The Tel Aviv District Court on Thursday rejected the petition against the Tel Aviv municipality’s ban on the use of mechitzos at the annual Yom Kippur tefillah at Dizengoff Square.
The judge rejected the petition of the Freedom and Human Dignity in Israel Forum and stated that no gender segregation will be allowed in the public space on Yom Kippur.
“The mitzvah of tefillah will not be harmed if the petitioners do not daven in the manner requested by them – separated by gender in the public space,” she wrote.
Attorney Tzafnat Nordman, who represented the plaintiffs, stated: “A court in the Jewish state prohibits a mechitzah for Jewish tefillah. The first ban on a mechitzah in the sovereign Land of Israel, since the British and the Mufti. I finished reading the verdict with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. What an insult. First as a Jew, then as a citizen of the State of Israel, finally as a lawyer.”
“The ruling tramples on the fundamental rationality of administrative and constitutional law, of the liberal system, and inflicts a severe, stinging affront on every Jew who is not yet completely alienated from his roots. I will stop here,” Nordman concluded.
Likud MK Tally Gotliv responded “Elokim B’Shamayim. Who is harmed by a mechitzah at tefillas Neilah on Yom Kippur? The court needs to infringe even on this? In the name of whom are you fighting? The ‘State of Tel Aviv’ that accepts everyone but religious people. A PLO flag – yes, a pride parade – yes, a mechitzhah for tefillah – chalilah.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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16 Responses
Incredible that religious observance is banned in Israel. This is why JUDICIAL REFORM is needed NOW!
I couldn’t expect any more from Tel Aviv, that horrible city.
why is anyone surprised the ONLY and ENTIRE goal of Zionism is to trample on the Torah how any frum Yid can support Zionism is proven wrong by this.
Shame and disgrace
Try it with the Muslims and their public prayers in TA
The court would not dare
This is where democracy falls flat on
it’s face
If this is even spoken about, then you all get what the “Jewish State” stands for.
The bigger question is why it took this story to make you realize that the Zionist Big Lie is just that and always was just that: a Big Lie.
The Zionist State is Zionist, not Jewish.
Zionism’s main goal was and is to replace Judaism and its people with, liHavdil, a godless idolatrous land-based gentile-like “Nation”.
But I thought these loonies didn’t believe in gender. So what’s the big deal if there is a partition?
Court ruled as a matter of law that restricting movement in public spaces based on gender is illegal. Question was whether the mechitsa caused sufficient restriction to be illegal. But that is the law.
Secondly, why would the service be called off due to not having a mechitsa? It’s an outdoor area, not a shul, and mechitsa is a din of Beis haKenesses. Yes, genders should be separate, but mechitsa is not a halachic requirement.
THE BEST LINE EVER!!
“The ‘State of Tel Aviv’ that accepts everyone but religious people. A PLO flag – yes, a pride parade – yes, a mechitzhah for tefillah – chalilah.”
THIS IS ANOTHER ARGUMENT WHY THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM NEEDS AN OVERHAUL!
Believe it or not they actually are protecting Halacha.
Halacha only requires a Mechitza in an “Established” Shul.
This once a year outdoor informal Davening certainly does not qualify as an “Established” Shul.
That they are preventing the Kanoyim from forcing their “minhagim” on to others like they’ve done in so many other places (including America) is something the court should be applauded for doing.
p.s. I still have yet to be at a burial where when Kaddish was being said a makeshift Mechitza was erected for the women to stand behind.
I’m telling Aviv, you need a mechitza between the men
Shlomo & Kuvult; you may be right according to strict Halacho [subject to ladies being dressed Tzniusdig], but it’s certainly inappropriate, especially on the holy day. You could perhaps make the same argument in the Beis Hamikdosh, and yet they especially built a mechitzah for the Simchas Hashoevoh. It’s not for naught that we lein the parsha of Arayos Yom Kippur Minchah!
So, the one who protested holding up a sign “Medinah Jewish [crossed off] democraty” is 50% correct – The medinah is certainly NOT Jewish but NOR is it democratic!
Surely, no other country in the world would object to a Mechitzah should a service be held in a public place.
This is a very dangerous precedent, as it can give much ammunition to our enemies, like the ruling of the European court telling us we can do Shechitah with stunning.
So glad the Zionists are finally showing their true colors, on the streets and in the courtrooms.
It was never intended to be a Jewish State. The word Jewish was only to give some legitimacy to the cause.
Zionism is based on lies, and lies always implode in the end.
David the Kanoi,
You are 100% correct!
When a govt gets involved in Halacha (which is a whole other topic) they should follow strict Halacha to include the broadest spectrum of people.
Your only argument is you “Feel” it’s “Inappropriate”
Perhaps that’s how you & others feel but the govt shouldn’t rule based on non-halachic “Chumros”
No mainstream Frum Shul uses a “Reb Moshe Mechitza” but he gave the most lenient halichally acceptable Psak to include as many Shuls & Jews as possible.
Reb Moshe lived when many “Traditional” Shuls were on the fence about remaining Orthodox or going Conservative. A big push came from women feeling invisible behind a Mechitza. Reb Moshe’s Psak allowed women to feel part of the Shul (even though they couldn’t get Aliyah’s, etc). Many of these Shuls that stayed Orthodox (not necessarily the people but the Shul) today have young, Yeshiva trained, dynamic Rabbonim that are raising the level of observance & Torah learning. I see it myself & it’s a beautiful sight to see.
Sometimes it’s not a matter of who is correct, it’s a matter of who you want to identify with.
Look at the group of people who want a mechitza. Are they the sort of people you would be proud to identify with? Be seen in public with? Would the people you look up at and see as role models feel comfortable with this crowd?
Now take a look at the group of people that are arguing against the mechitza. Are they the sort of people you would be proud to identify with? Be seen in public with? Would the people you look up at and see as role models feel comfortable with this crowd?
Sometimes associating with the right sort of people is more important than the specific issue at hand.