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MK Zevulun Orlev. (Tess Scheflan / Jini) Last update - 14:52 22/07/2008 Fearing Haredi ire, Knesset choir excludes women singers at Brown session By Shahar Ilan, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel, Knesset, Gordon Brown  A senior Knesset official on Monday said fear of offending ultra-Orthodox MKs led the institution to exclude women singers from the parliamentary choir at a special session in honor of visiting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown earlier in the day. Two-thirds of the Knesset choir, headed by MK Zevulun Orlev (National Union-National Religious Party Chairman), were missing when the national anthem Hatikva was performed at the afternoon session. Director-general of the Knesset, Avi Balashnikov, told Haaretz that the decision to leave out the female members of the choir was made in order to accommodate all MKs. Advertisement "I am the director-general of all MKs, and I don't have any wish to cause situations that would make MKs get up and leave," Balashnikov said. "Even though there are only a few Haredi MKs, we think of everybody...This can be seen in the fact that the Knesset kiosk is strictly kosher." At previous special sittings of the Knesset organized in the last few months in honor of U.S President George Bush, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nikolas Sarkozy, the national anthem was sung by a children's choir, which included females. Balashnikov said Knesset policy is to use choirs of children of both genders aged under 13, or to bring in older, all-male choirs. Related articles: Brown to Knesset: Iran must suspend nuclear bid or face global isolation Is the (Haredi) party over? Friedmann declines to defend top official from Haredi MKs' attacks More Jewish World news and features Bookmark to del.icio.us   A hero or a pharaoh? An Iranian film praising Sadat's assassin has touched off a row between Egypt and Iran. Primary colors Barack Obama looks to reassure Jews of his commitment to Israeli security.   1.   Haredi vs Taliban 20:21  |  musa 21/07/08   2.   Director-general of the Knesset, Avi Balashnikov, 20:25  |  dovale 21/07/08   3.   Israel is supposed to be Jewish AND democratic 20:30  |  Paul Henzen 21/07/08   4.   Women`s voices a threat? 20:30  |  Edithann 21/07/08   5.   Burkas for All 20:56  |  guy 21/07/08   6.   Why the provocative headline? 21:13  |  DS 21/07/08   7.   Welcome to Afghnistan Mr Brown 21:18  |  SJ 21/07/08   8.   An embarrassement and disgrace for Israel 21:33  |  Jeremy 21/07/08   9.   and israel call itself a "modern democracy" 21:39  |  aTm 21/07/08   10.   Democratic & Jewish? 21:40  |  Sam 21/07/08   11.   Haredim and Harem 22:10  |  Jack 21/07/08   12.   Pass me my Burka and sheitl (sp.?) 22:15  |  Joan Stuchner 21/07/08   13.   Haredim-Ha! Ha! 22:16  |  Jack 21/07/08   14.   It is Jewish tradition not to have women sing in front of men 22:21  |  Jewish State 21/07/08   15.   # 10 Sam - We even call ancient Athens a democracy 22:42  |  Paul Henzen 21/07/08   16.   A disgrace for Israel 23:02  |  Aviv 21/07/08   17.   # 6 ds 23:07  |  Axel 21/07/08   18.   I just wondered ... 23:12  |  Axel 21/07/08   19.   # 5 guy 23:14  |  Axel 21/07/08   20.   Israel is a Theocracy 23:30  |  POP 21/07/08   21.   Males only... 23:38  |  Esther 21/07/08   22.   Disgusting. Unacceptable. 23:55  |  MarkC 21/07/08   23.   Re Jeremy #8 23:57  |  Esther 21/07/08   24.   Welcome to Iran-women mks should walk out 00:16  |  Shahama 22/07/08   25.   What next?! ... castratos????!!! 00:16  |  Absolute Israel 22/07/08   26.   Re DS #6 00:23  |  Esther 22/07/08   27.   Not surprised 00:26  |  Pat 22/07/08   28.   In Vatican it is the same 00:27  |  Jose Marcio 22/07/08   29.   dolly parton 00:28  |  wh 22/07/08   30.   Israeli Religion & Politics are in the Stone Age still.... 