Haredim Throw Chairs At Women Praying At Western Wall

Police arrested 2 haredi men at the Kotel Tuesday on suspicion that they threw chairs at a group of praying women from the "Woman of the Wall" organization.

UPDATED WITH VIDEO.

Haredim throw chairs at praying women
Women of the Wall's Anat Hoffman says 'Some 10 chairs came flying towards us.' Masorti leader: Western Wall compound becoming like haredi synagogue
Kobi Nahshoni • Ynet

Police arrested two haredi men at the Western Wall compound on Tuesday on suspicion that they threw chairs at a group of praying women from the "Woman of the Wall" organization. The men were taken for questioning, and the women continued their festive prayers to mark the first of the month of Nissan.

The incident occurred just before 7 am when the first women of the regular minyan had already arrived but not yet laid tefillin or begun praying. They waited on the upper area of the enclosure for the others to arrive and a group of haredi men gathered in front of them on the other side of the barrier that separates women from the men's praying area.

"Suddenly there was tension and something like 10 chairs came flying towards us, and two even got broken," Women of the Wall Chairwoman Anat Hoffman told Ynet. She said that the timing of the protest, when they were just standing and waiting for prayers to begin, shows that it was carried out by a group who had come especially to provoke.

"There was a rabbi there who shouted with a croaky voice, 'See what it means to be a real Jew,' while those around him were like his followers," Hoffman said. "As soon as we called the police, about 40 police officers arrived and formed a human barrier between us and the haredim."

In the end the women succeeded in holding an "excellent" prayer session with about 70 participants.

"In recent years the Western Wall has become a haredi synagogue," said Yizhar Hess, executive of the Masorti movement. "Anyone visiting the site notices the changes. The separation between men and women starts even at the security gate, with a special passage for men only to the men's enclosure, so they won't have to go through any public space where there are both men and women together."

"They treat women as if they were untouchables," he continued. "The person known as the 'rabbi of the Wall' is very efficient in his work. He is the rabbi of haredi men who do whatever they want at the Wall."

"The struggle of the Women of the Wall is not just for the sake of their own ability to pray, but for the sake of anyone who fears for Jerusalem's wellbeing," Hess added.

Shmulik Grossman contributed to this report.

[Hat Tip for the video: Joel Katz.]

Comments

[harold]

Good g-d, this mishugas again - sigh!

[Abracadabra]

Throwing chairs at the women. That'll teach them!

Almost as effective as throwing stones when they don't keep Shabbos!

[Abracadabra]

Hey harold. I was wondering if you could help.

I was trying to post the following picture in this comment, but it wouldn't work.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/estebanelfuerte/3754936601/

It seems that Flickr pictures don't work when trying to post them here. (Go ahead, try it this one, it's a good pic for this article!)

Any idea how to post a picture that is in Flickr?

Thanks!

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

Abracadrabra, I don't think TypePad allows visitors to post pictures.

[Garnel Ironheart]

The Chareidim are just looking over at the Arabs and seeing what works, and it ain't talking nicely and saying "Excuse me but your behaviour offends us, please stop."

[who knows?]

Is anybody surprized any longer?

We've got out very own rightious, pious Taliban.

The secular zioninsts wanted to become a nation like all other nations. They said that Jews are entiteled to have their own criminals and prostitutes, not only thinkers, scientists and musicians.

Now Haredi Rabbis show us that they for Jews becoming like all other nations as well. Now we are entitled to have our own narrow minded obscurantist religious bigots.

[peter]

look at the picture. its a couple of nutcases and their kids.
certainly not "the hareidim"

[Chayim]

These demented women should stop their anti Jewish behavior and be home in the morning making breakfast for their families.Oh I forgot many of them are shrieking Lesbians so they have free time to STIR UP TROUBLE. I am surprised only chairs were thrown, they should of thrown tables as well. Next month there should be 10 thousand Chareidi women on Rosh chodesh IYOR when these feminazis arrive and take away their male items like tfillin and talleisim and chase them out of the area. It needs to be an organized efforts and get 10 thousand Chareidisha young women to show them a Jewish fist and Jewish pride.
CHAREIDI POWER
Chareidi women reading this message please prepare for next Rosh choidish. We must defeat the enemy.

[Garnel Ironheart]

Listen, if Israel wants to be a nation like all others, well all the other nations are bending over backwards to accommodate the screams of Islamic extremists and their religious demands. So why can't Israel be like everyone else and do the same for the Chareidim?

[harold]

First of all the Haredim men should not get involved. There is a mechitzah in the way which makes any non-violent protests ineffective. It is the Haredi women that should be carrying the ball here. They can confront them more effectively and truly stage a more meaningful protest. It is, after all, their space that is being desecrated.

