Stan's Experience with Women of the Wall

June 9, 2013 or in Jewish calender 1 Tammuz; The first of the month is a special day in Judaism called Rosh Chodesh or the head of the Month which traditionally has been a time of special prayers for women. In Jerusalem women have been meeting on Rosh Chodesh to pray at the Kotel (AKA Western Wall). However they have met with much difficulty over the last 30 years. This day was going to be the first since court orders provided security  and chances were things were going to happen. Roberta and my daughter decided to go with my encouragement  as history was being made. Below are our separate stories of this Kotel experience.

Stan; Security was very heavy and one main entrance was closed. At 7am  thousands of people were already there. After Roberta  and Allison finally got into the women's section I looked around and saw many Haradi (AKA Ultra-orthodox) men holding a sign which read "Provocation Women". So much for English education of the Haredi.  The next line said " If you want to start a new religion build your own Wall."

So I went up to the man  holding the large banner and asked him if he had built that wall pointing to the Western Wall? He said no, so I said, "Then that is a silly and stupid sign." That started a long discussion with him, then 10 and then 100 of his yeshiva buddies. The second person who tried to convince me of the errors of my idea was smoking.  So I said, "I can't believe you are smoking when Moses said one must take care of one's body."  I wouldn't let up on him until he dropped his cigarette on the plaza and crushed it with his foot.  Then I told him, "It's a disgrace to throw it on the ground, desecrating the Western Wall plaza." He refused to pick it up despite my continual requests.

Many of the Haredi Yeshiva students were angry, yelling and getting too close to me. I tried to tell them that Judaism has always changed--after the Second Temple, during the Talmudic period, and even with the Shulchan Aruch written by Rabbi Josef Caro in 1500's. The Hassids changed things in the 1700s and then they changed again.  Ok, so women's role didn't change then, but why not now? I told them that these women, some of whom are Orthodox, most Israeli, keep kosher and want to be holy, just as men do; as Moses says all Jews want to become holy. Their response kept getting louder and more were talking at one time. Then with my back turned to one half, I got shoved. I turned around and said, "That's going too far.  Don't push me.  What I should have added was, "That's cowardly--to push someone when he's not looking.  Is that what Haredi (ultra-orthodox) do?"  But alas I only thought of it later.

Meanwhile  the situation continued to become more tense as waves of the crowd began to get closer to me and I was pushing back.  Then two strong young men got between me and the crowd of Haradi and separated the crowd from me.  The crowd became even more agitated whereupon I felt a tap on my shoulder.  I turned around to see an army officer beckoning me to leave immediately and follow him which of course I did.  He led me to another enclosure between the Women of the Wall and the plaza with the angry Haredi mob.  This enclosure had only non-Haredi men in normal dress and  in fact most were praying Rosh Chodesh festival prayers in sync with the Women of the Wall.  Others in this enclosure were reporters and photographers (there were lots) working feverishly to get their story and photos. 

So I joined them in prayer while at the same time thinking about my recent experience.  At no time did I feel in danger but trying to talk to these Ultra-orthodox young men was unproductive but I felt it was worth it.  Interestingly there was only this one group protesting against the Women.  There were thousands of Haredi men praying in the men's section not involved with protesting.  Unfortunately I did not get the name of the Haredi Yeshiva whose students were attacking me.  Later the same group was actually running after two men in regular clothes who were trying to escape from them. They got away too.

I could see Roberta with her distinctive hat and Allison in the middle of hundreds of Women praying and this made me very proud.    At the end of the service as the Women were leaving I was able to join with Roberta and Allison in a very emotional greeting.  We all knew that they had taken part in an historic event demonstrating that women have rights at the Western Wall and can express their Judaism as they determine by themselves.  This time the army had to protect the Women but hopefully in the future this will not be necessary.  All in all it was a very exciting, moving, and important morning.