The Kosel in Yerushalayim saw chaos on Wednesday morning as hundreds of Reform Jewish rabbis from the United States joined the Women of the Wall for prayers as activists attempted to take over the egalitarian section.
The Women of the Wall participate in a monthly “prayer service” marking Rosh Chodesh, frequently clashing with protesters. American Conservative and Reform “rabbis” joined the group, carrying flags, Torah scrolls and signs reading: “A woman in a prayer shawl is not a criminal.”
This was done in protest of the Shas party’s attempt to promote a bill that would make it illegal to “conduct a religious ceremony that is not in accordance with local custom and that hurts the feelings of the worshipers.” The bill would place a complete ban on women wearing prayer shawls or phylacteries, doing so resulting in a prison sentence.
Knesset member Gilad Kariv, a Reform rabbi, also used his parliamentary immunity to bring a Sefer Torah into the Kosel compound. Bringing a Sefer Torah into the premises is forbidden.
According to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, Kariv, a member of the left-wing Labor party, “took advantage of his immunity” and “created a great commotion.” Reports indicate that one of Kariv’s aides was physically assaulted, and a complaint was lodged with the police.
Simultaneously, supporters of the Noam party attempted to daven at the egalitarian, mixed-gender prayer plaza, placing a gender separation barrier at the site. The group was escorted out by police shortly after. A Noam party statement noted: “The police violently evicted dozens of worshipers from the southern extension of the Western Wall. Dozens of young people who came to pray the morning prayer of Rosh Chodesh in the southern plaza of the Western Wall… were forcibly evicted by police forces.”
(c) The Algemeiner Journal
How can it hurt the feelings of the other worshippers seeing as it is 100% mutar for women to wear a talis gadol and tefillin?
How can it hurt the feelings of the other worshippers seeing as it is 100% mutar for women to wear a talis gadol and tefillin?
Perhaps the other worshippers should provide with them kosher talleisim and kosher tefillin?
Perhaps they should offer to learn with them the beauty and strength of tefillah.
Perhaps invite some over for Shabbos.
All any of this accomplishes is to prove what they already believe that we don’t care for them, that we consider them 2nd class citizens.
While it’s mutar, the mesorah is not to. As far as inviting them for shabbos and introducing them to torah judaism is a good idea, you need to have people that believe there’s something to listen for. These people aren’t interested in anything other then their own beliefs. These are reform judaism activists.
Tough nut shells.
Time to give up on the kosel parking lot and enter the real place…
Ridiculous women. The prayer shawl of course is mens only garb.
I meet such an angry God whenever I see this. Hashem will reign.
Reform is not Judaism.
They can’t get such crowds at home in their houses of worship.
“A woman and a prayer shawl is not a criminal”
The reform rabbi who is really a half Jew is! The Torah says if your mother is not Jewish only your father, then you’re not a Jew!
They should be a law that no outside Torahs can be bought to the kotel, Without permission of the kotel RAV!
This would stop the Mechallilei shabbos from desecrating the TORAH!
That is already the law. Just like in America, some people are above the law, or believe they can do what they want.