Minister of Religious Services Yaakov Margi promises to investigate and take immediate action following the storm that erupted after it was learned that security cameras were installed in men’s and women’s mikvaos in Yerushalayim.
The balaniyot (caretakers) stated the move represents an unacceptable invasion of privacy. It appears in recent days, letters of complaint have reached rabbonim including Maran R’ Elyashiv Shlita, Chacham Ovadia Shlita and chareidi MKs, reporting that over recent weeks, the cameras began popping up outside mikvaos in the capital.
The balaniyot call the situation absurd, explaining the cameras transmit real-time pictures from a place that is intended to be as discreet as possible, explaining the entire matter of women going to mikva is sensitive, private and one that should not be broadcast over security cameras via the internet.
Interestingly, the daily Yisrael HaYom reports when they asked religious council officials, they denied the presence of cameras but when they checked the sites as per the letters of complaint, they found a number of cameras, including six at one men’s mikva. (It should be pointed out that in many cases; the women’s mikva is adjacent to the men’s mikva).
Adding to the anguish are the fears of the balaniyot, who insist the new security precautions present halachic and safety problems, citing the automatically locking doors, which they fear will result in someone being locked in. They add new security arrangements at an entrance render the facility inaccessible for the disabled, an unacceptable situation. In other cases, the electronic security passage is too narrow for heavier women to pass through they add.
Margi promises to make this a high priority and take necessary action.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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5 Responses
who authorized the cameras to begin with?
This does not make sense. My wife tells me that there has been a camera at the mikva for years. The door is locked and the women are buzzed in. This is for security. Would they rather have a shomer sit outside? Do you want a situation where a terrorist [r”l] or crazy person can enter at will?
jewinjerusalem – This article is not clear. The first paragraph implies that the cameras are indoors, but the second paragraph implies they are outdoors. I am guessing that what they mean is that they have cameras indoors. The main problem here is that the cameras are broadcasted over the net. Even if they are secured they can be hacked into by the right person, especially if they were installed by someone that is not an expert in encryption. Furthermore, if they are indoors then we have to worry about the technician himself. He has the password and can access it easily.
If, however, the camera’s are only outdoors I don’t really know if that is so problematic. After all, people can always see them coming out of the mikvah building. There is only so much privacy that one can provide.
As far as the locking doors, the issue according to the article, is getting locked in, not out (which I admit sounds strange they’d set it up in a way that you can get locked in).
I guess in the end you are right, it doesn’t make too much sense. 🙂
1. Have they had a problem of crime or terrorism at mikvos?
2. Who is watching the images produced by the cameras (Youtube, the Police, the Mikva caretaker, the Mikva’s own security guard?)
3. Has anyone confirmed the cameras are connected to a viewing system (it’s much cheaper to put out a camera than to connect it to a viewing network)
according to Arutz Sheva, the images recorded by these cameras are sent to the offices of security companies.
now we can clearly see the concerns.
who put up these cameras? and why can they not be set up so that they are only connected to the mikva women inside -so they can see who they are buzzing in (for this we can understand and appreciate there use).