Jerusalem – A 32 year-old Haredi feminist has a November 6 hearing with the High Court of Justice, during which she will attempt to persuade it that the current system—under which the state continues to fund religious political parties—is essentially promoting gender discrimination by preventing ultra-Orthodox women from running for political office.
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HAARETZ (http://bit.ly/1df4CuK) reports that Ruth Colian, a married mother of four who is currently in her second year of law school at the Ono Academic College Haredi campus, narrowly missed getting on the Petah Tikva city council ballot in the upcoming elections due to failing to meet the number of signatures required to register a new party.
Colian said she is determined now—through her campaign which she has dubbed the “Haredi Spring”— to level the playing field within the current patriarchal system.
“I believe the Haredi Spring has arrived, and it begins with women,” said Colian. “I truly believe that it is only a matter of a few years before Haredi women are able to run for election on Haredi lists in this country.”
When asked why she hasn’t joined a secular list that would more openly accept her, Colian bristled, saying, “I didn’t consider joining other lists, because I’m Haredi and it was important for me to run as part of a Haredi list in order to show a different side of religion and the Haredi world. It was very important for me to break the glass ceiling, and if I had joined a secular party I wouldn’t have been able to make the statement I wanted to make.”
Colian believes the High Court will see things her way and that the ultra-Orthodox parties will follow suit once the ruling comes down.
“They keep saying that it’s a matter of principle for them not to have women on their lists. I believe that once this principle of theirs will start costing them money, it will go out the window,” Colian said.
“Yes, I’m very much a feminist,” Colian said of her mission. “It may make others laugh and sound like a contradiction in terms, but I’m a proud Haredi feminist.”
Is he a BT?
“…if I had joined a secular party I wouldn’t have been able to make the statement I wanted to make.”
Just like every other secularist… Don’t do anything for logical reasons – only to try and make “statements”.
Is that Snooki ?
But seriously the issue here, I believe has nothing to do with Chareidi culture or halacha, It has to do with terminology. This woman as orthodox as she is, is NOT Chareidi. Neither are all the orthodox “FRUM” in New York. They are Orthodox or ultra orthodox Jews. The Chareidim in Israel are not integrated into the surrounding society, in the manner in which orthodox Jews are integrated into American society.
This runs counter to the aggressive campaign waged in the Jewish print and online media** to blur the lines between the Orthodox and Chareidim. Sure many in the orthodox community identify WITH Chareidim, but sometimes because of political or other reasons they are made to identify AS Chareidim.
Just as with Malka Schaps/ Rachel Pomerantz. She is Identified as Chareidi by some, to promote a certain agenda when in fact she is mainstream American Orthodox .
** You know who you are…
Ho-Hum
Another bored yenta trying desperately to validate herself. Her 15 minutes of fame will last longer than the rise in her self esteem.
I wonder what the outcome of such a suit would be in the beis din shel ma’aloh?
Go find the pen you need but do not break the tower of liberty!
Seems to be a she, facts1, your finger slipping?
“Haredi feminist”? that’s kind of like a Catholic woman who’s getting an abortion. Or someone who claims to be an orthodox Jew while eating pork. Sorry, folk, but these are direct contradictions in terms.
She sounds angry, anger in politics leads to failure. She should just run on her own merits, not as the champion of change for the frum community, cuz there ain’t nothin’ changin’ there.
You all sound petty, mean spirited and self righteous.
#5 , 8 & 11…… are you that stiff to not see #1 ’s humor???
the above posters seem to feel it’s fine and holy for charedi women to work themselves to the bone and raise their families all while their husbands sit forever and learn but chas vshalom these same women should have any say in anything.
Good luck to her. Women dont succomb to the same weaknesses as men. Guaranteed shes never tweet her privates or adopt a wide stance or have a love child or a second family or any of the other things that attract these types of men to power. Maybe she would vote wth her brains.
Kol HaKavod! She looks and sounds great! She is correct! It is time for the Jewish woman to have a voice– its “the” voice that can change the world and bring Moshiach! Dear friends, it’s not like too many Haredi men are getting the job done…
U go girl