Jan 28, 2016

Haredim and Reform come to agreement

Recently Rosh Chodesh at the Kotel has been relatively quiet. Most of the fighting between the Haredi worshipers and the Women of the Wall worshipers seems to have stopped.

It seems this quiet might now get some sort of "permanent" status.

Avihai Mandelblit, the cabinet secretary and incoming Attorney General, had been tasked with negotiating between the groups and coming up with a solution. Mandelblit has announced that an agreement has been reached, and the agreement will be set in law.

According to Mandelblit, the Women of the Wall (and Reform) will stop using the Kotel area and will only daven in the area of Robinson's Arch, and they will have there a sefer Torah. However, they will not perform weddings or circumcision ceremonies in the area of Robinson's Arch, and will not play music on Shabbos or holidays. As well, no signs will be installed directing people to that area.
source: Kikar and NRG

I am happy they were able to come to an agreement and avoid further fighting. If they are all happy, it sounds good to me, though I don't really get how this is significantly different than the previous arrangement.







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2 comments:

  1. Michael SedleyJanuary 28, 2016 7:56 PM

    I heard this on the radio yesterday and didn't understand it. The Reform and Conservative movements have been conducting prayer services by Robinson's arch for years, that is where the "Ezrat Yisrael" section is. That area is designated for non-traditional prayer groups.

    In 2013, WOW rejected this area as an acceptable alternative for their Rosh Chodesh services, the insisted on doing it in the Women's section where it disturbed other people:
    http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4422174,00.html

    I wonder what changed in the past 3 years that they accept it now.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJanuary 29, 2016 2:48 PM

    I heard something to the effect that any "better" option would require some form of construction near the Kosel which they compromised on so as not to inflame the Arabs further.

    ReplyDelete