Israel police guard women praying at Jewish site

[Blue_Tires]

Source: Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police with metal barriers and human chains on Friday held back thousands of ultra-Orthodox protesters who tried to prevent a liberal Jewish women's group from praying at a key holy site, the first time police have come down on the side of the women and not the protesters. The switch followed a court order backing the right of the women to pray at the Western Wall in the Old City with practices Orthodox Jews insist are the role of men alone.

The "Women of the Wall" group has been holding monthly prayer services on the first day of the Hebrew month at the Western Wall in Jerusalem for more than two decades, wearing prayer shawls and performing religious rituals reserved for men under Orthodox Judaism. Accused by ultra-Orthodox leaders of violating "local custom" at the holy site, many of the group's members have been arrested.

On Friday the tables were turned because of the court ruling. Police protected the women and arrested three ultra-Orthodox men for disorderly conduct, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

It's a turning point for the group. Along with the arrests, the women have faced heckling and legal battles in a struggle to attain what they say is their right: to worship at the wall — the holiest place where Jews can pray — as men do. Then last month a Jerusalem court instructed police to stop detaining the women.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-police-guard-women-praying-jewish-070503660.html

[freshwest]

1. Good for stopping the 'disorderly conduct.' That's exactly what it is.

[elleng]

2. Yes. Thanks.

[Poll_Blind]

3. Haaretz: "On 1st of Sivan, 5773, Women of the Wall became a legitimate stream of Judaism" nt

PB

[sakabatou]

4. Last time I was in Israel, 13 years ago...

women COULD pray at the wall. The only separation was a curtain between the men and women, like in an Orthodox synagogue. Were women not allowed to go to the wall itself?

[leftynyc]

6. They've always been able to go

to the wall (well, since it's been under Israeli control) but there has been a separation. Good for these women fighting against it. And good for the police protecting them from the frothing mobs of religious fanatics.

[sakabatou]

10. It'll be a good day when it's fully integrated

[leftynyc]

13. Amen n/t

[Half-Century Man]

5. Judaism grows, so we all grow

G*D made half the population female, why would you think the sound of their voices in prayer would be unwelcome?

[SunSeeker]

7. WTF is wrong with these men? Unbelievable. Glad the police started enforcing the law. nt

[byeya]

9. These men follow the Torah which is strongly anti-female. God likes it that way.

[Mosby]

12. they follow their interpretation of the Torah.

Which is not shared by the other 85% of world Jewry.

[LeftInTX]

8. Good News!!

[riderinthestorm]

11. A hard fought but important symbolic victory. Well done "Women of the Wall"! K&R nt

[Ash_F]

14. Israel gradually moving to the center. Good. /nt