The United Torah Judaism party has reportedly demanded during coalition negotiations with prime minister-designate Bibi Netanyahu that all mixed-gender prayer be forbidden at the Kosel.
Army Radio reported today that the party wants to enact “significant measures of deterrence” to prevent people from “desecrating the holy place” – meaning praying “according to the custom of the Chief Rabbinate.”
The law would bar groups such as Women of the Wall from praying at the site, including in the egalitarian section, as the law does not consider the area to be an officially separated space.
Every Rosh Chodesh, the Women of the Wall hold prayer services in the women’s section of the Kosel. They frequently face backlash, and even clash with other people at the site.
Women of the Wall called the UTJ party’s demand “a disgrace to the future Israeli government and a disgrace to the entire State of Israel. This measure would result in the exclusion of millions of Jews from the Western Wall by the State of Israel and the explicit declaration that they are not welcome in the Jewish state,” the organization continued. “We call on Prime Minister-elect Netanyahu to reject this shameful demand from United Torah Judaism. Women of the Wall will continue to pray according to our custom at the Western Wall as we have been doing every month for 34 years.”
{Matzav.com Israel}
They should also demand a ban on anyone going on the Har Habayis.
“Women of the Wall called the UTJ party’s demand “a disgrace to the future Israeli government and a disgrace to the entire State of Israel. This measure would result in the exclusion of millions of Jews from the Western Wall by the State of Israel and the explicit declaration that they are not welcome in the Jewish state,” the organization continued.”
First, it’s the Zionist, not Jewish, “State”.
Second, UTJ did not say they were not welcome. They merely noted that the religious services at the Wall had to be in accordance with the Chief Rabbinate’s rules.
The Reform “worship”, by dint of its very name, is illegitimate. There is absolutely no reason for religious authorities to allow their nonsense “worship” in places of worship under the rabbinate’s auspices. They can do their nonsense anywhere else.
Remember, Reform is not Judaism. Not even close!
nor is zionism, not even close
Makes tisha b’av much more real for me