American Jewish leader: Israel is trying to delegitimize liberal Judaism
Conservative leader Steve Wernick slams police for arresting Women of the Wall leader caught carrying Torah scroll against High Court ruling.
By Natasha Mozgovaya Tags: Israel news Jewish worldThe Israel Police's decision to arrest a woman for carrying a Torah scroll at the Western Wall demonstrates the will of the government to "delegitimize liberal streams of Judaism", an American Jewish leader said Monday.
Vice President of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Steve Wernick was present at the Western Wall when police detained Anat Hoffman, the leader of the Women of the Wall group, after she was caught holding a Torah scroll in violation of a High Court ruling prohibiting women from reading the Torah at the Western Wall.
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An Israeli woman of the Women of the Wall group, prepares to open a Torah scroll at the Western Wall, Judiasm's holiest site, Friday, May 14, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
“My understanding of the law is that it doesn’t mention anything about carrying a sefer [scroll] Torah," said Wernick. "It mentions reading Torah in public… and it mentions wearing Talit, but not carrying sefer Torah."
"I am just in shock that in Rosh Hodesh Av, of all days, nine days before Tisha be-Av [a fast day mourning the destruction of the Second Temple], that any Jew would be arrested for carrying Sefer Torah anywhere in the Jewish state,” he added.
“I think that at the time that our enemies are working to delegitimize the Jewish state, the message of the Israeli establishment is the delegitimization of the liberal streams of Judaism.
Dozens of Women of the Wall members arrived at the holy site on Monday morning for the traditional festive prayer in honor of the first day of the month of Av.
"This is another example of the ultra-Orthodox establishment imposing its stances on the public," a spokeswoman for the group said.
Women of the Wall has previously clashed with ultra-Orthodox worshipers over the group's desire to pray at the Western Wall wrapped in prayer shawls or wearing phylacteries, which some rabbis have called provocations.
In November 2009, another of the group's women was arrested for wearing a prayer shawl (tallit). At the time, Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz said the act was a provocation meant to turn the wall into a fighting ground.
"We must distance politics and disagreement from this sacred place," Rabinowitz had said.
The Masorti Movement said in response to Hoffman's arrest: "The arrest of the Women of the Wall chairwoman is a foolish act. The Western Wall plaza belongs to the entire nation and the Haredim have expropriated it."
Hoffman is one of the prominent activists of the Movement for Progressive Judaism in Israel and serves as head of the Religious Action Center – the public and legal advocacy arm of the Reform Movement in Israel.
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Women doctors were once declared male wannabees and fakes. Male nurses were laughed at. The world is a changing - people. And Judaism's brilliance is that it to will keep on changing. Just ask your Orthodox shul how bat mitzvah has evolved in their community. How mechitzah continues to change shape. How women presidents happen. That Orthodox is more scared of change when innovated by Reform, is its weakness. But change will happen. Anat is the future. Those who decry her are on the side of those who decry female doctors and male nurses. Scary - but it is happening and I thank Gd I am here to witness it.
On Mt. Sinai I don,t think g-d told Moses to have all the women to fall out to the left and put a wall between you
They cannot talk about the suppressive and undemocratic nature of other countries when this kind of unfairness is occurring.
Most don't know it, but true Judaism is in fact the most feminist religion you can find. For example, by Halachah 1. a husband has to buy his wife presents every Jewish holiday. 2. a women has a right to tell her husband I do not want to work, you provide all the food and clothing for me. 3. A husband must pay the Ketubah in case of divorce. Where else do you see so much benefits to the women?
And a ketubah declares her virginity, and her husband's bride price, and her right to be a leader is curtailed by apologetics, and males thank Gd for not making them a women, and Abe, Isac and Jacob are loved, while Sarah, Rivka, Rahel and Leah go unnoticed in daily tefillah. Aron, I love being Jewish, but don't pretent that the ancient excellents innovations you mention meet today's standards.
Why don't you turn to your president for help? You did so much to help him, he must help you in return. But, if you want real help, you should ask it from Evangelical Christians associations. Apparently, they care much more about Israel than you do. Oh, and don' t forget to remind your kid to join the new Palestinian freedom movement in College.
