Freed Hamas hostage Eliyah Cohen joined tens of thousands of Jews at the Kotel in Jerusalem on Chol Hamoed Pesach for Shachris davening and Birchas Kohanim. Full Story, Video Tens of thousands of Jews participated in the first Birchas Kohanim during Pesach Chol Hamoed morning prayers on Tuesday at the Kotel in Jerusalem including families of hostages still held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said around 200,000 visitors have come to the Kotel Wall so far during Pesach Tens of thousands offered prayers for the return of the hostages More than 50,000 people attended the Birchas Kohanim “This ceremony was dedicated to prayers for the return of the hostages and for peace and security in Israel,” the Western Wall Foundation said in a statement Among those blessing the global Jewish Nation was Eliyah Cohen one of the hostages who was recently freed from Hamas captivity The mass Birchas HaKohanim ceremony has taken place for 54 years since it was initiated by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gafner z”l it has been organized by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation during the intermediate days of Pesach and Sukkos with hundreds of Kohanim bestowing a blessing upon the public Tuesday’s ceremony was attended by Israel’s Chief Rabbis David Yosef (Sephardic) and Kalman Bar (Ashkenazic); chief rabbi of the Israel Police Commander Rabbi Rami Rahamim Berachyahu; Israel police commissioner Commissioner Kobi Shabtai; Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion; Panama’s ambassador to Israel Ezra Cohen; rabbis public figures; the families of Segev Kalfon and Uriel Baruch – who are still held hostage by Hamas – along with hundreds of Kohanim The prayer service was led by the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites A second such ceremony will be held on Thursday to allow those who could not attend today to receive the blessing Sign up for the COLlive Daily News Roundup and never miss a story Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) The lighting of the Hanukkiah on the eighth and final night of Hanukkah is always a deeply moving experience at the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem the Western Wall Heritage Foundation marked the occasion of the eight-night Festival of Lights with a special schedule of honorees and speakers each night at the week-long event The program was designed to honor and remember the families of the fallen and those still being held hostage ensuring their stories and sacrifices were incorporated into this sacred moment of reflection and light According to the foundation's website and the wars,’ with the participation of rabbis Israel Police officers and security forces While the events are significant for most attendees one group of observers has been outspoken about their exclusion by the organizers of the annual celebration: Women of the Wall The Women of the Wall is a group dedicated to bringing inclusion to women in Judaism advocating for their rights to be a part of special mitzvot events such as the candle lighting and saying blessings as a way to actively participate in the celebration of Hanukkah and other important occasions As reported by Haaretz, in a letter to Religious Services Ministry Director-General Yehuda Avidan, Women of the Wall CEO Yochi Rappeport wrote, "Preparations are underway for the Hanukkah events at the Western Wall and we want to warn in advance about systematic failures and gender inequality at the Western Wall will once again hold its own candle lighting in the women's section this year "We won't wait for an answer from them We have a menorah made of 36 different parts brought in by 36 women – each one brings in a small piece "We'll light it as we do every year It is the only menorah in the women's section and it's a menorah that a stubborn organization like ourselves brings in in pieces." She added "Like the crypto-Jews in Inquisition-era Spain we need to hide a menorah at the holiest site for the Jewish people so that women can light Hanukkah candles in Israel." Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz of the Western Wall and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation urged "the few women who are invited to light candles at the ceremony to light secondary candles on the balcony that overlooks the Western Wall the women are just standing and are not invited to bless the candles and take an active part in the mitzvot of the holiday.” the Women of the Wall initiated a protracted legal battle in the High Court of Justice a panel of nine judges reached a compromise “The Western Wall is for the entire people of Israel they also determined that Women of the Wall does not have unrestricted rights at the site and its members needed to “minimize the offense caused to other observant people during the times the Women of the Wall pray and in this way also prevent serious incidents during altercations between the different camps.” Although the court did not grant the group unrestricted rights such as reading the Torah publicly or wearing a prayer shawl the group did protest the court's decision without officially challenging or appealing it Women of the Wall and other women's rights organizations issued a letter either calling for women to be permitted to take part in a state-sponsored mixed-gender ceremony in the plaza next to the segregated prayer areas or to be granted the right to hold their own ceremony in the women's section The request was rejected and described by Rabinowitz as "extremist" and "fanatic," further calling the demand a "media provocation." The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel “Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur the Western Wall and its plaza are normally packed with visitors it’s not possible to come to Jerusalem and place notes with our prayers between the stones of the Western Wall the holiest place for the Jewish people,” said Herzog “As an organization whose mission it is to strengthen global Jewry and its relationship with Israel we thought it would be fitting to facilitate this important act for so many this high holiday season.” Many have already sent their notes to the organization Noam from New Zealand asks that this year be a good year free of diseases and viruses; Daniel from the U.S hopes to spend time with his family this year; Dimitri from Ukraine prays that many Ukrainian Jews will find their home in Israel; Lauren from Paris wishes good health to her loved ones and to all the people of Israel; and Miriam from Mexico asks that the coronavirus be finished soon so we are able to be with our families again To submit a note for The Jewish Agency to place in the Western Wall, please visit: http://my.jewishagency.org/kotel/en Our weekly email is chockful of interesting and relevant insights into Jewish history Her wailing captured the cries of a nation and delivered a message of hope I don't know who she was or what she looked like But I will always remember the sound of her cry I spent hours this Tisha B'Av morning sitting in the front right corner of the men's side at the Kotel (Western Wall) As I rested my back against the mechitza (the partition between the men and women's sides) leaning against the wall I recited the poems lamenting the destruction of the Temple and observed the masses of people who came to pray and touch the wall from right behind me on the other side of the partition The sobbing built into a crescendo of wailing like I have never heard before at any prayer service or gathering Was she a grandmother crying for the wellbeing of her grandchildren Was she a middle aged mother pleading for her child to find a partner for marriage Was she a younger woman unable to conceive a child Was she the sister of a soldier killed in the IDF or a child of someone killed in a terror attack I did not turn around to look and her identity will forever remain a mystery to me But within her cries sitting on the floor right in front of the Kotel on the ninth of Av I heard the collective cry of the Jewish people in modern times I heard the cries of the thousands of Jewish mothers who lost sons and daughters during their service in the Israeli Defense Forces and in terror attacks and I heard the cries of everyone who simply struggles with the challenges of life on a day to day basis Seeing Jews from all walks of life and backgrounds approaching the Kotel At first I was plunged into sadness and anguish over the sound of her wailing But then as I began to think about it some more against the backdrop of seeing Jews from all walks of life and backgrounds approaching the Kotel for prayer I was reminded of the story about Napoleon who saw Jews praying and weeping on the floor in a Paris synagogue. He asked his aide for an explanation and upon hearing that they were mourning over the loss of their Temple which was destroyed 1,800 years earlier Napoleon remarked that these are a people who could expect to experience salvation one day The woman's cries reminded me that despite all of our suffering we have not completely lost our relationship with God setting the stage for an eventual complete reunion The fact that this Jewish woman was sobbing freely on the floor of the Western Wall in the heart of Jerusalem's Old City in our homeland demonstrates that despite all we have been through collectively we are on our way back to our former glory and Israel converging on the Western Wall to mourn with the sound of her crying in the