Should Girls go to Rallies?

I think it might depend on the what the rally was about.If there were a rally for Israel or for Jewish causes, I would be ashamed of my daughter for not wanting to be there, if the cause was important. Sometimes the political world needs merely to see NUMBERS of people, in order to take note of a cause and attach importance to it. Men only represent approximately half of our population. The more people, male AND female, who are present, the better the representation. Political rallies helped to free Soviet Jewry. Ask Natan Scharansky his opinion about girls coming to rallies.

Nothing is untzniusdig, UNLESS it is conducted in an untzniusdig way.

Out of total curiousity (no cynicism), how would a rally be considered untznius?

It doesn’t pas for a Bas Yisroel to be at any rally no matter what!

Being at a rally, and having excuses for her presence, is only a way of rationalizing what she had no business going to!

A siyum is indoors and seated, thus incomparable to a rally where one parades themselves around.

Don’t give Volvie a hard time. He has who to rely on. Rambam said women should leave the house only once, or at most twice, a month.

It depends on how you define “good causes.” Using your earlier example, I certainly wouldn’t include the Israel Day Parade in that category. OTOH, if you are talking about a Tehilim Rally, where you have masses of Klal Yisroel coming out and davening for an important cause, I’m all for it.

Yanky, outdoors isn’t necessarily okay all the time (per the quoted sources above.) What I never said was that they can “never” go outside, which is how you put it.

There have been some rowdy rallies at indoor arenas where everyone had a seat (OK not “yeshivish” ones).

How did indoor/outdoor became the deciding factor?

Whether it is indoors or outdoors is certainly one of the deciding factors.

I am taking the high road and not responding further about this. I forgot for the moment the hashkafa of some of the CR readers.

rashkebehab is 100% correct.

I could not possibly disagree more with those who are opposed to females participating in a rally. Soviet Jewry, most of whom were not frum Yidden, saw an end to their oppression because of our male and female attendance. If you base your worthiness of a given rally on the “frumness” of the cause, then there will be many neshamos whom you might neglect to help in your holding fast to yuor position. there is nothing untzniusdig for ANY Jew to fulfill the mitzvah of “lo sa-amohd al dom reiyacha.” It is untzniusdig for people to BEHAVE immodestly, and that can happen, indoors, outdoors, in Yeshivah, at shul, in the park,and yes, even at a Tehillim rally, if the person engaging in immodesty is there for the wrong reasons and acting improperly.

My wife has been at “get rallies” (basicly, they stood outside someones house with signs that said things like “give your wife a get”) that were held with the haskamos of neighborhood rabbonim. Ill be sure to let her know that the next time she gets such a call, she should be aware that the YWN CR poskim have ruled it is assur.

Volvie – well, OK then…. I think that’s why Chamberlain thought it was such a good idea to appease Hitler, because THAT would stop him from hurting Jews. Stop worrying so much about what antagonizes the goyishe velt, and think about all the lives that were SAVED because we put pressure ont he Soviets. Behind the scenes negotiation always has to happen, but that negotiation happens because of the public pressure. Rallies are a good way to icnrease the pressure and men and women are BOTH chayavim in pikuach nefesh, whether physical or spiritual.

oomis – No one is appeasing. When you have the Avi Weiss’ of the world chaining themselves to the Soviet U.N. Mission, he is antagonizing the Soviets. A world power will not respond to foreign antagonist seeking to publicly berate them. There is a reason diplomacy is called “diplomacy.” An authortarian regime, like the Soviets, are not responsive to uprisings or protesters. See the events in 1956 Communist Hungary for an example of how they respond to it.

What those anti-Soviet rallies DID do, was antogonize the Soviets into further mistreating Jewish refusenik’s, such as Natan Sharansky, in the Siberian gulog.

“Even if it did NOT help”

Feel-goodism may make you feel good, but it damaged the Jews suffering in the Soviet gulogs, when their Communist jailers let out additional venom on our brethren there in response to protests on their behalf.

A woman’s place is at home.

Please go show them “Kol Kvuda Bas Melech Pnima” and if they have an excuse the same excuse could be applied to going to a rally

b_h: A b’dieved cannot be applied in all circumstances. Yes, sometimes a b’dieved is necessary. That isn’t license to use such b’dieved as an excuse in all circumstances.

b_h: When was the last time going to a rally was a “mitzvah”? A Tehilim “rally” perhaps; not the Israeli Day Parade and other such nonsense. And that is not even getting into all the intermingling etc.

b_h: Ahhhh my chaver, you shudda been clear about that in the first place! Of course a rally like you describe is L’shem Mitzvah. Protecting kevorim and Shabbos Kodesh is indeed holy and worthwhile cause to rally for.

That being said, surely you do realize the Gedolim shlita that call for these holy rallies are very specific in that it is to be attended by men only. And for good reason. Who are we to argue against the Gedolim? Aside from the fact it is common sense that the Gedolim desire it to only be men for the many reasons outlined earlier.

You did realize only men attend these rallies for a reason I’m sure.

The whole concept of Kol Kvuda Bas Melech Pnima has a very important pre-requisite:

Men must take the obligation to support their families seriously.

Every boy must have a plan for providing for his future family whether in Meleches Chol or Kodesh.

Should a woman without a supporting husband stay inside and starve?