Jerusalem – Commons Minister for Jerusalem and the Diaspora Naftali Bennett has issued a call to Reform and Conservative Jews to visit the Western Wall during the High Holy Days and pray at the newly upgraded site for non-Orthodox services.
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On Sunday, Bennett announced that the Robinson’s Arch area, just south of the main Western Wall plaza, had undergone a substantial upgrade. The new prayer platform that has been constructed covers approximately 450 square meters and can accommodate approximately 450 worshipers. Torah scrolls, prayer books and prayer shawls will be made available at the site which will be accessible seven days a week, 24 hours a day, The Robinson’s Arch site has been designated as a prayer area for non-Orthodox services since 1998, and a small prayer platform was constructed there in 2004.
Writing on his Facebook page Sunday night, Bennett said that the Western Wall belongs to all Jews, but noted that many people visiting the site do not feel comfortable when doing so, although he stated explicitly that he was not referring to the Women of the Wall.
“In recent years, a lot of tension has been created around the Western Wall,” wrote the minister. “A large [part] of the public – and I am specifically not referring to the ‘Women of the Wall’ but to the Jewish people as a whole – feel that it is difficult to come to the Western Wall. That they don’t connect.
“There are many [Jewish] denominations in the world, and the majority of the Jewish people in the Diaspora are not Orthodox.
“As the Minister for Diaspora Affairs, I believe that the Western Wall belongs to all the Jews in the world, not to one denomination or the other.”
Bennett said that despite criticism from WoW that Robinson’s Arch is not on an equal footing with the rest of the plaza, the upgraded site will “enable unity and peace at the Western Wall,” and concluded by inviting the public to visit it during Rosh Hashana.
Meanwhile, approximately 20 women, including the heads of WoW, participated in a 24-hour sit in at the Western Wall, which ended Monday afternoon, held in protest against the Robinson’s Arch upgrade.
WoW believe that the renovated site represents the basis of what a committee, headed by Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mandelblit, will recommend as a permanent solution for non-Orthodox prayer at the Western Wall.
A spokeswoman for WoW said that the group prayed, studied and sang during their vigil, which actually ended a couple of hours early owing to a large prayer service scheduled at the Western Wall this evening.
The group of women conducted their prayer services in the women’s section, and for the Shacharit (morning) prayers some of the women donned prayer shawls and tephillin. The shofar was also blown at the end of the Shacharit service.
Until April this year, Israeli law pertaining to holy sites as interpreted by the Supreme Court in 2003 and a Justice Ministry directive of 2005 prohibited non-Orthodox practices at the Western Wall. Consequently, members of Women of the Wall prayer groups were frequently arrested for wearing prayer shawls and tephillin and other similar practices usually conducted only be men in Orthodox Judaism.
A ruling by Judge Moshe Sobel in the Jerusalem District Court in April effectively re-interpreted the law and thereby allowed women to pray according to their own customs.
The WoW spokeswoman told The Jerusalem Post that the group is concerned that with the upgrade to the Robinson’s Arch prayer area, Bennett, who also serves as Minister for Religious Services could issue new administrative regulations which would create a new legal reality and prevent the group from praying at the site according to their own traditions once again.
WoW called once again on Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni to prevent such an eventuality.
Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post
Interesting idea.
Why not start a massive program of ‘Torah’ classes?
More understanding would turn these worthy Jews into ‘Orthodox.’
Ad some ‘Chassidus’ and you’re bound to succeed. ‘Chassidus’ stimulates a searching Jews mind and heart more than anything.
BoruchN- the level of naivete expressed by your post is just inexcusable. first of all, being orthodox dose not guarantee anything. there are plenty of “orthodox” Jews who make the Jewish people look far worse then women of the wall. you would do well to judge them l’kaf zechut or does all of halacha regarding bein adam l’chavero not apply to non- orthodox Jews. and it should be noted that the tzaddikim of WOW should be applauded for a number of actions: one, the way in which the charedim treat people whose only intent is to daven should be a lesson to us all about the dangers of mistreating our fellow Jews when they do not conform to one community’s norms. chasidut is nice and all but these women are doing more for the Jewish world by teaching the charedim a lesson they will bezrat ha’shem never forget then any one in the orthodox world could do. its time for those who claim to follow the torah to the letter to stop treating other Jews like they are inferior. after all, without the sacrifices of people from non-charedi community the kotel would still be under Arab control. id like to point out how its always the “frum” new sites which are hotbeds of sinat chinam
There are times when I think the Muslim extremists have the right idea (even if their methods are heinous.) This is one of those times. It’s amazing, it’s always about these lunatic fringe groups’ “rights.” What about MY rights as an Orthodox woman to daven at the Kotel & not have to see and hear these lunatics.
If the WoW’s motivations were pure, they would be glad to accept the accomodations that would solve the issue. Instead, they want the conflict and to change the kedusha of the Kotel.