background demonstrated that her cries – and those of the Jewish people throughout the generations – are bearing fruit There is real light at the end of the tunnel This coming Shabbat's Haftora captures God comforting the Jewish people after the destruction and promising that the time will come when our special relationship with the Divine will be completely restored Through the cries of that mystery woman I already heard that message loud and clear Dov Lipman is a rabbi, political activist, educator, author and sports enthusiast based in Bet Shemesh, Israel. In 2013 he was elected to the Israeli Knesset. Follow him online at RabbiLipman.com Thank you for signing up for the aish.com free newsletter American commentator and media personality Ben Shapiro toured and prayed at the Western Wall with his family the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites the director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation Both expressed their appreciation for Shapiro's significant contributions and steadfast support for the Jewish people and the State of Israel Shapiro and his family explored the sites within the Western Wall Tunnels including the recently opened Gateway to Heaven exhibit This new addition provides visitors with a window into Jewish history and the enduring connection to the Western Wall throughout the generations They concluded their visit with personal prayers at the Wall Shapiro recorded a video at the Western Wall in which he stated "Here I am in the most important place in the world overlooking the Kotel and the Temple Mount It's so important that you come and visit Eretz Yisrael right now Obviously it is a country that is at war and has to fight for its existence It's really important you come and support and also experience the spirituality of Jerusalem Incoming US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a longtime stalwart friend of the Jewish State, began his diplomatic mission on Friday with a prayer at the Western Wall. Full Story Incoming US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee a longtime stalwart friend of the Jewish State began his diplomatic mission on Friday with a prayer at the Western Wall Immediately upon landing at Ben Gurion International Airport Huckabee headed straight to the Western Wall in Jerusalem where he placed a tiny prayer note in between the stones of the Wall that was written by President Donald Trump the president wrote in capital letters: “FOR PEACE IN ISRAEL Huckabee added that he came with an additional prayer “that all of the hostages will come home NOW,” and said “that is the prayer of the president as well.” Speaking to the crowd of reporters and photographers in the Western Wall Plaza a short time later Huckabee noted that the relationship between Israel and the United States is by no means a one-way street “The truth is the United States benefits a great deal from Israel and not just militarily from defense systems that were developed here,” Huckabee noted “But there’s a much more important and long lasting side so it is not a one-way street,” he emphasized “The United States and its citizens are directly the beneficiaries of some of the extraordinary achievements and accomplishments and innovations of people here in Israel.” As for the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza due to the war forced upon Israel by the enclave’s terrorist rulers Huckabee was blunt when asked about plans for the “day after” the war Everything that people see there is not the result of anything other than the vicious hatred that Hamas harbored and carried out on October the 7th and they are paying the price – and tragically so many innocent people are paying the price – for the sins and the evil of these monsters of Hamas.” the Western Wall plaza filled with thousands of worshippers for the traditional Priestly Blessing ceremony including prominent religious figures and civic leaders Leading the ceremony were Israel's Chief Sephardi Rabbi David Yosef and the Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion was also in attendance joining the throngs who came to participate in the ancient ritual Video: Priestly Blessing at the Western Wall Sukkot 2024 / Credit: Western Wall Heritage Foundation The ceremony took on added poignancy with the presence of families of hostages who joined the gathering to pray for the swift return of their loved ones The day's schedule was structured around several key moments followed by the first Priestly Blessing of the day at 9:30 a.m An additional prayer service started at 10:15 a.m. with a second Priestly Blessing following at 10:30 a.m a special prayer was held for the safety of IDF soldiers and security personnel To ensure the safety and smooth running of the event authorities issued several guidelines for attendees Access to the Old City and the Western Wall could be restricted if overcrowding occurred Visitors were urged to follow the instructions of event ushers to maintain safety The public was advised to stay informed of any updates or changes to the guidelines throughout the day You think I'm gonna put up with this sh*t at my bar Newly revealed SS officer tape provides direct evidence of Hitler's explicit command for Jewish extermination A group called "Youth Demand" called on protesters to come to the site Analysis  Archaeology Blogpost Business & Finance Culture Exclusive Explainer Environment Features Health In Brief Jewish World Judea and Samaria Lifestyle Cyber & Internet Sports Diplomacy  Iran & The Gulf Gaza Strip Politics Shopping Terms of use Privacy Policy Submissions Contact Us The first issue of Israel Hayom appeared on July 30 Israel Hayom was founded on the belief that the Israeli public deserves better more balanced and more accurate journalism [contact-form-7 id=”508379″ html_id=”isrh_form_Newsletter_en” title=”newsletter_subscribe”] Following the release of the Thai hostages the Thai Foreign Minister and Chief of Staff made an emotional visit to the Wailing Wall As part of their visit to Israel following the release of the Thai hostages and in anticipation of continued efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages a delegation of senior Thai government officials arrived at the Western Wall yesterday afternoon (Sunday) The delegation included Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa Thai Army Chief of Staff General Songwit Nunphakdi and Thai Ambassador to Israel Pannabha Chandraramya The members of the delegation received an explanation about the place were moved to hear that prayers were continually being said at the Wailing Wall for the return of the hostages and They expressed their gratitude for the warm embrace that the people of Israel have given to the Thai people they offered a silent prayer at the stones of the Wall giving thanks for those who have returned and praying for the swift release of all remaining hostages including three Thai citizens still held captive by Hamas email and website in this browser for the next time you comment This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Aurora Israel News in Spanish Minute by minute on all the events in Israel © Copyright 2024 Aurora Israel. All Rights Reserved. | Site Developed by Codetribe Israel | Contact Us Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Live at 3:00 PM ET: A live broadcast will be streamed from the Western Wall in Israel as thousands will visit the Kotel to mark Tisha B'Av, the day when the Jewish people fast and mourn for the Beis Hamikdash, for prayers that will continue throughout the night. Live the Western Wall Heritage Foundation will hold a live broadcast starting at 10:00 PM (3:00 PM EST) for the recitation of the Book of Lamentations (Eicha) and the recitation of Kinot (elegies) Tens of thousands are expected to visit the Western Wall Plaza for the recitation of lamentations and the reading of the Book of Eichah (Lamentations) there will be a prayer and a call for the unity of Israel from the Western Wall Plaza with the participation of thousands and a live broadcast to dozens of locations in Israel and around the world the day on which we mourn the destruction of the two Temples—the First Temple and the Second Temple—the Western Wall Heritage Foundation is preparing to welcome the many who will flock to the Western Wall to read the Book of Lamentations and recite lamentations near the site of the destruction until the late hours of the following night Jews from all backgrounds and communities will come to mark the day of mourning at the most symbolic place of the destruction Thousands will sit on the ground and lament the destruction of G-d’s house in all the traditions and versions as is fitting for a place that unites and brings the nation together the Western Wall Heritage Foundation will hold a eading of the Book of Lamentations and the recitation of lamentations by cantors in both Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions The recitation of the lamentations will be broadcast by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation on the Western Wall website for those who cannot physically come to the Western Wall Plaza Home » Priestly Blessing Unites Thousands at the Western Wall” More than 50,000 people gathered in the Kotel (Western Wall Plaza) on Sunday for the 54th biannual Birkat Kohanim (priestly blessing), recreating a mitzvah (Torah commandment) as it was once performed in the Temple The holiday prayer included a recitation of the Hallel, celebratory verses in Psalms the worshippers took the traditional four species—lulav a citron—and performed the ritual shaking in six directions emphasizing that  Sukkot is a particularly aesthetic holiday in which Jews are commanded to dwell in gaily-decorated booths for seven days A special prayer for the safety and return of the hostages held by Palestinian Hamas in Gaza was added to the prayer service Prayer was added for the safety and victory of the IDF soldiers fighting on the borders of Israel and in Judea and Samaria A prayer was added for the health and recovery of the wounded The blessing of Israel once an integral part of the Temple Service is now performed on a regular basis in synagogues around the world.  