[Alex]

Chaim, will there be any women in Israel in 8 years and what will their role be? How come chareidi power is no longer number 1?

[Robert Wisler]

Shmarya,
Again, this Chayim character is inciting violence against others. You are irresponsible for not permanently banning him. You can count on no more financial support from me.

[harold]

Again, this Chayim character is inciting violence against others

You are not taking him seriously, are you? You really think his rhetoric is instigating others, especially here in FailedMessiahTown. I for one have no fear and put his ravings into its proper perspective.

[Althelion]

Chayim, boychik, mellow out dude.

Your chareidi power trip fantasy is just that: A fantasy. What power do the chareidi actually have? They are woefully unprepared to perform any but the most menial occupations. The xenophobic chareidi society has left them unable to relate to anyone outside of their own enclave. And finally, and most sadly, the mysoginistic attitude that chareidi society has towards women will guarentee their failure - in Israel; in Judaism; and in the future.

[harold]

I don't know why my image of Chayim didn't stick. I will try again with two variations.

[Alex]

Chayim,

I do not understand your solution.

"... 1 million chinese troops."

This sounds more like a punishment than a blessing. Why would you want a million goyim guarding you? What if they decide to side with Arabs, who may buy them with foreign money, and decide to destroy eretz yisroel. This is too similar to what was happening in Roman times.

I am also afraid of "half million phillipinos to be nannys" since this is totally unacceptable to me. What if they tempt Jewish men and produce goyishe offsprings? Furthermore I do not want 10,000 Italian chefs to prepare my food. All food must be prepared by Yidden!!! I would never trust Mexicans to do consturction either. Have not you see the type of shoddy work that they perform? Just like Bais Hamikdosh, I want all construction to be done by only M'handrin minahadrin Yidden.

I am afraid what you are proposing will lead to the destruction of Israel. It's the anti thesis of what our holy Torah wants.

[R]

ha ha ha i love the pictures.

Why are they throwing chairs??? Do they not want to be able to sit at the kotel anymore?
Also why were they looking over the mechitzah?

[R]

Oh sorry, they weren't looking over the mechitzah, they were throwing the chairs blindly over the mechitzah into the women's side which means they will hit anyone. That's nice. But at least they were being shomer ainayim.

[Responsible Citizen]

To the tune of the Green Berets:

"They were at the Kotel, the holy place so fair,
They did not care, they threw a chair!
They wanted all to follow their rule,... See more
But everyone knew they had the mind of a fool!"

[Alter Kocker]

These brave women should carry sling shots. One chair lifted by a Chareidi bastard, one quick stone to the eye, ear or testicles. That should shut-up the Chareidi Chazzerim.

If I would witness such behaviour, the first Chareidi to lift a chair would look awfully silly eating corn with no f**king teeth. (Not to mention his lack of balls)

[A. Nuran]

Harold, the Internet Protocols themselves rebel at the thought of Chayim's image.

[Alter Kocker]

PS.
Chayim: I dont think you have ever had a woman (other than your mother) make you breakfast. Oh wait a minute-your right hand is the wife and your left hand is the mistress. (Hope she's a shiksa)

[Neandershort]

At least the police are doing their job. That's progress. Let's see if charges will be brought and if the courts throw the book.

[chaim]

i wish some religious guy who the crazies cant say is just another anti-religious activist but who has a shred of decency would throw a chair at one of these idiots... perhaps he would stop if he knew what it was like to be hit by a flying chair.

[Chicago Sam]

Chaim has become a lot crazier since his days at Compu-serve Religion Forum

[Pierre]

Better check the Aish Kotel Cam backlog..

[rebitzman]

Chairs? A few years ago they were throwing turds.

Not sure if this is a step forward or backwards.

[danny]

Harold said: "It is, after all, their space that is being desecrated."

Sorry... but the Kotel is everyone's space. It doesn't belong exclusively to any one group.

[Chicago Sam]

Welcome to the zoo of Haredi Judaism--the home of Atavistic faith-- featuring grown men with pe'ot and beards swinging from the trees, throwing chairs at the women staring at them, all the while, acting like real apes.

If you ever wondered what happened to the missing link, where man and ape meet and mate, come and see our Haredim and their little Hasidic buddies too. See the Hasidim, watch them dance too!

Warning! Feeding these creatures may prove injurious to your health!

[Neo-Conservaguy]

It is the Haredi women that should be carrying the ball here. They can confront them more effectively and truly stage a more meaningful protest. It is, after all, their space that is being desecrated.