00:36  |  POP 22/07/08   31.   Is Israel next? 00:40  |  Danny Sonnedatim 22/07/08   32.   6 - Keep wondering, Axel... 01:21  |  michhell 22/07/08   33.   Royal Services and Choristers 02:01  |  Sherlock Holmes 22/07/08   34.   Kol Isha Erva 02:04  |  Joseph 22/07/08   35.   Credibility 02:07  |  Avi 22/07/08   36.   Embarassing 02:19  |  Gilles 22/07/08   37.   The real "Iranian threat" 02:23  |  Mirqa 22/07/08   38.   # 26 michhell 02:24  |  Axel 22/07/08   39.   Policy to ridicule 02:38  |  Scharker Yid 22/07/08   40.   What about women ire? 02:40  |  Dan 22/07/08   41.   Those anti-zionist Hareies will ban women singing Hatikva 02:41  |  Dan 22/07/08   42.   # 32 02:57  |  Axel 22/07/08   43.   #39 03:10  |  Jack 22/07/08   44.   offensive to whom? 03:15  |  KB 22/07/08   45.   They were trained by the Taliban. 03:54  |  Moshe 22/07/08   46.   Some progress then 04:24  |  Colin Wright 22/07/08   47.   Haredim, as members of cults are not real Jews 05:05  |  Nathaniel 22/07/08   48.   All Male Choir 05:36  |  Charles 22/07/08   49.   WOMEN AND HAREDI MIXED HATIKVA CHOIR 06:20  |  Roberto 22/07/08   50.   Are we sure what they object to 07:01  |  Miche Norman 22/07/08   51.   Why do we only care if haredim are offended? 07:30  |  Sam 22/07/08   52.   HAREDI IRE and SECULAR GALL. 07:49  |  HAL 22/07/08   53.   Nonetheless Israel still criticizes Arab treatment of women 07:49  |  Natallie Durson 22/07/08   54.   Joseph #34 - Hatikvah is not the Shema... 08:57  |  Mirqa 22/07/08   55.   Shame on Israel 09:16  |  Yael 22/07/08   56.   Male voice choirs 09:56  |  Charlie 22/07/08   57.   way to go there israel! 10:41  |  equality? 22/07/08   58.   #15 paul hanzen "brilliant" analogy 10:45  |  democrat 22/07/08   59.   Freedom of Religion 10:51  |  Louise Jacobovitz 22/07/08   60.   Knesset living in the dark ages?!!! Talibanstyle Israel??!!! 10:54  |  Benjamina 22/07/08   61.   Charlie, you missed the point 10:58  |  Benjamina 22/07/08   62.   # 55 Democrat - Even the USA tries to pass as a democracy 11:08  |  Paul Henzen 22/07/08   63.   Benjamina on womens rights 11:10  |  The Judge 22/07/08   64.   Jewish tradition not to have women sing in front of men?? 11:26  |  chatnic 22/07/08   65.   To The Judge 11:31  |  Benjamina 22/07/08   66.   POP how so? You mean they have free elections 11:33  |  PETER SM 22/07/08   67.   Separate Sate and Religion before it is too late 11:35  |  Benjamina 22/07/08   68.   Oh, and there was me being naive again 11:44  |  Harvey (Chaim) 22/07/08   69.   Benjamina 11:52  |  The Judge 22/07/08   70.   Dear Benjamina 11:52  |  Charlie 22/07/08   71.   # 67 The Judge - What if Jews were excluded from a choir? 12:07  |  Paul Henzen 22/07/08   72.   Making Orthodoxy Less Palatable 12:44  |  Tzfonit 22/07/08   73.   # 59 louise 12:53  |  Axel 22/07/08   74.   Paul Henzen 12:58  |  The Judge 22/07/08   75.   72- zfonit- wrong direction 13:08  |  sptz 22/07/08   76.   Not to worry 13:13  |  Shimon Cleopas 22/07/08   77.   the judge 13:38  |  Axel 22/07/08   78.   Reply to # 47 Kol Isha erva 14:02  |  Motic 22/07/08   79.   # 54 shul versus knesset 14:05  |  Joseph 22/07/08   80.   The school choirs WERE mixed 14:11  |  Yossi 22/07/08   81.   DURSON "Arab treatement of Women". Lashes for rape VICTIM ! 14:25  |  PETER SM 22/07/08   82.   Tries to think of everyone? 14:39  |  Reform Choir member 22/07/08   83.   # 74 The Judge - Got your point, we agree! 14:43  |  Paul Henzen 22/07/08   84.   A Tempest in a Teapot 14:54  |  Avi Yerushalmi 22/07/08   85.   #73 15:08  |  Louise Jacobovitz 22/07/08   86.   Paul Henzen & axel 15:11  |  The Judge 22/07/08   87.   DURSON" Arab treatement of Women`How about institutionalised rape 15:15  |  PETER SM 22/07/08   88.   Why are most of you so stupid - the decision was correct 16:17  |  S Judah 22/07/08   89.   Why did not the women MKs get up and leave? 