In the shadow of the controversy surrounding the Women of the Wall organization (WoW), and its tenacious battle to hold a Rosh Chodesh minyan for women wearing tallis and tefilin, death threats were sent to Israel’s chief rabbis.
Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yonah Metzger and Rishon L’Tzion Shlomo Amar received a threat that stated “”This is your final warning”, with a picture of a handgun next to it. “If the Women of the Wall are not allowed to daven in line with their custom, we will use all means at our disposal and will end up with one hundred chareidi bodies. Your end is near.” There were other insults leveled against “dossim”, namely chareidim, in the letter.
Officials in the Chief Rabbinate of Israel expressed outrage, calling this a “red line that has not yet been crossed in the past.”
YWN-ISRAEL has learned that a threatening letter was sent last week to the home of Kosel Rav Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz as well. Knesset and other security agencies are taking appropriate actions, taking the threats quite seriously.
The Women of the Wall achieved a major victory last month when the Jerusalem District Court permitted the women to wear tallis and tefilin at the Kosel. Rosh Chodesh Sivan was escorted by a large police presence at the Kosel to protect WoW women. A small number of chareidim did capture the media with their acts of violence against the women and police. Thousands of chareidim were on hand, Baruch Hashem with the overwhelming number of them acting as one should at the Kosel.
WoW plan to return to the Kosel this erev Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh Tammuz 5773, hoping to attract a larger group than in the past.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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14 Responses
IF the arguing about conscription ends up in the government actually attempting mass arrests, and some other than nonviolent responses (already threatened), then the “red line that has not yet been crossed in the past” will be totally trampled out of existence.
can you imagine the great value of the prayers of people are willing to murder god must certainly want such prayers
why are they so makpid about rosh chodesh ? can anyone explain it to me they should want to “daven” everyday if it’s that important to them!
Obviously, the letters are not from the WoW but some lunatics seeking to start trouble…..they should track down who sent these messages but should not allow these nutcases to prevent the court decisions from being implemented in a timely way.
There is a sevara that Rosh Chodesh is a “women’s” holiday.
Based on this news story, the “Women of the Wall” should be called “Bnos Eisav” (Daughters of Esau) per “Al Charbecha Tichye” (the legacy assigned by the Patriarch Isaac to his son Esau: You shall live by the sword).
red line not crossed in the past
Flash back to 1995, and this red line has been crossed in the past with a prime minister’s assassination.
dafyomi,
Rosh Chodesh is a women’s holiday.
#3 As a NON supporter of Women of the Wall…Rosh Chodesh has always been a special mini-chag for Women.
rosh chodesh is shabbos, not friday.
additionally, how do they know for sure that they sent it, maybe they are framed
dafyomi2711 – The moon cycle is feminine in nature. Do you need me to explain to you why that is?
Their prayerbook only has Rosh Chodesh prayers.
Am in Eretz Yisroel now and guess what awaited me when i got to Kosel last night… these women camping out and sleeping in the back on the stone benches as we used to see in the train stations of Bowery street. Most of them are wierd and probably have a reason they want to stay here rather than go home. The best would be to ignore them and sooner or later they will be gone. Acknoweldging them is negative reinforcement.
Ms. Critique who may always know the answers correctly-
Actually acknowledging them would be an example of positive reinforcement. Adding something to their environment (the acknowledging) in order to get a behavior to continue.