and have their hands washed by men who have a family tradition of being from the tribe of Levi The Kohanim then moved to the front of the crowd and took up places adjacent to the ancient stones of the Kotel Since the priests served in the Temple barefoot they removed their shoes and covered themselves entirely in a tallit (prayer shawl) The blessing is performed by the priests holding their hands up with the fingers of both hands separated so as to create five spaces between them The spaces are between the ring finger and middle finger of each hand between the index finger and thumb of each hand and between the two thumbs touching each other at the knuckle Speak to Aharon and his sons: Thus shall you bless the people of Yisrael. Say to them:Hashem bless you and protect you!Hashem deal kindly and graciously with you!Hashem bestow His favor upon you and grant you peace! (Numbers 6:23-26) The event occurs twice yearly, during chol hamoed (the intermediary days) of Sukkot and Passover people of all faiths came from around the world to celebrate Sukkot alongside the Jews This is reflected in modern times as Jerusalem fills up with tourists from around the world Approximately 200,000 people have visited the site adjacent to the Temple Mount on this Sukkot festival The event Sunday was attended by Israel’s Chief Rabbi the Rishon LeZion Rabbi David Yosef; the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz; Israel Police Rabbi Rami Rahamim Berachyahu; Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai; Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon; Argentina’s Ambassador to Israel Rabbi Shimon Axel Wahnish; former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman.  we have witnessed the downfall of the enemies of the Jewish people — ‘When the wicked perish there is jubilation.’ But we will continue knocking on the gates of mercy and will not give up until they open,” Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz said in his remarks “We all prayed for salvation from Heaven for the hostages and for peace to reign over us and all of Israel: Amen!” © ISRAEL365NEWS 2025 Privacy Policy Prophecy from the Bible is revealing itself as we speak Israel365 News is the only media outlet reporting on it Sign up to our free daily newsletter today to get all the most important stories directly to your inbox See how the latest updates in Jerusalem and the world are connected to the prophecies we read in the Bible I walked past the watchful eyes of the Orthodox woman whose job it is to police attire at the entrance to the women’s section at the Kotel All of the other women on my trip chose to wear long skirts and no tallitot and standing at the holiest site in the world for many Jews On June 14, Israeli ultra-Orthodox leaders entered the egalitarian prayer plaza and erected a mechitza taking over the egalitarian space and establishing the same status quo that exists in the main prayer plaza of the Kotel while the Women of the Wall have catalyzed major changes at the Western Wall there is still much work that needs to be done to ensure that all Jews will feel welcomed there I am hopeful that when I return to Jerusalem I will feel no hesitation or anxiety when I wrap myself in my tallit at the Western Wall singing out loud alongside women and other Reform Jews without scrutiny or fear of repercussions Because of the recent messages sent by the ultra-Orthodox through their actions if I were to hop on a plane and travel to the Kotel today I am not sure that that would be the case.  may I and all other women who choose to freely wear our tallitot with the eyes of the world on our backs Last chance to make your voice heard in the World Zionist Congress Elections. Vote Reform '#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0 location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}()); prays with Women of the Wall during her bat mitzvah ceremony Every time that I mentioned that I was going to have a bat mitzvah to my friends at school They never realized it requires a lot of hard work that work was a part of what made becoming a bat mitzvah such an achievement I spent the last year working with my tutor It was especially hard because when I started the hardest part would not be learning my Torah portion but facing pressure from a mob of strangers not to recite it I never wanted my bat mitzvah to be in a synagogue in Seattle I thought that such a special occasion deserved a special location I wanted to connect with my heritage and be with my godfather speaker and activist for the Zionist cause That is why I decided to have the ceremony at the Kotel, the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City It was also meaningful for me to have my bat mitzvah at the Kotel because I wanted to be a part of the movement to gain more rights for women Women of the Wall has continued to press for access to the Kotel itself, occasionally smuggling in Torah scrolls only to have their gatherings disrupted by catcalls and worse from Orthodox worshippers That’s what happened to me on my special day At 7 a.m. on Friday, Rosh Chodesh for the Hebrew month of Av, as I walked into the women’s section of the Kotel with my moms and members of Women of the Wall, hundreds of men and boys surrounded us and yelled that we were a disgrace to Judaism I imagined that they were fans who came to the Kotel to celebrate with me It reminded me of my daydream of being a star goalkeeper making a decisive save in the World Cup final but the Women of the Wall community helped make me feel safe and surrounded by love We had just met the members of this group minutes before they made me feel secure in a foreign place Getting bat mitzvahed at the Kotel was not just for me Though I was not able to read from the Torah as I had planned I hope that Jewish girls after me will have this basic right “You’re not just fighting for your right to pray You’re paving the way for your generation and generations to come.” I never thought that as soon as I became a bat mitzvah I know I still have a lot ahead of me in the process of becoming an adult But when I suddenly found myself surrounded by people who wanted to deny me my right to participate in this timeless Jewish ritual I came to the Kotel as a girl to read a portion from the Torah I left as a woman with the responsibility to stand up for everyone’s right to recite the prayers of their choice at the place of their choosing Lucia da Silva, 13, lives in Seattle, where she will be in eighth grade this fall at Hamilton International Middle School. Lucia is a soccer goalkeeper, a basketball point guard, and a teen fellow at the Tel Aviv Institute where she advocates for equality and inclusivity in the Jewish community The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward. Discover more perspectives in Opinion. To contact Opinion authors, email [email protected] I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward American Jews need independent news they can trust At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S rising antisemitism and polarized discourse This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up Copyright © 2025 The Forward Association WWLP SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – 22News is working for you with when and where the 4th of July fireworks will take place in western Massachusetts this year To add a fireworks event to our list, email reportit@wwlp.com individuals using fireworks must have a certificate of competency to work lawfully for professional fireworks displays or sell fireworks of all kinds. This includes fireworks purchased legally elsewhere and brought into Massachusetts and some violations could have a one-year prison sentence There have been over 500 fires and explosions caused by the use of illegal fireworks in Massachusetts over the past five years including more than 200 people treated medically for burns and other injuries WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m This morning, we went to the Western Wall to pray with Women of the Wall for Rosh Chodesh Sivan Though a large group of progressive Jews were present there were also thousands of Ultra-Orthodox men and women who had been bused in to protest a recent ruling by the Jerusalem District Court allowing women to pray as they wish at the Kotel After we took some time to process our experiences Gavi: After an emotional morning at the Kotel with Women of the Wall After almost 13 years of praying with my tallit I put it on at the Kotel for the first time and said shehecheyanu (the blessing we say the first time we do something and to mark joyous occasions) with tears streaming down my face Being yelled at by thousands of my Ultra-Orthodox brothers and sisters and having bottles and rocks thrown at my