16:36  |  tamar 22/07/08   90.   Nathaniel, There are things you don`t know 16:37  |  Zev Davis 22/07/08   91.   When will we see the light? 16:42  |  Chunfla Burlbe 22/07/08   92.   Is there any limit for this retrogrades? 17:10  |  Ulf 22/07/08   93.   This far and no further 17:29  |  Afikoman 22/07/08   94.   Israel or Saudi Arabia? 19:00  |  W 22/07/08   95.   Reply to Mirqa 37 19:01  |  Realist 22/07/08   96.   this is why Haredi Jews are shunned 19:20  |  jewish doctor 22/07/08   97.   RIFT AT THE KNESSET 19:38  |  Dani 22/07/08   98.   Jewish State #14 20:21  |  Stella Westwell 22/07/08   99.   Asides from the obvious and blatant sexism, 20:46  |  Jozef 22/07/08   100.   disgusting 20:51  |  sweis Melbourne 22/07/08   101.   #88 Zev Davis 21:04  |  Nathaniel 22/07/08   102.   Destruction gives way 21:09  |  Shimon Cleopas 22/07/08   103.   Israel`s a democracy! Go ahead and offend the haredi...so what! 21:14  |  dav zee 22/07/08   104.   Israel`s a democracy! Go ahead and offend the haredi...so what! 21:14  |  dav zee 22/07/08   105.   Harediban Now Rules Israelistan 21:18  |  Lowered Expectations 22/07/08   106.   axed women singers 21:19  |  Zmira Cohen 22/07/08   107.   SHAME ON THEM! Terrorism against women by heredi theocracy 21:41  |  dav zee 22/07/08   108.   The "Pro-Pal" Critics Would Have More Credibility If... 21:43  |  JP 22/07/08   109.   The Knesset is not a Holy Temple 21:51  |  Elisheva 22/07/08   110.   Bring on the castratos! Or the Gay Men`s Choir! 22:08  |  Itzik 22/07/08   111.   Is Israel becoming a Haredi-ocracy? 22:10  |  Itzik 22/07/08   112.   HAREDIM @ WOMEN 22:31  |  Mona 22/07/08   113.   Detractors of Haredim 22:53  |  Avi Yerushalmi 22/07/08   114.   Nathaniel, that is no the issue 23:08  |  Zev Davis 22/07/08   115.   #86 peter Sand M scared --changing the subject. 23:10  |  Labhras 22/07/08   116.   women and Haredi 23:16  |  Hilda 22/07/08   117.   Mona off the mark 23:23  |  sptz 22/07/08   118.   #14, Jewish State... 23:33  |  Silvienne 22/07/08   119.   Tsfonit, did you say "secular" 00:59  |  Zev Davis 23/07/08   120.   #104 JP re credibility 01:22  |  Labhras 23/07/08   121.   So in Israel it`s OK to Offend Women 01:38  |  MIKE 23/07/08   122.   The Satmar Rebbe in Bergen Belsen 01:53  |  hhhhhhhh 23/07/08   123.   Women of Israel, where are you! 02:14  |  Maureen Ann 23/07/08   124.   Who sang after Pharaoh and his chariots drowned? 03:12  |  hala 23/07/08   125.   DAV ZEE 03:29  |  shoshanna 23/07/08   126.   DAV ZEE 03:34  |  shosha 23/07/08   127.   To JP #104 IN NYC 03:54  |  Mona 23/07/08   128.   # 86 What is the relevance? 04:35  |  Benham 23/07/08   129.   Talibans are the 12 lost tribe 04:44  |  Benham 23/07/08   130.   #99 the 25 000 Iranian jews 05:04  |  Benham 23/07/08   131.   #91 Realist - Welcome to Haredistan!!! 05:06  |  Mirqa 23/07/08   132.   Religious lunatics and a sane society 05:09  |  Mark Lincoln 23/07/08   133.   Haredim don`t like women. Maybe this is becauase 05:10  |  Jozef 23/07/08   134.   Nothing to be ashamed of 06:31  |  Shimon Cleopas 23/07/08   135.   MAUREEN International women where are you? On honor killing 06:50  |  PETER SM 23/07/08   136.   Benham, read the fine print 08:30  |  Zev Davis 23/07/08   137.   I know why Haredi men do not like women 09:09  |  Benjamina 23/07/08   138.   Fearing Haredi ire, no women singers at Knesset 09:51  |  Judith Nusbaum 23/07/08   139.   There were also NO MEN in the choir 14:06  |  Helen 23/07/08   140.   Only Haaretz readers... 14:09  |  Motic 23/07/08   141.   #114 Zev Davis 22:09  |  Nathaniel 23/07/08   142.   #139 and #140 Helen and Motic 22:22  |  hala 23/07/08   143.   #117 sptz mocks Mona`s musings on Haredi women 22:39  |  hala 23/07/08   144.   Nathaneil, Thuggishness is an Israeli Tradition, too 16:40  |  Zev Davis 24/07/08

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