[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
(REPOSTED FROM FRIDAY)
Thousands of mispallalim adhered to the call of Gedolei Yisrael Shlita and came to the Kosel Friday morning, Rosh Chodesh Sivan 5773. The overwhelming majority of participants came to daven on Rosh Chodesh in line with the instructions by Maranan V’Rabbanan Shlita, to avoid any and all confrontation with the Women of the Wall (WoW) while being MeKadesh Shem Shomayim.
Unfortunately, while Gedolei Yisrael Shlita stressed participants should come to daven and set an example, making a point of instructing the tzibur to remain calm, a small number of mispallalim took matters into their own hands, and as expected, that is what captured the local media. The small number, “tens” according to police, managed to turn the tide of the morning tefilos as they began throwing objects at Women of the Wall and the policepersons surrounding them to provide protection.
Shortly after 06:30, the Women of the Wall found themselves under attack with water, plastic chairs, coffee and anything else in the area that could be picked up and hurled. At least three chareidim were detained for questioning. Police were also hit with objects during the mayhem and a number of policemen sustained light injuries.
HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita, Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita and HaGaon HaRav Dov Lior each instructed their respective communities to attend the tefilla on Rosh Chodesh morning to show the world that while a small number of women feel their way is correct, the majority of the Jewish People do not agree and have come to show what true davening is as well as the proper conduct of bnos Yisrael at the Kosel.
For the past decades, the Women of the Wall organization has been waging a tenacious war to hold prayer events in the ezras noshim area of the Kosel while adorned in tallis and tefilin.
On hand this Rosh Chodesh were MKs Miri Regev (Likud) and Tamar Zandberg (Meretz). Zandberg is quoted by Ynet describing the scene as “tumultuous and exciting,” saying those objecting to the female group’s right to pray at the site have shown themselves to be seeking antagonism at any cost. Gilad Kariv of the Reform Movement accused the chareidim of “desecrating” the kedusha of the holy site. Kosel Rav Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz described the painful sight of seeing the desecration and provocative actions of the women, now backed by the decision of the Jerusalem District Court.
Jerusalem Police Chief Yossi Pariente told the press that his people were prepared and hundreds of police were assigned to protecting the women, creating protective rings around them in order to keep others distanced while they held their prayer service. When asked to sum up the situation, he stated “there were a few isolated incidents,” seemingly pleased with the realization that despite the potential for total chaos the violence was limited and brought under control relatively quickly. Pariente added that for him, he hopes the controversy will be resolved by next Rosh Chodesh because he thinks the Kosel should be a place for tefilos, not controversy.
The women were escorted out of the Kosel Plaza under heavy police guard and there were a number of incidents as they left the area, resulting in police detaining additional chareidim.
In the meantime, Jewish Agency for Israel Chairman Natan Sharansky is moving ahead with a plan in which he hopes the Kosel Plaza will be expanded to accommodate add a third section, one that will accommodate egalitarian prayer.
Rabbonim Shlita continue to condemn the actions of these women who are dedicated to their provocative actions which are not in line with the mesora of the Jewish People.
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(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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20 Responses
Honeslty, their husbands dont even know what krias hatorah is, and they want to lein?
Why don’t they give them a area on Har Habayis – the Reform have no problem with that – I”m sure our Muslim cousins will be very accommodating of other ways of praying.
Can’t the chareidim protest anything without throwing things? Honestly, the better thing would be for the Gedolim to instruct their minions to simply ignore these women. After all, it’s really up to God to decide what to do with them, not HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita, Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita and HaGaon HaRav Dov Lior.
#2: I have an even better idea: we should give these women of the wall a spot on har habayit with the gay Muslim friends and see how the Muslims react…lets see if they will be allowed to pray there again. It seems that Judaism is damned if its not a religion of complete tolerance; the only way we will ever be respected as a nation and people is when we are capable of saying enough is enough and stick to basic law.
This time next year there will be no one left for the womens ‘minyan’. I am frum. However I receive publications from my wife’s place of employment (a conservative shul). They struggle to attain a once monthly brotherhood Sunday minyan. AND they count men and women. A gay/lesbian minyan was established elsewhere for another reform temple (no joke), after six months it was cancelled due to low support from their own population. The point of my opinion is that let this event blow over. We have seen time and time again that these unappealing changes to Yiddishkeit do not survive long.
I don’t understad what the problem is. What are the Rabbonim getting all upset about? Lipman paskened that its ok!
Those “tens” who threw stuff at the Women of the Wall ruined the whole point of the gathering. Although, it’s not even a little bit surprising. How did the organizers not realize this would happen?
These Women Off the Wall must have been overjoyed to see the protesters since they crave attention and hate to be ignored. Tzidkonious, they’re not.
The WOW don’t crave attention. They’ve been doing this for 8 years or more.
If the Charedim really wanted to daven for unity and not protest, they would have done this yesterday.
Baruch Hashem thousands upon thousands of Frum girls came to daven at the Kosel early, and thereby crowding out these reshoyim provocateurs who couldn’t get close to the Kosel.
I don’t understand a number of you! Lets set the record straight. There were several thousand chareidim there. But only a mere few got hot-headed. This was despite the fact that we all know that the wow came to bait. So, I don’t accept the criticism.
Positive outcome that Bennett should take notice. This was the first demonstration by Torani Jews since the creation of the state that crossed Mizrachi and Charedi groups. If he continues waltzing with Lapid he will see a joint aguda degel and tekuma list running for the next election.
will see a joint aguda degel and tekuma list running for the next election.
That would be amazing and at least 10 Knesset seats in the making.
#3, do you think you have as much seichel or kedusha or yedias hatorah as a discarded toenail of HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita, Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita?
I happen to think that laughter or disdain would be a fine tactic, but I leave policy to policy makers. Grass roots is fine for Western Democracy. It worked fine in the French Revolution, didn’t it?
zionflag; this will never happen as long as some-emphasis,some- in the chareidi world continue to look at their own sectarian world and ignore the fact that there is an israel out there who waits to accept them, as long as they shoulder some of the burden.
not exactly sure why everyone’s SO convinced that WOW of the world are davening there just for attention. isn’t it POSSIBLE that these woman are acting lsheim shamayim, and (in their eyes) revolutionizing prayer for women?
of course, you have every right to disagree with them, but don’t act like anyone who acts differently is just an attention addict… All that does is show a desperate attempt to demonize the other group
Perhaps the answer is to engage these women positively and show what real yiddeshkeit is. However, utltimately the Court has said they are entitled to daven in accordance with their own minhag, even if we find it offensive. I personally think this WOW group includes both those seeking attention and seeking to make a feminist statement and many who really think this is an appropriat way to show ahavas hashem. In any case, violent reactions are wrong and should be punished.
“In the meantime, Jewish Agency for Israel Chairman Natan Sharansky is moving ahead with a plan in which he hopes the Kosel Plaza will be expanded to accommodate add a third section, one that will accommodate egalitarian prayer.”
Do NOT do this! I do not think Hashem will be happy. If you do this, you should put in a section for Christians, a section for Muslims, and a section for Jedi Knights.
“Gilad Kariv of the Reform Movement accused the chareidim of “desecrating” the kedusha of the holy site.”
What does a “reform” Jew know about kedusha? The very concept of vihyisem kidoshim, to be muvdalim min haAmim, is foreign to their theology.
The reshayim here are not tipshuts of these female pathetic missguided menuvalos but the fardreate fruma non toire reshaim who make the chillul hashem at the kosel
#19 is %100 right