community at me and is not typically how I would like to spend my Rosh Chodesh – but it’s how I chose to today I felt proud to have prayed alongside a group of strong I felt proud to have found an opportunity to stand in support of the values I hold and the Judaism and I believe in I felt proud to have been with a community that responded to cursing and shouting with smiles and wishes for a Shabbat Shalom and a Chodesh Tov (the standard greeting for Rosh Chodesh) And I felt proud to have been able to stand next to my wife for an incredibly moving moment as she put on a tallit (prayer shawl) at the Kotel for the first time The singing and praying was sincere and impassioned in a way that I had never before experienced with Women of the Wall I felt strong in my convictions and so glad to have had the opportunity to be a part of that community During the service, I also took a video of the recitation of the prayer written for Women of the Wall a special prayer read during the Torah service honoring the role of women and praying for their voices to be heard I had never before felt afraid at the Kotel shoving people surrounding us had a look of malice that was shocking We were loaded onto buses so that we could leave in safety could any Jew – let alone Jews praying at our holiest site – be treated that way by their brethren said that Women of the Wall are forcing their views on other people – but all the group actually requests is the opportunity to pray in peace at the place that has been the heart of the Jewish world for thousands of years our people were told that as long as no one saw us praying we were forced to pray in hiding for fear it would disrupt public order and poison the community Jews in the Jewish State are calling for the voices of their brothers and sisters to be shoved aside and silenced This service was the first time I prayed wearing tefillin (phylacteries), and it could not have been a more important Shehecheyanu moment the large crowds will be singing in support instead of shouting hate Gavi: We cannot begin to express enough our appreciation for the presence of the police Their presence and their support to keep us safe and give us the opportunity to pray I am thankful to the police who kept us safe and for upholding the ruling of the Jerusalem Court I was also thankful to get out of Jerusalem for a few hours for a beautiful outdoor lunch with our family in Gush Etzion Jason Fenster is a first-year rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion He was a 2008-2009 Eisendrath Legislative Assistant at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Gavi Young Fenster is a student at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem Jason and Gavi met at Brandeis University and were married on June 3 They have been spending their first year of marriage learning and living in Jerusalem Adapted from Challah U’Dvash A week has passed, and I am still mentally and emotionally processing my experience chanting Torah for the first time on Rosh Chodesh Adar with Women of the Wall jeers and curses from a large hot headed ultra-Orthodox crowd What most jarred me was that the majority of hecklers were there for the sole reason of threatening and disturbing our prayer service Amidst all the noise to drown out our voices – including the broadcasting of the men’s morning prayers over a loudspeaker ordinarily only used on some Jewish festivals – I tried to concentrate on the service and my reasons for being there with my family and all the supportive women and men who attended both in person and spirit At my bat mitzvah 40 years ago in the Conservative synagogue I grew up in, I had only chanted a Haftorah portion I felt strongly about participating in a service and supporting Women of the Wall’s ongoing struggle to ensure a safe and inclusive space for women’s prayer at the Kotel and all those who believe in pluralism and inclusion.  Despite my attempts to focus, I found myself continually distracted and appalled by the chillul Hashem (typically translated as “desecration in the name of God”) that surrounded us. I thought to myself that maybe my understanding of chillul Hashem was wrong. Upon returning home, I looked up the term, and wherever I searched, including Merriam-Webster's dictionary it was described as "an act in contravention of Jewish religious or ethical principles that is regarded as an offense to God" (emphasis mine) I was deeply distressed to confirm that the protesters had been unaware that their own verbal violence – and in some cases physical violence – in that holy space was an affront to God I felt depressed and as if I had been smacked in the face by the reality that our Israeli government condones such behavior with its silence and inaction I held onto my two daughters who stood with me and tried to concentrate I don't don a tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) as a regular practice and have only worn it when I have had the honor of an aliyah (literally I felt compelled to wrap myself in the tallit that my father presented to my oldest daughter on the occasion of her becoming a bat mitzvah eight years ago I wore it throughout the entirety of the service to strengthen my concentration and connection to the past and the present I remembered that upon presenting it to my daughter "…the prayer shawl has been part of Jewish life for thousands of years and it has always had great meaning and significance When you wrap it around yourself you are surrounding yourself with generations of Jewish history Your tallit is feminine and should connect you with women who have come before you and women who are with you now." as did my in-laws who gave my younger daughter her tallit that as you pray wearing a tallit and participate in services you are a trailblazer lighting up a new path for the women in your family even my youngest daughter felt spurred to wear her own tallit for the first time since her bat mitzvah a reaction to the chillul hashem of the crowd I am proud of my daughters' reactions to the situation we faced and felt extra satisfaction and fulfillment regarding my decision to participate in the service I've been living in Israel since 1992 and can't believe that women here are still struggling to read Torah at the Kotel and participate in all aspects of religious life My mixed impressions about Rosh Chodesh Adar will still take some time to settle Still I feel enriched and empowered knowing that each small step we take is meaningful in the ongoing struggle for all Jews to feel welcome and respected at that holy space Sharon Mann made aliyah in 1992 and lives in Nahariya, Israel. She is an active member of Kehillat Emet VeShalom, where she is on the Women of Reform Judaism Steering Committee and volunteers as International Contact Liaison « Back By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org was one of several men attacked last month for helping women read Torah at the Western Wall JERUSALEM (JTA) – On a sunny morning last month I was swept into the women’s section of the Western Wall in Jerusalem in a flurry of aggression directed at the Women of the Wall the Israeli group fighting for women’s prayer at Jerusalem’s holiest site I was stomped on in the stomach by an enraged man Nearly three weeks after this brutal attack I’ve finally woken up from the shock and horror of fellow Jews inflicting bodily harm on me being stomped on by another worshipper at the Western Wall Here’s what happened: After we men finished reading the Torah in our simultaneous service a woman took the Torah through a gate in the mechitzah We broke out in spontaneous song and dance It was pure joy to know that Torah – a gift given by God to all of us – would be chanted by women at the Kotel The morning continued peacefully for perhaps another 15 minutes or so For an instant it seemed as though the violence that had previously marred women’s prayer at the Kotel might just be avoided attempting to get to the gate in the mechitzah their intentions unclear but their demeanor aggressive We tried to hold our ground against larger men Charlie called out for the police and was assaulted I saw an ultra-Orthodox man trying to charge through Let him run through and perhaps hurt someone I wrapped my arms around him and used my body as deadweight to bring him to the ground my focus shifted to protecting the tefillin from hitting the stone – an ironic mistake regarding my own safety I called out for someone to take it from me To the man who stomped on me: I’m disgusted by your behavior Yet this is what I said in synagogue last Shabbat: “Do not hate the man who stomped on me But don’t use what happened to me to justify hate or prejudice of anyone.” To my daughters: I’m sorry for the fear this caused I’ll continue to participate in the struggle a writer – but not as a 155-pound untrained middle linebacker To those who would stomp on Jewish practices not their own: Tyranny never survives Stop trying to control Jewish practice with oppression and violence Alden Solovy: The real heroes are the women who have fought this fight year in and year out To the Israeli government: It’s time to run Jewish religious sites equitably and responsibly We all should be able to pray at the Kotel according to our diverse and beautiful traditions The Supreme Court ruling that women can read Torah at the Kotel should be enforced To those who’ve given up on the Kotel: Have you forgotten how you felt on that day in 1967 when the Kotel was won Have you forgotten