Video: Women of the Wall Prayer Service Doesn’t Get the Attention They Wanted

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women-of-the-wall[Video and live updates below.] Hundreds of people turned out at the Kosel Hamaarovi this morning, Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, to protest against 300 members of the provocative “Women of the Wall” group, who came to pray in tallisos and tefillin.

The women did not lain from a Sefer Torah as had been expected, for they were told it is against Kosel rules.

There were about 200 protesters and an equal number of police officers, but the attention that the WoW group got was less than they desired. It was clear from observing the attendees and listening to their remarks to reporters that they had hoped for more of a tumult and additional clashes to create a firestorm. They didn’t get what they wanted.

Click below for video of today’s “event”:

[media id=1672 width=400 height=300]

Here are earlier live updates. Earlier updates are below.

10:35 a.m. The rov of the Kosel and mekomos hakedoshim, Rav Shmuel Rabinovich, says, “The barricade arranged at the Kosel allowing a small group to practice their custom is not a badge of honor for the Jewish people or for their makom kadosh [the Kosel].”

9:41 a.m. The head of Women of the Wall, Anat Hoffman, says she is happy with today’s proceedings.

“They’re getting used to us,” was her remark to a reporter.

She claimed that one of the seminary girls who had come to protest last month had joined her group this morning. “She stood right next to me,” Hoffman claimed.

That claim has not been confirmed as true, and the identity or seminary of that girl is unknown.

9:30 a.m. Sarah Yoheved Rigler, America living in Yerushalayim for 28 years, said she went to protest the Women of the Wall, who sang out loud. She said that doing so “is against the Torah and if you are in the men’s section praying, you can’t avoid hearing it.”

Yizhar Hess, executive director of Conservative Movement, said that “The Hareidi show of force failed, because when there is no captive audience – seminary girls and yeshiva boys – just those for whom Kotel is dear, the truth comes out.”

Gilad Kariv, head of Israel’s Reform Movement, said that the absence of major disturbances at the service was “further proof that the Kotel can be turned into a place for all communities and streams of Judaism.”

8:27 a.m. The “prayer service” has concluded.

8:17 a.m. Some eggs were thrown at the WoW group, but there have been no clashes or arrests.

7:33 a.m. Chagit Rappaport, who is the Yerushalayim Police deputy spokeswoman, says that there are about 250 Women of the Wall members and supporters at the Kosel Hamaarovi.

7:31 a.m. Police say they expected thousands of protesters, but there are only a few hundred, not giving the WoW the attention they wanted.

7:28 a.m. A small group of older chareidi women tried to daven loud to drown out the WoW “service.”

7:23 a.m. In a last-minute decision, the WoW group decided not to bring a Sefer Torah as was expected.

7:21 a.m. Women wishing to daven with the attention-seeking Women of the Wall were escorted into the Kosel plaza through a path underneath the Mugrhabi Bridge.

6:38 a.m. Officers escorted hundreds of women from the Liberty Bell parking lot in Yerushalayim to the Kosel. This was the first time the Women of the Wall received a police escort.

{Matzav.com Israel News Bureau}


13 COMMENTS

  1. Just remember their celebration is to early cause the police collaborated with them to keep the Chareidi protestors away. SO there are more people upset with what they did then agree with them

  2. You are ignorant barbarians who desecrate the true spirit of Judaism, and of any other genuine faith. Pray as you want, and leave others to pray as they want, without distorting the Torah to say what you want it to say.

  3. These same women would respect any other organized tradition where they went visiting. The fact that our Yiddishkeit bothers them so much is proof that the pintele Yid is still burning brightly. We have to daven for their heilige neshomos that are crying in pain.

  4. reform is not genuine. the word reform means to change. orthodox jews understand the true spirit of judaism , reform people are ignorant and inject western culture ideas into religion, and then say this is what g-d wants.

  5. Sorry to disagree with you but you are misguided if you think that theses women are about praying. If they were let them be happy with their Robinson’s Arch and don’t bother the majority of people which aren’t bother with the Orthodox way of prayer.

  6. From 7AM -no one was let in or out – and people were still coming to daven! These “devout” worshipers effectively shut down the kosel on Rosh Chodesh!!

  7. About Time says:

    June 9, 2013 at 1:22 pm

    Watching the video

    reinforces this modox dicta:

    Left are reform
    Center are conservative
    Right are truly orthodox

  8. #6

    With the amount of funding($ tens of millions) that they extort,they would get all the coverage either way.

    Protests,yes VIOLENT PROTESTS ,SHOWS THE WORLD YOU CARE

  9. To Chaya,
    “Ignorant”?
    What makes you think that there is ignorance in studying and living by the Word of G-D as is acknowleged even by most non-Jews. Perhaps try to divest yourself of whatever it is that is causing you to be so angry and give it an honest and thorough looking through. You just might find yourself amazed at the brilliance that is Torah. I would recommend Chumash with Rav S R Hirsch’s explanation.
    “Barbarians”?
    Sorry to disapoint you, but although we are far from perfect, the chareidi society as a whole is far more stable, wholesome, and happy than any other out there. To me at least that is a greater indication of being civilized than is aping the non-Jewish society with its hedonistic, destructive way of life.
    You don’t have to love us or agree with us, but calling us unfounded nasty names does not reflect well on you.
    I’m sure that there is much more sweetness and depth beneath the anger. Please tap in to it.

  10. Shame on you Josh Margo for declaring the Kotel to be “just a wall”! You’re in good company. In December 1973, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia stated “As for the Western Wall, another wall can be built for them (the Jews). They can pray against that”.[Bernard Wasserstein,”Annexation”].

    The outspoken Israeli philosopher, Yeshayahu Leibowitz, referred to the wall as “no more than a pile of stones constructed by the wicked king Herod” and was happy for the site to be returned to Arab control. [Michael Prior, Zionism and the State of Israel: A Moral Inquiry)

    Hey Josh, if it’s “just a wall,” why are you there? You’re just “talking to the wall!”

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