Chareidi party leaders on Monday 22 Iyar visited the egalitarian prayer area at the Kosel escorted by the Rabbi of the Kosel and Holy Sites Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz Shlita. The participants included Meir Porush, Aryeh Deri, Moshe Gafne and Yaakov Litzman, permitting them to get a first-hand look at the mixed prayer area towards getting a better understanding as the matter is back on the agenda. That said, Yahadut Hatorah and Shas officials in recent weeks have informed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu there will be no compromise on their position, meaning to say they will not grant any measure of recognition to Reform Jewry.

The Chief Rabbis of Israel last month met separately with Cabinet Secretary David Sharan, explaining their objections and concerns pertaining to the egalitarian prayer area, permitting Sharan to brief them on the area and its status today.

The chareidim are being vigilant as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is seeking to find an acceptable formula that meets the demands of Reform leaders amid the staunch chareidi opposition. The participants in the visit explained they wanted to see things close and upfront to better equip them for future discussions on the egalitarian area.

YWN-ISRAEL reported that Reform and Conservative leaders would be applying pressure on PM Netanyahu in person regarding the prayer area and other recent gains achieved by the Reform Movement in Israel.

For the time being it appears that Sharan is trying to work within a framework that protects the position taken by the Chief Rabbis of Israel, which was not the case earlier when the matter was first approved by the cabinet. However, the deadline for reaching a solution surrounding the prayer area has been extended since the Prime Minister has not come up with the solution in the 60-day time period allotted. The extension is indefinite.

In the interim, the North America delegation of Reform and Conservative officials are set to meet with Mr. Netanyahu on Wednesday, 24 Iyar, hoping to persuade him to continue advancing their agenda over the objections of the chareidim. Leading the delegation is President of the Reform Movement in N. America Rabbi Rick Jacobs and Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, the Executive Vice President of the Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative Movement.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)