the day you first touched those majestic stones Have you forgotten that we pray daily for a renewed and rebuilt Zion There should be thousands of us at the Kotel demanding that the governing authorities at the Western Wall uphold the law of the land The Kotel should not be a de facto haredi Orthodox synagogue None of our holy sites should be run by any one branch of our great tradition Real men stand with women who fight injustice with women willing to face violence and arrest to claim the rights denied them real men put themselves on the front lines But the heroes are the women who have fought this fight year in and year out I believe that this act earned us merit in heaven No man has the right to plant his foot in my gut No man has the right to shove Charlie to the ground No man has the right to deny Torah to women we stood with our sisters for the sake of Torah (Alden Solovy is a Jewish poet, liturgist and teacher. He is the author most recently of “Haggadah Companion: Meditations and Readings.” Read his work at www.ToBendLight.com.) JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent I accept the Privacy Policy “Aren’t you afraid of God?” a secular Israeli asked recently “That God will strike you for your sins?” A fascinating query since this man wasn’t religiously observant at all Yet he was afraid of the Jewish God he’d been taught Fear of God isn’t mortal fear. It’s yirat Adonai, which means to be astoundingly in awe of God. A passage from Shabbat 31ab in the Talmud affirms such awe as our highest aspiration How could one be afraid of this God?     Have you seen images of the Kotel that predate 1967 The Kotel mechitza (divider between the men’s and women’s prayer areas) was introduced just 50 years ago brought a large contingent of Reform Jews to the Kotel The Israeli Orthodox chief rabbi responded Yet after decades of struggle for an egalitarian prayer space at the Kotel, in January 2016 an agreement was reached. So, too, was there support for conversions and marriages performed outside the chief rabbi’s purview Until last Sunday afternoon. That’s when the prime minister upended both agreements because of powerful political pressure from the fundamentalists The following morning, Anat Hoffman, executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) Our conversation would be interrupted by a radio interview of her about the reneging on the egalitarian plaza agreement the journalist also invited a vitriolic ultra-Orthodox rabbi That rabbi referenced Women of the Wall with a Talmudic quote about “prostitutes who put makeup on each other,” (Shabbat 34a) He implied that the Women of the Wall were whores Talmud is a repository of layers of conversations over centuries When we quote what never should have been recorded fruit-bearing context of the Talmudic quote about prostitutes From Shabbat 34a: Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai was called upon to determine whether or not a particular plot of land had corpses buried therein he ruled which sections were cemetery and which were not and the proceedings had been completely transparent He could have objected any time before the decision was reached “You will cause people to say that Sages are unwilling to cooperate with one another! They will say: If competing prostitutes still apply makeup to each other to help one another look beautiful, all the more so that Torah scholars should cooperate with each other.” Cooperation relies on what was agreed upon agreed in January 2016 to allow for the egalitarian plaza he pressured the prime minister to suspend the agreement One can imagine Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai’s anger with Rabbi Rabinowitz (and the radio rabbi) It is the nature of fundamentalism to view rigidly and the nature of liberal vision to be expansive becomes the essential responsibility of the broader state – to affirm the rights of all its citizens will we attain the real unification of Jerusalem – Yerushalayim shel ma’alah v’shel matah (the heavenly Jerusalem [that lives in our souls] and the earthly Jerusalem [with its challenges and realities Adapted from an essay written in response to ongoing events in Israel on that day the love of Torah will be shared equally The photo that accompanies this piece is from Facebook album by top news photographer Miriam Alster The album contains beautiful photos of women expressing love of Torah There are also horrible photos showing what Charlie and I experienced at the hands of so-called ushers and ultra-Orthodox men: He was beaten and manhandled; I was roughed up and stomped on Those photos are important to understand the forces that oppose women’s rights at the Kotel with Rabbi Susan Silverman dancing with Torah Susan and Charlie’s wife Sarah rushed toward us to help for coming to my aid. The photos of women expressing love of Torah those are the photos of the joyous future we desire On Monday, July 9, our NFTY in Israel group ended a long day in Jerusalem’s Old City with a visit to the Kotel We had learned from our group leaders of its rich history as the last part of the Second Temple to remain standing as well as its spiritual value and symbolism to Jews across the world We had been briefed about the differences between Orthodox and Reform Jews and the possible challenges that could result at the Wall I could feel a sense of curiosity from the entire group as we were separated by gender at the security entrance and entered the holy site we put on kippot (yarmulkes) and were offered the opportunity to put on tefillin (phylacteries) Although there was a definite feeling of uncertainty among the teens in our group most of whom had never put on tefillin before a majority of us – myself included – chose to wear them at the Wall as a way to connect to a piece of Judaism we hadn’t experienced before With my hand against the hot stone that had stood there for over 2,000 years I felt a physical connection to my spirituality in both religious school and history class it felt surreal to finally be standing next to it it wasn’t possible for us to truly know the feeling of being there until we were actually there ourselves – touching it I said a personal prayer in my head in English many Orthodox Jews were bowing their heads as they said prayers in Hebrew in a rhythm unlike anything I had ever seen before The gender separation at the Wall also felt strange to me The men’s side was spacious and had a separate room for learning and praying while the women’s side to the right of us was packed and significantly smaller that the women wouldn’t be strong enough to stand at the Wall and pray for a long period of time as the men did but also gave me an uncomfortable feeling of privilege I also thought of my Jewish friends at home who don’t identify as either male or female Why is there a need for separation at all at a place meant to bring Jews together as one I had a meaningful prayer experience and enjoyed trying the tefillin Physically touching the Wall that I had heard so much about was an experience unlike any other the stark contrasts between Reform and Orthodox Jews as well as the physical separation between males and females at the Wall I left the Wall lost in my own ambivalence which we visited prior to arriving in Israel are two of the most important places we as Jews can visit Each was an incredible experience within the context of NFTY in Israel and allowed us to form our own educated opinions around complex situations My fellow participants and I are incredibly lucky to have been able to visit these amazing and spiritual places that will continue to give context to our future decisions and moral integrity Visit NFTY in Israel for information about travel opportunities to Israel for teens Daniel Goldberg, a 2018 NFTY in Israel participant, is a member of Woodlands Community Temple in White Plains They call it the “Wailing Wall.” Hakotel hama'aravi the Western Wall of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem The noise at the Kotel on the first morning of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan was the whistling and cat-calling of Jews fighting Jews I was there to participate in a peaceful demonstration led by Reform and Conservative movement leaders We were at the Kotel to show solidarity with women seeking religious equality and to demonstrate what it looks like when Jews pray in an egalitarian fashion at a site precious to us the Israeli government negotiated with our movements to create a space for egalitarian Jewish prayer at the Kotel the Netanyahu government has refused to act on its word approximately 200 of us – some cradling Torah scrolls in our arms – gathered at the entrance to the Kotel proceeding at a cautious pace toward the security area Some press reports described our group as “wielding Torah scrolls” as if we were threatening to hurt others Nothing could have been further from the truth We were peaceful as we called for and walked with dignity we were heading to a place where pilgrims come to offer prayers Though I knew we would not receive a warm welcome They tried to grab Torah scrolls from our arms and we had to push back to protect them I didn't have to throw a punch or duck one It has been two weeks since I saw with my own eyes the very thing our rabbis warned us about at the ancient Temple: sinat chinam The live feed of the demonstration showed my congregants back home an unusual sight: their rabbi shoving and pushing to protect others from such hate I was jostled between Israeli police and counter-demonstrators both groups seeking to stop us from worshipping the way most of the world's Jews pray was that as stoic as I looked on the outside Running through my head were these questions: What we encountered at the Kotel was stupefying We witnessed actions well beneath the level of human civility Although I realize it is difficult to see people practice our faith in a way that expresses different values placing others in harm's way is entirely out-of-line and unacceptable After our demonstration and our Rosh Chodesh services were completed I remembered a teaching I often share with groups when we visit this site together I tell them that the wailing at the Kotel is not coming only from those around them It is also the sound of God's own cries.  