A town hall style conversation was held yesterday at The Jewish Agency’s Board of Governor’s Committee of the Unity of the Jewish People. The open session was called for the express purpose of gathering information to assist Natan Sharansky in his task of formulating new recommendations concerning prayer at the Kotel that will be presented to the Prime Minister. All present expressed a desire to resolve the current tensions and simultaneously provide respect for all who choose to worship at the Kotel.
The approximately two dozen speakers hailed from across the religious streams and the world (including several Israelis). They mostly echoed similar themes, first and foremost that the Kotel belongs to all Jews.
Several speakers tied the Kotel monopoly by the ultra-Orthodox to the broader issue of women’s rights in Israel and how that issue, in particular, is playing unfavorably in the diaspora media.
There was clearly an imbalance of views in the room with not one speaker defending the status quo.
As the purpose of the session was, in the words of Committee chair Shoel Silver, to allow those present to “express views, vent …”, no motions were entertained as recommendations.
With Israeli media suggesting that Shas is about to sign a coalition agreement with the Prime Minister, one cannot help but wonder if this well-meaning discussion is all for naught.
In other news from yesterday’s Board meeting, Natan Sharansky was elected to a 2nd four year term as Chair of the Executive.
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Although I was not at the Town Hall meeting on Tuesday in Jerusalem, having flown back to Cleveland on Sunday, I spent most of my recent 12 days in what I call my other Neighborhood dwelling, talking and writing about the situation at the Kotel. I URGE the reelected Chair of the Executive of JAFI, Natan Sharansky, to DEMAND that the status quo change at the Western Wall, haKotel haMa’aravi. I am sure the only reason I was not led away, to be detained, on Rosh Hodesh Adar is because I was a “good girl” and wrapped my colorful WOW tallit like a scarf when told by the male policeman. I did not want to be taken away as I was the lead voice during the first part of the morning service. On Rosh Hodesh Iyar, however, I may just wear my WOW tallit like a tallit or even more subversive, wear a tallit with stripes. And I may just be “detained” for breaking rules. Mr. Sharansky, these are absurd, unreasonable, irrational rules. These customs of the place are in direct conflict with the articulated democratic values of our beloved Jewish State’s Declaration of Independence. Those values, to be clear, are religious freedom for all Jews, regardless of gender or adjective, and gender equality, the nondiscriminatory treatment of people by agents of the government. The status quo violates our civil rights in the modern Jewish democracy, our “spiritual civil rights”, if you will. Mr. Sharansky, please help us, the Women and men who care not just about the Wall but about a healthy, vibrant, tolerant Israel, liberate the Kotel, again.
Perhaps we should also have a special section where men in transvestite attire who are wearing tallis and teffilin should also be allowed to have their own section for prayer. Why are we only talking about women here? Seems to me very unfair.
Another thought just crossed my mind. If everyone should be able to pray at the Kotel as they wish, how come nothing is ever said by Jewish people about why they are not allowed to pray on the Temple Mount? That was actually the place where the Holy Temple stood while the Kotel is only a wall that surrounded the mountain. I haven’t heard any complaints from anyone other than those involved with the Temple Institute as to why Jewish people – of all kinds and of all streams of worship are not allowed to pray on the holiest site to all Jews in the world.