“Yerushalayim is holy”, “Peggy, your time has expired” and “Tag Torah” were among the graffiti slurs spray painted on the apartment door, stairwell and lobby of the building in which Peggy Cidor lives. Ms. Cidor is a member of the executive board of the Women of the Wall organization, which is at the heart of the battle to permit egalitarian prayer at the Kosel.
Among the voices condemning the attack against Cidor is Kosel Rav Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, who stated “this is not the Torah way,” warning against sinas chinam and inappropriate reaction to the women’s activities. At a meeting of the Chief Rabbinate Council on Monday 11 Sivan 5773, Rav Rabinowitz is quoted as saying “The Women of the Wall are more extreme than the Reform and Conservative.” Among those in attendance were Deputy Minister of Religious Services Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan as well as Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel Natan Sharansky. Mr. Sharansky spoke of his plan to create a third section at the Kosel in addition to the men’s and women’s section to accommodate egalitarian prayer, including the Women of the Wall.
The Women of the Wall recently gained significant notoriety after the Jerusalem District Court ruled the women may hold prayer services at the Kosel while wearing tallis and tefilin. This sparked a major chareidi response last week, on Rosh Chodesh Sivan 5773, when thousands of chareidim came to the Kosel to daven and protest the presence of the Women of the Wall.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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13 Responses
Disgusting!
I agree with Yanky. These WoW reshoyim are disgusting.
Doc
Is this how Yidden act? So if someone doesn’t do what you want you threaten violence? Its a chillul Hashem as the people who did this are likely chareidim who supposedly represent the Torah.
Until anyone has been caught, noone is more guilty than the next. I wouldn’t be surprised if she sprayed it herself in order to blame the chareidim. (Please note that I did NOT say that she did it, just that she COULD have done it).
Doc- I happen to agree with WIY. You misunderstood who I was referring to.
Perhaps if the haredi community and our leaders see it fit to publicly denounce the “few” trouble makers who vandalize, spit, commit acts of violence etc and in effect “disgrace the uniform” by repeatedly attracting negative public and media attention, thereby giving haredim (who are supposed to be the light of the nations) a bad name, and further widening the gap between us and our more secular brothers; driving away the Jews who are confused, on the fence, or otherwise- until they are so far removed from the haredi POV that not only is there a dwindling lack of support, but there is a kindling of animosity, bias and hatred- IF we come out strongly against such behaviour, then at least the world would know the official stance of the supposed chosen people/light unto the nations. There is nothing wrong with using the global platform to make known the true agenda of the orthodox Jewish people which is to seek peace and justice first and foremost.
To Zaidy78
And you might also be a hateful person who would violate the rights of these bnos yisroel to pursue their own hashkafah and that you would commmit violent and criminal acts to show your opposition. Please note I’m not saying your are such a person, just that you COULD be.
Give Wow a place in honor in Yeravam’s old digs.
#6:
You are missing the point. We ALREADY condemn them, over and over again. The secular press – whether Haaretz or the NYT – are not interested. Everyone in the media knows that the nutjobs are a miniscule minority. They just don’t care, because focusing on the wackos fits their agenda.
And to those who find it preposterous to suggest that the graffiti was an inside job done to frame chareidim and make them look bad – it’s happened before. More than once. I’m not saying that’s the case now – we won’t know unless the perpetrator is caught – but it’s not as wild a suggestion as you think it is.
Regrettable-yes.
Is there any hope of normal fair play,where 30 people are given the rights over the feelings of thousands of people, where the so-called democracy which NEVER gives a fair hearing to religious issues?
You can at least understand where the frustration is coming from.
It may not be right,but what CAN be done to get a just hearing?
#7 – She may have taken a page from the left and arabs in order to self promote her cause and vandalize her own property.
If you truly were a “Gadol hadorah” you would realize that the goal of WOW has very little to do with tefillah and is all about getting the government to officially recognize the reform and conservative movements. According to every major posek from Modern Orthodox to Charadi is forbidden.
Unfortunately to many Jews from the MO/DL community have sided with WOW for the sake of free choice without realizing they are going against the Pasak of Reb Moshe and the Rav.
Disclaimer: Jews shouldn’t be in the business of vandalizing or harassing other Jews. I have no problems with (halakhic) Jews who are reform and conservative my problem is with the movement.
to #7 and you also could be a godol batorah
note “could be”
They were asking for it come on lets call a spade a spade