I am a right winger reform jew and voted for mccain. Please don't interject religion into politics. I supported israel to the point of making aliyah 6 years ago. We are just as jewish at the Orthos! We want our synagogues and rabbis recognized by the JEWISH State of Israel, to which we pay taxes. Why should my taxes go to support medieval rabbis who didn't even graduate high school?!
They wish they had as much control over the people as do the ultra-Orthodox in Israel. And both look longingly to Saudi Arabia. That's a country that knows how to enforce religious law!
Congratulations to the Israeli Supreme Court and to the Israeli Police. Religious Authorities at full rights. Soon there will be no difference between Sh'aria and Halaka.
ISRAHELL HATE REAL JEWS TO DEATH.
What next? Will we be arrested for "menstruating at the wall?" Where do you rabbis think MEN come from? Out of WOMEN's bodies. Perhaps we will be arrested for carrying you in our wombs at the wall? I guess G-d taught Adam to treat Eve that horribly.
i think the left-wing has already deligitamized themselves through assimmilation, lack of observance, and virtually zero aliyah/connection to israel.
What do the major problems of the Jewish people have to do with suppressing true and honest Jewish expression such as what these women are trying to do? If anyone is poresh min a tzibbur (removing oneself from the community) it is people who try to push others out, like yourself.
These mannish women have no place at the Wall, other than to antagonize worshippers. A reform Jew is worse than no Jew at all.
So, Steven, were all your ancestors perfectly righteous Jews? Maybe someone in your ancestry was a Reform or non observant Jew? Maybe they should have been locked up and not allowed to have children??? Then maybe such a JERK as yourself wouldn't be alive.
All of the Jews of today stem from religious Jews. Reform and secular Jews become gentiles in 2-3 generations.
Who says this person represents Jews?Moses was a leader, this guy is a "personality."
Any person who carries the sacred Torah in a provocative manner deserves to be arrested. The government should simply ban the Women of the Wall movement. The whole reform movement should be banned as well. Let them practice their idea of Judaism in Brooklyn and Tribeca but not in the wholiest of cities.
Rabbi... I'm curious... how was Anat Hoffman carrying the Torah in a "provocative manner?" I didn't read about that and I'm not in Israel to hear the news. Do you want Reform Jews banned from the Wall or Israel? Do you want Reform Jews banned from earth OR??? Why not pray for Reform Jews and sympathize. Maybe Reform Jews in America don't have access to many other choices. Some Reform Jews are quite observant. Can't you care about Reform Jews, too?
Sure, I agree, don't let the Reform Jews or especially women carry a Sefer Torah. Let's just let the Torahs being made by the millions in Israel go to all the Christian Churches like the Jews for Jesus and the Hagee ministries (who is often wearing a talit). But the destruction is coming from within, just as before. You are quickly going to lose that "Holy City" of "yours" because of your turning from the face of G-D because it is G-D who choses who He accepts, not you. Trust me on that one. BTW, Madoff is a named tossed around quit a lot here in the states.
I have great admiration for the Supreme Court, so I am especially sorry that the Court has allowed politics to impact with religion at such an infantile level.
i am chilony ( call it non obeyer ) but when it coms to religion ther is nobody for me but a traditional ortodox rabbi and a real synagog with mechiza and stuff. what du you want that we jews acsept evrything? rabbis with lipstics and stuf? come on! :)
The fanatic, racist and exclusionary Haredim must be stopped before liberal and progressive Jews throughout the world turn their backs on Israel. Progressive Jews are already feeling alienated from the Judaism imposed on Israeli society by the Orthodox community. I already defend Israel, on a weekly basis, at my Reform Temple but I cannot, in good conscience, support an Israel, ruled by the Haredim who have more in common with radical Islam than with Judaism and me!
I know everybody like to blame the hared for all of Israels problems but fact is in this case the trouble makers are the women. The Kotel as the holiest place where Jews can still go pray at is rightly run according to Halachic rules ( the rules orthodox Jews live by ) it's not run by the reform or the joke of a group the Mazorti which is even more reform than reform and these women are Mazorti. Fact is Halachic law says there are certain things men can do women cannot. Religion doesn't change it's rules because some members of secular society change their way of thinking. The so called women of the wall are a small trouble making organization and 99% of women and men who visit the Kotel have no problems the way things are run. As for the fact it's upsetting American Jews well it's non of their business because Jerusalem is not US property it belongs to Israel. Unless these US Jews are willing to let Israelis come to Washington and dictate how things should be run there then these people are more than welcome to come and visit and pray at the Kotel they just have to abide by existing rules and not carryout political stunts in an attempt to change the rules make things more secular.