Why does God cry there It is a fragment of something that once was whole remembering the unchecked hatred that destroyed its wholeness – and feeling our pain – sobs with us in empathy cry with us and help us to heal the wounds we inflict on one another at the Kotel Help us to restore peace and truth to Jerusalem once and for all Rabbi Robert A. Nosanchuk is the senior rabbi of Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple in Beachwood, OH, and co-chair of the Rabbinical Leadership Council for the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) Beseeching: Thousands of Jews gather for a mass prayer at the Kotel Over the past few months I have repeatedly been asked my opinion about the compromise agreement — now itself — to create an egalitarian prayer space adjacent to the Western Wall As I watched women and men with tallitot and tefillin reading from the Torah and singing in celebration I was grateful that after many years of negotiations the religious needs of Jews at the Kotel would be recognized; the aspiration and concerns of the Jewish people had trumped coalition politics — at least for a while As Dean of Humanities at Ono Academic College I helped develop a multicultural graduate degree in Organizational Behavior along with my colleagues Abu-Soud’s family lived in a home that was appropriated and razed by the State of Israel to build the large plaza in front of the Kotel While I am not questioning here the governmental decision made almost fifty years ago I am asking: How can our prayers at the Kotel take into account the fact that as we walk toward our place of prayer we are treading on the foundations of someone’s destroyed home Liberal Judaism has long prided itself on its sensitivity to those frequently marginalized by society: to women continually urging itself to keep prayer relevant and vital it is the opposite of the triumphalism seen at the Kotel which reaches a frenzied (and often violent and racist) pitch every year on Yom Yerushalayim when some religious Zionist yeshiva students march helter-skelter through the Old City on their way to a victory prayer celebration at the Kotel I had hoped that a different spirit would prevail in the celebrations of the liberal movements at the Kotel a spirit that is deeply entrenched in Judaism a spirit that includes sensitivity for the defeated In studying with my late father in the weeks before Passover I was always struck by the importance he placed on the midrash of God rebuking the angels for singing at the parting of the Red Sea In the midrash (Sanhedrin 39b) God says to the angels: “My creations are drowning in the sea and you sing before me?” Judaism accorded this midrash such importance that it became a source for the abbreviation of the joyous Hallel prayer on Passover on all but the first day We continue to commemorate the victory over the Egyptians we have a tradition of spilling off some of the wine in our cups at the recitation of the 10 plagues which has become interpreted as a way of being mindful of the suffering that the plagues caused My father warned against a Judaism that would not temper its Hallel When we stand before God in celebratory gratitude how do we acknowledge the reality of those around us — even our enemies Before the founding of the State of Israel men and women prayed alongside one another in the small space before the Kotel each person praying as a private individual This may have been forced upon us by British law the Kotel was primarily known as the Wailing Wall it might be more fitting as a private place of wailing than as a venue for triumphalism We need to find a way to pray differently at the Kotel We need to ask ourselves: How do we pray at a place that is also the place of pain for so many How can we pray while being attentive to the wailing of others at our Wailing Wall Tova Hartman is dean of humanities at Ono Academic College and one of the founders of Shira Chadasha in Jerusalem Professor Tova Hartman is the Dean of Humanities at Ono Academic College a model of multicultural graduate and undergraduate programming and education-based social reform as well as the fastest growing institute of higher education in Israel The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward. Discover more perspectives in Opinion. To contact Opinion authors, email [email protected] I began my rabbinical school studies at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion  During my plane ride from Chicago to Tel Aviv I started writing a short to-do list of things I wanted to do and accomplish during the year I get to live in Jerusalem and explore Israel: The last 55 days have been a whirlwind: getting settled in a new apartment  But a few events in particular have stood out: participating in Rosh Chodesh services with Women of the Wall joining an egalitarian mincha prayer service at the Kotel Rosh Chodesh Sivan with WoW and the egalitarian service surrounded by women proudly wearing their tallitot helped me better understand what Women of the Wall is fighting for  (Several men from HUC came to the Kotel that morning and prayed from behind the women’s section.)  Within the women’s section many women yelled at us; one woman stood in front of us with a sign on her back telling us we were desecrating the Kotel I stood with resolve with my HUC classmates but was dismayed that Haredi men yelled at us “atem lo yehudim” (“you are not Jews”)  How do I reconcile my love for Israel with my criticism of the way the Kotel is structured for the use and needs of the ultra-Orthodox community  How can I contribute to the struggle to make the Kotel a place where everyone can feel comfortable praying? What role does the Kotel play in our lives as Reform Jews my time in Israel has been filled with more questions than answers  One of the things I’m most excited about this year is the opportunity to live in Israel and to ask as many questions as possible (and learn to be comfortable living without easy answers)  My experiences here so far have given me a taste of what Progressive Judaism in Israel looks like and what working for progressive change in both Israel and the United States entails  I’m so excited to spend the year in Israel and I’m so excited to bring my questions and all that I learn home with me where Rabbi Lynne Landsberg (z"l) and Rabbi David Saperstein both inspired her to think more seriously about becoming a rabbi I was there for Rosh Chodesh to celebrate with Women of the Wall (WOW) on its 30th anniversary. Over the years I’ve prayed with WOW whenever I am in Jerusalem on Rosh Chodesh But after Friday morning I wonder what “normal” means “For 30 years the Reformim have desecrated the holiness of the Kotel A handful of women create provocations for recognition in a movement that encourages assimilation Our struggle is not just about the Kotel; their next targets will be conversion This a struggle about the Jewish character of the state of the Jews Friday these women will celebrate 30 years of activity They intend to bring a thousand people to the Kotel The only way to protect prayer conducted according to halachah is if thousands of Jews come to the Kotel this Friday.”  making it impossible for the more than 500 women who came with WOW to pray Some of the women had panic attacks; it is a miracle that no one was trampled to death was the hate in the faces of these ultra-Orthodox girls They were indiscriminant about whom they shoved Our more than 200 male supporters also were harassed with the police unwilling or unable to keep us safe So for the first time in 30 years we stopped midway during our prayer and with great difficultly worked our way toward Robinson’s Arch “What is provocative about wanting to pray at the Kotel?” Why are these ultra-Orthodox rabbis so fearful of “a handful of women” that they brought busloads of young religious students to stop us from praying It had to cost a lot to bring buses and coordinate this campaign Was this outpouring intended to send a message before the elections How dare the police blame WOW for provocation What is provocative about wanting to pray at the Kotel the right of women to pray out loud wearing tallit and tefillin has been affirmed by the courts One of the tributes was a video from former chair of the Jewish Agency Natan Sharansky who said: “The compromise we negotiated in 2016 will eventually be implemented It is only a matter of time.” Another highlight was WOW’s honoring the paratroopers of 1967 We captured the Wall and then we gave the keys over to generals who gave the keys to one of the most extreme factions in Israel You are the paratroopers who will liberate the Kotel.”  