Women of the Wall Heroine Now Fights the Patriarchy One Painting at a Time
With her first exhibition underway, Lesley Sachs tells Haaretz how she translated her battles with the ultra-Orthodox into art – even if she doesn’t depict any violence
Western Wall
The Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall and the Kotel HaMa'aravi or Kotel in Hebrew, is the section of the western supporting wall of the Temple Mount, and is considered the sole remnant of the Second Temple following its destruction in 70 C.E.
Located in the Old City of Jerusalem, the Western Wall, built around 19 BCE by Herod the Great, has become the most sacred spot in the Jewish religion. It was returned to Jewish control during the 1967 Six-Day War, when Israeli troops captured the Old City from Jordan. A large plaza in front of the wall where Jews and visitors could congregate and pray was immediately paved.
Over the decades the wall has been visited by millions of tourists and pilgrims and is often on the itinerary of foreign heads of state who visit Israel. One of the customary traditions for visitors to the Western Wall is to place a small written prayer into one of the cracks in the Wall. It is also where many new IDF conscripts pledge their allegiance to the army and to Israel.
The Western Wall's religious and historic importance to the Jewish people combined with its extreme proximity to Muslim holy sites on the Temple Mount, primarily the Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, has been the trigger for many outbreaks of violence since 1967.
Israel Rebukes Chilean Ambassador Over Pinera's Visit to Temple Mount With Palestinians
Foreign Ministry states it 'views gravely' the 'violation of Israeli sovereignty’ ■ Chile is home to the largest Palestinian community outside the Middle East ■ Pinera won’t visit a refugee camp, as was originally planned
Israeli Planning Committee Approves Controversial Jerusalem Old City Cable Car
The plans for a Western Wall line, which must still be passed by the government, have been contested by many as an intrusive project linking East and West Jerusalem
Opinion The Other Threat That Both Muslim and Jewish Women Face
Jews and Muslims face a common struggle against white supremacists. Now Jewish and Muslim women are building another form of solidarity: jointly facing the discrimination within our own communities that denies us religious and ritual equality
Following Complaint, Senior Rabbinical Judge Backs Out of Event to ‘Reclaim’ Western Wall From Conservative, Reform Jews
Rabbi Eliezer Igra withdrew from the event organized by far-right group after Conservative movement leaders filed official complaint against him
Haredi Teen Who Threatened to Kill Leader of Conservative Movement in Israel to Be Prosecuted
Teen's death threats were issued during a Women of the Wall prayer service held at Jerusalem’s Western Wall and also targeted members of the movement
Opinion In Israel's Election, No-one's Talking About the Rabbis. But They Should
In the nastiest, emptiest Israeli election I've ever witnessed, there was nearly a meaningful debate about one substantial issue. Then the moment passed
Pompeo Arrives at Western Wall With Netanyahu, a First Visit of U.S. Diplomat With Israeli Official
U.S. secretary of state says 'it wasn't a mistake' when the administration decided to drop words 'occupied territories' from report regarding the Golan Heights
‘Next Time It Could Turn Deadly’: Reform Movement Leader Blames Israel for Clashes at Western Wall
‘Delegitimizing other Jews leads to the kind of violence we saw last Friday,’ Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, warns
‘A Desecration of God’s Name’ Women of the Wall Demands Government Inquiry Into Violent Attacks at Western Wall
‘It’s important to ask who benefited politically from this show of force against Women of the Wall 34 days before the election,’ says group’s head after thousands of ultra-Orthodox youths were bused in to protest last Friday
Editorial The Damage Done by Pope Netanyahu
In empowering itself to decide who’s a Jew and who is less a Jew, the government is acting as a Vatican of the Jewish religion
Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Youths Violently Disrupt Feminist Prayer Service at Western Wall
Special service held to mark the 30th anniversary of Women of the Wall, which falls on International Women's Day ■ Israel Police accuses Women of the Wall of provoking clashes, in which several women were hurt
Analysis The Team Behind Gantz's Liberal Stance on Religion and State
Benny Gantz, the man seen as the main challenger to Netanyahu in the upcoming election, was unusually forthcoming on issues such as freedom of prayer at the Western Wall and LGBT rights in his maiden speech. Here's why
Jerusalem Refuses to Disclose Report on Necessity of Western Wall Cable Car
Opponents of project fear it could strengthen Jewish settlement in Arab neighberhood of Silwan ■ Jerusalem Development Authority says releasing report on project's economic feasibility 'could disrupt progress on the project'
Tomb of the Kings Battle Brews Between French and ultra-Orthodox Over Jerusalem Archaeology Site
Ultra-Orthodox demands to pray at the Tomb of the Kings – the grandest burial compound in Jerusalem – have kindled fears among the French of an Israeli land grab under their flag in East Jerusalem
Jerusalem’s Planning Committee Refuses to Discuss Permit for Western Wall Mixed-gender Prayer Site
The local planning and building committee is deferring to the district planning committee, which will debate the permit on Monday ■ Prayer site meant to resolve the problem of prayer freedom for non-Orthodox Jews
Opinion Why Are Reform Jews Waging War on Orthodoxy?