An honest question: what are the WOW doing in your mind that is desecration? Again, they are not "my cup of tea", but what are the specific actions with which you take issue? The wearing of tallith and teffilin? Clearly allowed by some halachic positions. I don't like that they are stirring the pot, but let's be clear - the actions of the charedim FAR outshine WOW with respect to chilul haShem.

[seymour]

the real problem is that the Israeli government gives in to these fanatics.

They might not know much but they do know how to withhold their vote to get what they want.

I guess if one only focuses on one thing you will be good at it

[Neandershort]

These goons are plenty brave when it comes to throwing chairs at women, but they had no hand in liberating the Kotel from the Jordanian Arab Legion in 1967. No hand. They were sitting on their butts in yeshiva with their heads buried in the gemara like the cowards and parasites they are, while others (mostly hilonim) did the fighting and the dying. And now they have the unmitigated gall to claim the kotel as their private property and tell everybody else what to do. Somebody has to put these animals in their place.

[seymour]

These goons are plenty brave when it comes to throwing chairs at women, but they had no hand in liberating the Kotel from the Jordanian Arab Legion in 1967. No hand. They were sitting on their butts in yeshiva with their heads buried in the gemara like the cowards and parasites they are, while others (mostly hilonim) did the fighting and the dying. And now they have the unmitigated gall to claim the kotel as their private property and tell everybody else what to do. Somebody has to put these animals in their place.

Posted by: Neandershort | March 16, 2010 at 08:09 PM

Don't you know how the world works. The only reason the hilonim won is because the heredeim where learning the talmuld.

I am joking

[rebitzman]

"Sorry... but the Kotel is everyone's space. It doesn't belong exclusively to any one group."

Can't believe I am saying this but............

The Haradim have a right to worship as they deem proper, and there IS a portion of the Wall set aside for the Masorti Movement that will meet the needs of these women and still be part of the Kotel. Frankly - last trip over, it was the ONLY part of the kotel where "prey" wasn't spelled "prey" (unless, of course, prayers DO end with the words "20 Sheckels"), and where I was able to actually make a connection.

[danny]

You are correct rebitzman. These Haredi men have a right to worship as they deem proper, on their side of the Mehitza. However, these men were concerning themselves with activity on the other side of the Mehitza.

[Abracadabra]

Neandershort - Very well put! The hypocrisy is disgusting.

[Abracadabra]

Harold - Great picture of Chayim! LOL!

[Abracadabra]

Nigritude Ultramarine:

How did you post that picture????

[A. Nuran]

abracadabra, the img tag is your friend.

[ML]

These women have plenty of good will and patience if you ask me. I know many women who wouldn't flinch giving those chair-edim a bloody nose. Be careful who you piss off.

[Gil]

It's a shame that both sides are just looking for a provocation. Israel's Supreme Court (never having been accused of being too right wing), taking note of the beliefs of the strictly Orthodox, gave these groups the right to pray however they want at Robinson's arch. They came to the regular womens' section knowing that there would be a fight. And the charedim, in violation of the Torah, gave the women what they wanted, by acting as animals. It's a shame that we Jews can't look for compromise from all sides, and living together in peace.

[HaNavon]

the chareidim are actually just showing their true face, which is something that is antithetical to the torah. i would actually like to go to 'chayim's synagogue to see what his sefer torah looks like, maybe it's even written in crayon! in my torah it says v'ahavta leoreycha k'mochah, love your fellow as yourself. in my shulchan aruch it says that if you hit a jew you owe him money, and im sure there were pregnant women there, so if you cause a woman to miscarry from fright, you owe her money.
the vilna gaon felt that hitting women was so terrible a crime that we may cut off the hand of a man who hits a woman!

[Hector]

HaNavon starts off with "the chareidim are actually just showing their true face"

I guess HaNavon didn't get the message that saying "THE" chareidim is as STUPID as saying "THE" blacks.

Ugh, now I feel obligated to condemn the chair throwers because HaNavon will probably think that my last comment was defending them. FM, please keep us posted as to who the offenders are, or at least to which sect they belong.

[harold]

Sorry... but the Kotel is everyone's space. It doesn't belong exclusively to any one group

So why is there a mechitza separating the men from the women (besides for protecting them from flying chairs). Obviously there is at play a certain set of religious decorum. What is being tested here are its boundaries.

[Felix]

Such ingratitude!! These women should be on their knees thanking those chair-throwers---after all, this is why they came to the wall in the first place---to make a scene. To have been simply ignored would have been sad for them.

[zebra print chairs]

That is rediculus. acting like a bunch of kids.