Chareidi elected officials in Knesset and on the Jerusalem Municipality level are speaking out in protest of attempts at secular coercion, referring to a new joint Reform and women’s rights organization campaign to halt separate hours for males and females in public libraries in the capital.

As reported by YWN-ISRAEL, there is an effort underway spearheaded by the Reform to have the city intervene and stop gender-separate hours in libraries in the capital, a reality that petitioners find offensive and contrary to the principles of equality between men and women.

Shas party leader Aryeh Deri told Kikar Shabbos News “This is a provocative demand aimed at provoking strife between the chareidim and general population, which will not help chareidi women, but will harm them and their way of life as separate activities comes as an agreed upon demand by the entire chareidi population”.

Deri warns of late there have been several worrisome trends by the so-called liberals.

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman added, “This is a needless provocative request which has no place in a democratic society. A tzibur has the right to educate its children as it sees fit, and one may not compel one’s lifestyle on another. We have already seen from previous cases that there is no room for intervention in education in legislation and these attempts are doomed to failure”.

The chareidi officials are calling on the Attorney General’s Office, which has been targeted by their request, to refrain from becoming involved.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)