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Scuffles at Western Wall as liberal Jews protest for prayer rights
Scuffles broke out at the Western Wall in Jerusalem between ultra-Orthodox, Reform and Conservative (Masorti) worshippers over prayer rights at the Jewish holy site.
The Reform and Conservative activists, including prominent communal leaders from North America, joined the Women of the Wall group, which has long led the campaign for women’s prayer services at the Western Wall.
They gathered to mark the start of a new Jewish month by holding a mixed-sex prayer service in the women’s section at the Western Wall, which is not permitted under existing regulations. They also brought their own Torah scrolls into the Western Wall plaza, another violation of the current protocols.
The group was met by a large number of ultra-Orthodox protestors, who oppose their style of worship and view such actions as a desecration. Although scuffles broke out, Israeli security forces positioned themselves between the rival groups, allowing the Reform and Conservative group to conduct prayers.
Anat Hoffman, chair of Women of the Wall, told Israel Radio: “For the first time in history… a Torah scroll is in the women’s section. It’s a historic day.”
Rabbi Gilad Kariv, head of the Reform movement in Israel said: “The Western Wall won’t be the same Wall after today.”
However, Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich, who oversees the implementation of the current status-quo expressed “shock and pain” and said that the protest prayer service “hurt thousands of worshippers”.
Earlier this year, Israel’s cabinet approved the establishment of a mixed-sex prayer area at the Western Wall. This decision was viewed by many as an important recognition for non-Orthodox Judaism, which accounts for a large segment of Jewish communities across the world, especially outside Israel.
However, the new prayer area has yet to be established despite an order from the Supreme Court. The delay prompted yesterday’s protest by Reform and Conservative leaders, who defied a call earlier this week by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to protest publicly about the issue.