Jerusalem – Religious Women Sue In Israel’s Supreme Court For Right To Choose How To Fulfill The Mitzvah Of Mikvah

    18

    Join our WhatsApp group

    Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


    Jerusalem – The ITIM Advocacy Center has petitioned Israel’s Supreme Court on behalf of a group of 13 religious women to do more to protect women’s rights at the mikvah, according to a report on Ynet (http://bit.ly/1RKcSYh). This includes allowing women to immerse in the ritual bath according to their beliefs and without coercion by mikvah attendants to adhere to local customs.

    The petition against the Chief Rabbinate and the Jerusalem Religious Council alleges that the women were told how to submerge themselves and how to prepare for the immersion, regardless of the woman’s specific preferences. There has been disagreement surrounding customs of removing earrings, shaving one’s head, covering one’s hair to make the blessing, and arguments over when the mikvah is open to the public. Women were also not allowed to immerse without supervision or to select their own attendant to accompany them as a means of protecting their privacy.

    One petitioner said, “When you walk into the mikvah, there are no boundaries around your body.” Yet, women describe feelings of helplessness upon going to the mikvah; an experience which forces them to choose between their dignity and privacy or the sanctity of their marriage and family. “Instead of creating a positive experience of religious or spiritual purity, they are facing humiliation, the trampling of their dignity, invasion of privacy of their personal life, and the imposition of the customs against their will, all in order to fulfill a religious duty,” the complaint read.

    Rabbi Dr. Seth Farber, director of ITIM, said he is concerned about the overreaching on the part of the religious authorities in Israel and that Israel’s Chief Rabbinate has not implemented changes passed last year to address these issues. “Just as the state provides synagogues, but the worshippers are permitted to worship as they choose, so too, it [the state] should provide ritual baths, but it is not in a position to determine how a woman will fulfill or keep this or that rule. Ultimately, it is their [the women’s] private interest.”


    Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

    iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

    Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


    Connect with VINnews

    Join our WhatsApp group


    18 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    a-believer
    a-believer
    8 years ago

    What exactly is religious about these women? I guess that they’re going to the Mikva altogether?

    MINBP
    MINBP
    8 years ago

    #1 , Change your name to A-SHOITAH !!! Their are many different customs regarding mikvah. Length of nails, as mentioned above shaved head, if it’s Friday night and she forgot to take off her nail polish, use of an IUD, going early on a Friday, how many days must pass before shiva nekiyium is started. Is it better for a women not to go at all ? I know of at least one women who went to a chasedeseh mikvah upstate and was so disgusted how she was treated she didn’t want to go anymore !!!

    Mark Levin
    Mark Levin
    8 years ago

    Change the title. They are NOT religious.

    Respect
    Respect
    8 years ago

    In Bet Shemesh/Ramat Bet Shemesh this was an issue for a while. Some mikvaos were “attended” by women of a specific chassidus or following a specific rav. This was a “community” mikvah, but they enforced their rav’s standards – making it uncomfortable for women from different kehillos to use this mikvah. There were also cultural differences – Anglos (Americans, Brittish, South African, Australian) were used to one atmosphere and one style of modesty, Yerushalmis to a very different one.

    While there are basic “universal” standards, a community institution needs to be open to all. Many people who are not otherwise strict about shmiras hatmizvos observe taharas hamishpocha. My wife regularly met women who wore jeans and didn’t cover their hair, but never-the-less went to mikvah. Enforcing selected chumras and maintaining a less than sensitive approach can turn these women away.

    a-believer
    a-believer
    8 years ago

    #4 thanks for the compliment! Everyone has a choice which Mikva to go to. If this particular one has different minhagim , then find yourself another one!
    BTW I think all men should keep their comments to themselves on this one!