A group called ‘Center for Women’s Justice’ (מרכז צדק לנשים) has compelled the Ministry of Religious Services to order a change in the Meron Lag B’Omer route known as the Derech Mehadrin, which will not be mixed gender.
It appears after the Reform Movement’s advances at the Kosel including the egalitarian prayer area, the actions of the women ahead of Lag B’Omer have led to the ministry announcing that the path which is used to circumvent Kever Rashbi, the ‘Mehadrin Derech’, will be mixed gender instead of exclusively for men as was the case last year.
As a result of the organization approaching the ministry, its legal counsel, attorney Yisrael Patt, wrote there will not be any gender discrimination in a public area, which includes the so-called ‘Mehadrin Derech’ but the women are not satisfied with his – demanding signs must be installed at the area that announce the area is open to all to ensure legal backing for the new reality.
The attorney for the women’s organization, Nitzan Caspi Shiloni explains that the law does not tolerate any form of gender discrimination or exclusion in public areas and this must be the case here too on Lag B’Omer. Caspi adds that anyone who feels this will compromise tznius standards at the Rashbi on Lag B’Omer, such a person is invited not to come on that day.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
Well, this place has become a circus, and if nothing else, it needs a strong hand for safety’s sake. Of course the mixed gender idea is uncalled for, but if charedim don’t run it properly, the chiloni government will step in.
Before the 1930’s these people wouldn’t even be counted amoung the Jewish People
In the course of time nationalism begot an offspring and named it Religious Nationalism. The choice of name seems to indicate that they are not satisfied with the adjective religious; they must supplement it with another ideology, nationalism. It is stated that the Torah of the L-rd is perfect, and we have been admonished ?You shall not add,? and whosoever adds detracts. Indeed Religious Nationalism has confused our camp. Until now only these observing the Torah were considered Jews. Whosoever denied the Torah was by law an apostate, and had no connection with us. Now a new ideology contends that even a heretic belongs to us, as long as he possesses a national consciousness. The Torah warns us ?It is forbidden to join with the wicked even to perform a mitzvah ? but they argue that by associating with the wicked we will influence them to mind their ways. They consider themselves wiser then the Torah. In fact, combining with the wicked has resulted in what the Torah foresaw. Instead of improving the wicked, those who joined them became loyal followers and the free-thinkers, and now direct all their energy and power against the Torah leadership. This is how the bridge between the religious and the free-thinkers was constructed. Generally speaking, people come and go on a bridge. On this bridge people only go, we see no one coming back?
-Rebbe Elchonon Wasserman (somewhere between the late 1930?s-early 1940?s)
for these reshoim we daven ‘v’chol hurisha mehayrah yikoresu’
I didn’t know the reform recognize Lag B’Omer. I’m certain their clergy in America are unaware of it.
I’m so relieved to learn that all 3 Reform women won’t have to endure any gender discrimination on their visit to Kever Rashbi this year…. After all, there’s no question that their rights surely supersede the rights of 350,000 or more non-Reform visitors.
she’s playing with Fire. It is a Area were One of the Tzaddeikeym from the Talmud were it says these kind of things are prohibited is berried. How this isn’t a private area i’m not sure. how is it possible that people call it Israel but have no idea what that means? the Name comes from Yakob Abeinew HaSHem gave it to Him then we were at Har Seini and we become a Nation with Rules and a way to Live how dare anyone try to change it.
i am very sorry for using such harsh words please do TiSHubah please don’t make it mixed
The Reform leaders have a lot in common with the Pope, they both espouse non-Jewish religious beliefs. Except the Reforms try to fool their followers into believing that their phony ideas are Jewish when, in fact, they’re not.
Reform is not Judaism!
NO reform movement in Israel. Either Orthodox or secular,
NOTHING inbetween
2 and who counts them now?