the way Women of the Wall want to pray is in accordance with “local custom,” i.e May the time come soon when “normal’ means there is more than one way to be a Jew and there is room for everyone at the Kotel Laura Geller is Rabbi Emerita at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills We are here today because Jewish fathers and mothers wanted more than happiness from their children The bipartisan group includes Los Angeles representatives Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) and Ted Lieu (D-West LA) Speaking ill of someone once most likely leads to a second time I traveled down to Jerusalem to meet up with my mother and other members of our congregation who were visiting Israel After a number of trips to Israel with my family I had become familiar with the Jerusalem tourist circuit: ancient sites I had grown all too used to my family and friends splitting in two as the men went to pray in the men’s section and the women went to pray in the women’s section whose tireless activism pushed the Israeli government to build the egalitarian plaza securing the opportunity for families like mine to pray together at the Western Wall I also felt hopeful that the establishment of this plaza would not mark the end of the journey toward increased recognition of progressive Judaism in Israel. While it is good to have a dedicated egalitarian space at the Kotel, the space itself fails to meet many of the conditions spelled out by Women of the Wall not easily accessible to those with physical disabilities and set off from the main Western Wall plaza In this sense, the egalitarian plaza reflects the experience of many non-Orthodox Jewish communities in Israel. They, too, have secured important victories but remain far from their ultimate goals. In the absence of national action on pluralism issues, individual communities have turned to their local governments Municipalities have been showing increasing generosity towards organizations that promote religious pluralism providing religious groups with space for services hosting joint programs and providing free land for synagogue construction the Jerusalem City Council approved funding for organizations that support religious diversity including the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion’s campus and even they receive payment from the Culture and Sport Ministry rather than the Religious Services Ministry Though the bottom-up approach progressive communities are taking has yielded some important steps forward Learn more about this issue from the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism, and the Israel Religious Action Center Jacob Kraus-Preminger (he/him) is the campaign manager at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, leading the Reform Movement’s Every Voice, Evert Vote Campaign. Based in his hometown of Cincinnati, OH, Jacob and his family are affiliated with Rockdale Temple He is a 2015 graduate of Macalester College Several months ago, I joined Women of the Wall (WOW) at the Kotel (the Western Wall) for Rosh Chodesh for the Hebrew month of Adar II WOW is a feminist organization that fights for the right of women to pray according to their own practice at the Western Wall That particular Friday morning was WOW’s 30th anniversary ultra-Orthodox women and girls from certain sects try to drown out our voices as we sing and pray the Kotel is an Orthodox shul and women’s voices are not to be heard the chief rabbinate of Israel had asked Orthodox schools from around the state to send students to the Wall early to ensure that WOW wouldn’t have room to pray Thousands poured into the women’s section and more overflowed into the main plaza we were able to hold onto a tiny section for our prayer service Two older women with disabilities were pushed out of their chairs the women leading the service were knocked off the chairs they were standing on Deciding it was too crowded to use our Torah for the Torah service we were surrounded by 10,000 people who despise us together with the men who had come to support us parading the Torah around in women's hands It has now been a few weeks since this particularly challenging experience I have recovered physically from the pain of standing firm in opposition to shoving but the images of that day are boldly etched in my mind It is hard to forget the crush of people who hate me and want to see me hurt I am privileged not to experience this kind of suffering often among others – face this type of trauma daily using their words and experiences as the fire for my activism I have struggled with the concept of Jewish peoplehood in recent years and even more so having spent this year living and studying in Israel what does it mean to stand up for your people unequivocally if they physically harm you because they disagree with you so vehemently The Orthodox Jews who come to protest against us at the Kotel do not believe we are Jews made absolutely clear by their signs that read “Reform Judaism is not Judaism.” I haven't given up in my quest to find an answer to the Jewish peoplehood question to attend Rosh Chodesh Shacharit (morning) services with Women of the Wall I also will continue to use my privilege and my experience to fight for equality and justice for marginalized people and to speak out against bigotry and hatred – so that all of us can experience the peace and holiness to which we are entitled For another perspective on Rosh Chodesh at the Kotel, read Reflections from the Western Wall on International Women’s Day Miriam Hoffman is a first-year rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem She will return to Los Angeles this summer to continue her studies I was able to have a much better experience than my female counterparts We’ve heard about how women are often silenced at the Kotel, an injustice that has been fought for years by Women of the Wall, led by Israeli activist Anat Hoffman. This week, however, we were reminded that some women face particular challenges regarding religious expression after reports that a transgender woman was refused entry to both the women’s and men’s sections After having been embarrassed in front of her friend that was visiting her Israeli wedding dress designer Kay Long posted on Facebook “From a young age we learn that if we place a note at the Kotel our prayers might be answered… All that’s left now is to take a picture and say a prayer from afar with the hope that it will be answered Because God is everywhere and loves us all.” Our thoughts are with Kay and all people who are made to feel left out at the Kotel. Along with our partners at the Israeli Religious Action Center, we will continue to fight for a more inclusive Western Wall that allows everyone who feels so moved to pray as they wish Jonathan Edelman is a 2014-2015 Eisendrath Legislative Assistant at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. Jonathan graduated in 2014 from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and is originally from Jacksonville, FL, where he is a member of Congregation Ahavath Chesed "\/another-perspective-on-the-kotel\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=PUAk7G2mm58T6_MOL6xVgXH_v5gJrIUrBEyjypf3IPI-1746447865-1.0.1.1-xdiLKfTTxqZqn0h1FYlEIyxOAGnGeIIFBUHAjyp3q_Y" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null Remove all obstacles from the road of My people On Yom Kippur when haftarah readers all over the world will raise their voices in chant – so-lu so-lu… build up build up a highway – the symbolic image of Isaiah’s highway translates in my mind to the major roadways crisscrossing Israel today Road-building and highway expansions in Israel are a good sign for the country’s overall economic health I’m especially excited about the new high-speed rail between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv This concretization of symbol doesn’t solely stem from my imagination – the revitalization of Hebrew in the early 20th century as a modern functional language is filled with examples of biblical poetic symbols literally hitting the pavement.  By the way mesilah – a train track – is another modern Hebrew word taken from Isaiah (see Isaiah 62:10).  But momentary flashes of real Israeli highways slip away as the power of Isaiah’s prophetic metaphors call us to reflect upon the moral and spiritual shortcomings the obstacles standing in the way of the Jewish people’s progress this message is intensified by the prophet’s words later in this section: this is the fast I desire: To unlock the fetters of wickedness…to let the oppressed go free…to share the bread with the hungry.… (Isaiah 58:5-7)   when I imagine myself sitting in synagogue this Yom Kippur and listening to Isaiah rail against the religious hypocrisy of not turning the experience of fasting into acts of justice my head again fills with current images of metaphoric and real construction both demonstrating obstacles to realizing Isaiah’s call to justice One example in Israel is particularly striking to me During the early summer uproar over the pluralistic prayer space at the Kotel (Western Wall) when liberal Jewish activists criticized the leaders of major Jewish organizations about why they were uniting vociferously only about the injustice of not having an egalitarian prayer space which they see as a personal freedom issue and not over major injustices that place hardships on oppressed and impoverished populations daily I thought ahead to this passage from Isaiah and to a similar idea in the prophet Micah alumni of our best Jewish educational experiences felt justified in reminding Jewish leaders of what we taught them about the prophets: With what shall I approach the Lord…shall I approach him with burnt offerings...?   