The Ultra Orthodox are pushing liberal Jews away from Israel. I find it ironic that their policies create a lot of the problems and they are the last ones to serve in the military (or even get a job for that matter). These people are a huge liability for Israel.
Why does anyone listen to these orthodox fanatics? They are a minority and they are unreasonable and they are bossy and they are obnoxious and they love to mix into other peoples' business. So why do you do it? For the money! They shovel copious amounts of cash into Israeli coffers. Israel must wean itself off this money. To you it's like a drug. If they want to give you money great but with no preconditions or conditions. No quid pro quo. You'll need to do what's best for Israel. And if that means recognizing conversions of sincere, righteous people by rabbis other than those affiliated with these orthodox fanatics so be it! When the dust settles on this issue it'll probably turn out to be a net gain because you did the right thing and you will have increased the number of Jews, which I would imagine is something that you would value.
liberal / reform Jews would have long been idolaters by now.
It's completely unthinkable that a woman could be arrested for carrying or reading from a Torah at Judaism's holiest site. Why should there be any law or court restricting the right of a free citizen to read the Torah wherever she wants to? This is nothing but blatant sexism cloaked in the guise of religion. The state has no place interfering in the rights of citizens to practice their religion as they see fit, not as a small sect of wingnuts decide how everyone else should practice.
Let's see, Warnick and a dozen of his minions flew to Israel, staged some street theater, did the usual "highlights" of Israel tour and will soon be back in the USA.I wish he had better spent the money on tsedaka. BTW I remember former PM Shamir's repost to "liberal jews"..."where is your aliyah?"
So called conservative Judiaism is headiing toward extinction in the US. Instead of performance art and street theoater at the Kotel, the good clergyman might do more to support Jewish day schools in the US.
If Judaism forbids that practice according to the Talmud , so I think since Israel is called the Jewish State so its has to yield to the Law.
Why use the past: trying to delegitimize. It already has delegitimized, for a long time. Conservative and Reform Judaism are not Orthodox Judaism, but they still are Judaism, just as Protestantism is not Catholicism but still Christianity.
There are no "branches" in Judaism. Judaism is NOT christianity. There is only one Judaism, and that's Torah Judaism. The rest is pure invention.
There is nothing wrong with liberals who are pro-Israel.Yhey do not need to force changes "in your face",just to provoke controversies...Israel already has enough controversies to cope with...They would go forwards with honey than with piss and vinagre
There are many more women who like the wall the way it is. There is little enough left in this country that can be called traditional. Why should we have to give up our ways to satisfy a few headline seekers? I am sick of these females who are only interested in taking on a man's role.
Nili....sounds like a female name ....well if someone women don't mind being ghosts and bake kids and care only about kids as if they don't have a brain and dress like ghosts hiding their beauty and life some side life....and undress only under the shits ...well a woman is free do choose that but those who wanna be humans should be free to be
but who did ever legitimized a liberal or conservativ judaism? leo beck? sorry most peopel call them jews would never ok desisions of thous guys. calling themselvs conservativs is a joke. conservativ ortodox are not this jew-light boys calling themselvs jews mamstherim they are.
It's time that US and Israeli Jews - but especially US Jews as most are either Conservative or Reform - Speak out against the current Israeli Government and demand equal rights as Jews in Israel. This is a civil rights issue - like the civil rights movement of the 1960's.
The group these people are from Women of the wall is a political group, they want equal rights for men & women in religion. They don't accept the idea that there are some things in religion men are allowed to do which women are not or that the Kotel is run under Halachic rules rather than womens rights. All these things they do like putting on a talit, wearing teffilin, carrying the Torah scroll non of it has anything to do with religion they are political stunts. Same way women in secular society carried out all kinds of stunts for equal rights these people are carrying out stunts for equal rights in religion but the thing they don't seem to understand is religion is not something thats meant to change its rules to satisfy the current trends in secular society. The Kotel has rules which everybody is expected to respect including these women. Also if they have any respect for the jewish religion they will stop trying to politicize it for their own misguided agenda.