If Reform Jewish leaders were really honest with themselves, this is what they would say – acknowledging they’ve elevated their opposition to Orthodoxy far above grappling with the critical problems in their own house
Netanyahu Approves Work to Expand Western Wall Egalitarian Prayer Space
Netanyahu and Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz approved the work even though committee member David Azoulay has never seen a draft version of the decision
Orthodox Groups Recruit Worshippers to Take Over Egalitarian Space at Western Wall
An organization known as the Joint Committee for Preserving the Holiness of the Kotel has brought out large numbers of worshippers to the prayer space, in order to claim the territory as their own
There's a Crisis Between U.S. Jewry and Israel, Says Jewish-American Journalist Thomas Friedman
'You can't tell American Jews: We want you to come to Israel, but your form of Jewish-religious expression is unacceptable to us,' the Pulitzer prize-winning New York Times columnist tells Israeli weekly Makor Rishon
Top Architects Slam Planned Cable Car to Western Wall in Jerusalem
'There is no other historical city in the world that allowed a cable car to be built within the visual core of its historical heritage,' said renowned architect Moshe Safdie
These Birthright Participants From Uganda Are Just Happy to Be Allowed Into Israel
Still not recognized as Jewish by Israel, three dozen members of the Abayudaya community celebrate their Judaism at the Western Wall in a unique way
Under Pretext of Accessibility, Israel Expands Contested Mixed-gender Prayer Area at Western Wall
Netanyahu has been under pressure to compensate non-Orthodox Jewish groups after the government canceled a deal granting them greater rights
Opinion You Wanted the ultra-Orthodox to Serve in the Army?
We don't want them in the army in order to share the burden, we want them in the army so they can waste three years of their lives as well
From Dissident to Establishment As Sharansky Steps Down From Jewish Agency, a Look at His Legacy
His time at the Agency will probably be remembered more for what he didn’t accomplish than what he did, at the Western Wall and on Israel’s conversion policy
Rock of Ages Western Wall May Shed Stones but Will Stand for Thousands of Years, Archaeologists Reassure
A 100-kilogram rock fragment almost fell on a worshipper Monday. But while the structure is sound, experts warn about lack of proper site supervision
100-kilo Dislodged Stone Falls Off Western Wall, Almost Hits Worshipper
No one knows how the stone was dislodged, but Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich hypothesizes that it could have been due to moisture or plant growth
Hungary's Viktor Orbán Prays at Western Wall on Last Day of Israel Visit
Controversial leader prays at one of Judaism's holiest sites, expresses interest in returning with family
Reform Jews to Blame for Earthquake in Northern Israel, ultra-Orthodox Lawmaker Says
In a Knesset debate on the egalitarian prayer space in the Western Wall, Lawmaker Yinon Azoulay suggests Reform Jews take the money they invest in Israel and 'build a Kotel in the U.S.'
Opinion Right Wingers in the Service of Orthodoxy
In the process of two ministers fleeing the panel overseeing plans to extend a mixed-gender prayer space, the secular right wing gives an additional stamp of approval to Orthodox hegemony