He has told you and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do justice I see the opening of such honest conversation as constructive American and Israeli Reform leaders responded to the critical questions raised about the energy being poured into the Kotel controversy by expressing the Movement’s longstanding social justice commitments more clearly and loudly For the leaders of liberal Jewish movements this pluralistic prayer area represents a space for religiously liberal Jews to bring the fullness of their progressive commitments to democracy and human rights I think it is clear that this is part of what scares the haredi opposition.  “People from your midst shall rebuild the ancient ruins You shall restore foundations laid long ago and you shall be called ‘Repairer of fallen walls restorer of lanes for in-dwelling” (Isaiah 58:12) I see these words describing the day when liberal Jews will enter the Kotel plaza congregating in prayer with all their values I know the progressive siddurim (prayer books) they will daven (pray) from will give voice to social justice ideals that Isaiah and Micah teach us Inclusion and egalitarianism will be celebrated as minyanim (prayer groups of at least 10 people) are formed.  I hope that the symbols and architecture of the space will give expression to the values encompassed by peace and a respect for all humanity.  we don’t know how close we are to realizing even the preliminary vision of this section of the Kotel Beyond its potential to give voice to liberal Jewish prayer I’d like to see it go beyond what Isaiah envisioned as repairing walls and restoring lanes for in-dwelling. Is it not too daring to think that this new area in Jerusalem’s Old City might also become a connector to Muslim and Christians praying nearby in the spirit of co-existence Rabbi Reuven Greenvald is the former director of Israel engagement at the Union for Reform Judaism. His experience in re-thinking Israel engagement comes from work on innovative initiatives in the North American program of the Jewish Agency for Israel.   go to the Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem and to the ghettos encircled by the separation wall You will see a very different Jerusalem than the one you idealize you have exhibited a great deal of interest in Jerusalem undoubtedly an expression of your genuine love of the city has filed a petition against the circumvention of the Planning and Construction Law in order to expedite the move of the American embassy to May 14th The process by which the embassy’s move is being conducted — and the very move itself — do nothing to contribute to good neighborly relations Your future neighbors in the Arnona neighborhood are already protesting the extensive damage that will be caused to their community by the rushed construction as well as the denial of their legal right to submit objections and consider potential alternatives the move will entail the subversion of law These considerations are not only problematic in and of themselves; they are symptomatic of much larger neighborhood problems Those of us who live here in Jerusalem are concerned that people who reside outside of it do not always appreciate the complications of living life in a conflicted city serves as an exemplary model of co-existence this declaration strikes me as the typical sentiment of a recent arrival Anyone truly familiar with the city from within cannot help but adopt a much more nuanced view of the situation and required to pass through checkpoints to enter their own city With all due respect, Ambassador Friedman, these circumstances — a perfunctory representation of the inequities between east and west Jerusalem — are not a recipe for co-existence Contrary to the customary portrayal of Jerusalemites as extremists residents from both sides of the city are generally moderate people – the very reason why we are able to avoid even more violence in our city We are aware that we live on the edge of a volcano and do our best to live and let live Please indulge me in imparting one more piece of neighborly advice: if there is any lesson to be learned here in Jerusalem whether by adhering to planning laws or observing the true essence of the city which is and will always remain the home and future capital of two peoples Yudith Oppenheimer is the executive director of Ir Amim. A version of this article appeared in Hebrew on Local Cal. Read it here Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war The world is reeling from Israel’s unprecedented onslaught on Gaza inflicting mass devastation and death upon besieged Palestinians as well as the atrocious attack and kidnappings by Hamas in Israel on October 7 Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing this violence We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine The bloodshed has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region are seizing the opportunity to intensify their attacks on Palestinians The most far-right government in Israel’s history is ramping up its policing of dissent using the cover of war to silence Palestinian citizens and left-wing Jews who object to its policies one that +972 has spent the past 14 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives Can we count on your support +972 Magazine is a leading media voice of this movement a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists and thinkers can report on and analyze what is happening When I woke to the news about the new policy for the Kotel I was surprised to see so many of my friends celebrating too: I’ve been wearing tefillin since I was bat mitzvahed over a decade ago I’ve always closely followed the Women of the Wall and waited for a time when I The new compromise is just that: a compromise While it’s nice that now it won’t take a treasure map to find the egalitarian section and that the section will no longer be the size of a New York City loft it hurts that if I want to pray at such a holy site in a way that feels meaningful to me I have to go to a part that isn’t from the postcards the images of Jewish Jerusalem that the world knows When I was 18 — my first time in Israel — my greatest wish was to get to the Kotel I knew going in that I wouldn’t be able to pray there with my tefillin I didn’t know that I had picked the wrong T-shirt; the “Modesty Police” told me that my sleeves were too short and made me wear a shawl that felt as though it had touched lots of sweaty shoulders already that day I felt like I had spent my life waiting to fulfill clichés that felt rich with meaning anyway: to daven A few short years of living as a woman in the “real world” had drained me a group of Orthodox women behind me giggled and took selfies I tried to remind myself that their experiences were just as valid as mine; that not everyone had to be rocking and mouthing words to have a spiritual connection But I felt almost naked; I wanted my tallit and my tefillin and I felt that I desperately needed those things to have the experience that my boyfriend might be having on the other side of the wall — the much much larger area where the men were unafraid to loudly celebrate As we walked away from the Kotel as a Birthright group and distanced from that which was holy to me I thought about all of Israel’s dreams and contradictions I also looked up from the back of the plaza and saw the Dome of the Rock I remembered that I was at the tip of a complicated My boyfriend (now fiancé) and I extended our trip when Birthright drew to a close we decided to go to Robinson’s Arch together We navigated a labyrinth of old ruins before we finally found the spot where an American boy was having a bar mitzvah We tucked ourselves unobtrusively into a corner and began wrapping our tefillin But I still felt the pang of a sort of banishment I had to acknowledge that the sight around me We finished davening and took a photo of our arms striped from the tightness of the tefillin overly hashtagged caption: “…#Tefillin #Feminism #RobinsonsArch #Egalitarianism…” And the comments and likes from our friends reminded me that we’re not alone in how we feel the Kotel is so special because of its unifying association for so many Jews coming from a wide spectrum of religious backgrounds no one is thinking of Robinson’s Arch; no one is thinking of the back of the Wall When tourists come to see the Western Wall are they going to feel that they’ve had the “authentic” experience after only going to the egalitarian section Or will they feel that they need to run to the “real” part (women: better cover your shoulders) Should I let this impact my comfort level the next time I’m in Jerusalem I don’t only want to pray at the site of the former Temple; I want to participate in the shared experience of people who have come to the same spot that immediately reads as a symbol of our history and ongoing connection to God Maybe after some time the egalitarian section will gain that sort of status; after all the image of the Kotel as we think of it is a fairly modern conception But I can’t help thinking that we’ve agreed to the idea that being shunted out of the way to something “technically” part of a holy experience Gabriela Geselowitz is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward. 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