEEKLY SHABBOS CANDLE LIGHTING.
when people go up to Har HaBayit, the liberals yell, “STATUS QUO, STATUS QUO!”
But when the liberal (and anti Jewish) woe men of the wall want to light Hanukkah candles or read the sefer Torah, they yell, “EQUALITY”.
Didn’t anyone notice the hypocrisy of the liberals???
Isn’t that what Robinson’s Arch is there for? To give these lunatics a platform to do their thing? Let them light there, in the daytime so we can all see.
Question: aren’t women obligated to light Chanukah licht if there isn’t a man to do it for them? Just checking.
And I ‘thank’ Yagel Libi #1 for constructive, well-documented comments. Instead of focusing on the real threat, Yagel chooses to blame “the charedim” — again. Way to go! Is there anything the charedim are not guilty of? Chances are of course, that my “non-achdus promoting” comment won’t get published.
IMHO their neshomas are screaming out to us: “Daven for us. Daven to get us out of the klipos we’ve fallen into.” Rav Arye Shechter, shlita, was once speaking at a religious rally in Ramat Gan when a group of hostile Meretzniks came along to make trouble. Said R’ Arye, “I really like Meretz since a lot of their members eventually do teshuva and then they become among the strongest supporters of Torah. Just think, of everyone in Ramat Gan, who else cares enough about when they believe is right to come out and try to do something about it? So we have to honor them, not for who they are now but for what they have the potential to become.” With that about 5K people at the rally greeted the Meretzniks with smiles and outstretched hands, and they of course turned and ran away as fast as they could. So I think those who come out to protest what the Women of(f) the Wall are doing should show them big signs saying, “We’re davening for you to do teshuva and let your neshomos realize their full potential.”