Same Old, Same Old: Sharansky 'Solution' To Western Wall Problem To Leave Women, Non-Orthodox Jews, In The Cold

Under the proposal, the area now known as Robinson’s Arch on the southern end of the Wall will be greatly expanded to create a prayer space roughly equivalent to the existing men’s and women’s sections. Egalitarian prayer is currently permitted at the Arch, which is an archaeological site, but that prayer is only available at limited times and with an entrance fee. The expectation is that the enlarged space would be free and open around the clock, as the Kotel is now, but that could not be confirmed.

The Forward has a breathless exclusive report written by its editor, Jane Eisner, that claims that Natan Sharansky's solution to the Women of the Wall/egalitarian prayer at the Kotel problem is to "expand the Western Wall plaza." Sharansky is set to propose this solution to American diaspora leaders today when he meets with them under the umbrella of the Jewish Federation of North America.

How will this expansion take place?

Under the proposal, sources said, the area now known as Robinson’s Arch on the southern end of the Wall will be greatly expanded to create a prayer space roughly equivalent to the existing men’s and women’s sections. Egalitarian prayer is currently permitted at the Arch, which is an archaeological site, but that prayer is only available at limited times and with an entrance fee. The expectation is that the enlarged space would be free and open around the clock, as the Kotel is now, but that could not be confirmed.

The plan also calls for the plaza surrounding the Wall to expand, so that visitors approaching the site in the Old City could clearly chose between praying at the egalitarian section, or the existing sections reserved only for men and for women. Still under discussion is governance of the new prayer area, but several sources said that they thought it would be run by something other than the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, the ultra-Orthodox organization that currently controls the Kotel.

In other words, Sharansky's proposal is pretty much what the High Court of justice intructed the government to do years ago. But the government, of course, did nothing in otder to avoid angering what was then their haredi allies (or potential allies).

There are two major problems here.

First of all, most of the groups upset with the haredi dominance of the Kotel do not want to pray someplace else – even if it is newly renamed as part of the Kotel. For hundreds fo years, Jews have prayed in the small area of the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount compound known as the Kotel, the Western Wall and the Wailing Wall – not at other exposed sections of that retaining wall or the other three retaining walls that hold up the Temple Mount. So calling Robinson's Arch "the Kotel" won't satisfy them.

Secondly, the ramp and stairs leading up to the Temple Mount bisect the wall's face, cutting of the are known as the Kotel from the remaining southern section of the western retaining wall – Robinson's Arch. To make Sharansky's plan work, the ramp and stairs would have to be removed entirely and that entrance to the Temple Mount closed, or they would need to be rebuilt in such a way that people can comfortably walk underneath them. The Waqf, the authority that runs the mosques on the Temple Mount will almost certainly fight either move.

So what Sharansky is about to do is in effect push the problem off on the Waqf.

The Waqf's objections will almost certainly be joined by objections from Israel's security establishment, which will probably cause the plan to go nowhere even if Women of the Wall and other groups support it. And if the proposal is ever brought to the High Court of Justice, chances are it will block the government from altering the ramp and stairs – meaning the "egalitarian section" of the Kotel will be cut off from the actual Kotel proper.

Sharansky's proposal is also marked by its very clear refusal to remove the Kotel's haredi rabbi, Shmuel Rabinovitch and replace him with a moderate Zionist Orthodox rabbi and/or a committee of secular, non-Orthodox, and Orthodox and haredi Jews to administer the site. In other words, Sharnsky is leaving the problem in place. So, not only will Women of the Wall and your cousin Jimmy's bar mitzvah be shunted off to an area out of sight, out of hearing and out of mind of the haredim who dominate the Kotel, but he haredi rabbi who has done the most to inflame non-Orthodox Jews will remain in power there with the state's blessing.

It is this kind of manipulation Sharansky has become known for.

Too bad the Forward doesn't know it.

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Deceptive Kiruv From Jerusalem

Women Musicians Forced Off Stage In Old City By Haredi Threats

Comments

[Lo K'darkah]

See this is why we need a king. None of this bullshit would be happening under Herod (who built the wall in the first place).

[Adam Neira]

"Watch the world argue, argue with themselves. Who's going to teach them peace and happiness ?"

- INXS, Dancing on the Jetty, 1984

[Redleg]

Gender separation has been a part of Temple Mount worship since it was built. What would be so terrible about women wearing tefillin and laining from the Torah, both of which are halachically permitted activities for women, in an expanded women's section?

P.S. I thought that WOW stood for "Whip 'em Out Wednesday"

[A Yid]

Using inter-factional disagreements for political gain has also "been a part of Temple Mount worship since it was built."
As many stories illustrate for example:
"One year during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, Alexander Jannaeus, while officiating as the High Priest (Kohen Gadol) at the Temple in Jerusalem, demonstrated his support of the Sadducees by denying the commandment of the water libation: instead of pouring it on the altar, he poured it on his feet. The crowd responded with shock at his mockery and showed their displeasure by pelting Alexander with the etrogim (citrons) that they were holding in their hands. Unwittingly, the crowd had played right into Alexander's hands. He had intended to incite the people to riot and his soldiers fell upon the crowd at his command. The soldiers slew more than 6,000 people in the Temple courtyard.

This incident during the "Feast of Tabernacles" was a major factor leading up to the Judean Civil War by igniting popular opponents of Jannaeus. A Qumran document sheds further light on another opponent of Jannaeus. The scroll 4Q390 was written by an adversary of Jannaeus seeking popular support to overthrow the Hasmonean King. The author called for an end to the dispute between Jannaeus and the Pharisees. According to the author, the only acceptable solution was an end to the Hasmonean Priesthood and secular control. This opposition culminated in the Judean Civil War."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Jannaeus
It is unfortunate that Jewish leaders are not thinking thru the long term ramifications of their actions for the unity and indeed the survival of the Jewish people.

[Diplogeek]

I actually wouldn't have an issue with laying tefillin or wearing a tallis in a women's section (I'm a Conservative Jew), but I have little confidence, at this point, that the security personnel at the wall could be trusted to maintain order and address the issues of Haredi chair throwing and such which would likely occur. They've shown no inclination to do so before, after all.

I wouldn't even mind the Robinson's Arch idea if I thought there would be follow-through to create a real space there, but again, not such a great track record on that.

The ideal, for me, would be a tri-chitza: a men's section, a women's section, an egalitarian section. The Kotel is overseen by a panel of rabbis of varying denominations, including heterodox denominations. Interference with the services conducted in an adjacent section results in removal from the site by security.

Honestly, this doesn't seem like it should be that hard to sort out.

[Michael]

Sharansky might not have done all he could, or what's best for all interested parties, but give him a break. He was given this job by Netanyahu, who just wanted it out of the picture. Sharansky is a widely renowned and respected writer, and a survivor of the gulags. Saying he is 'known for manipulation' is unfair.

[Shmarya Rosenberg]

Michael –

Saying his a known manipulator is the truth. If the truth is not kind to Sharansky, so be it.

[Redleg]

A Yid:

Yeah, that too. Are you comparing WOW to Alexander Yanai ?

[D]

These women, what they are doing they are doing in a manner of protest, no intention as well of fulfilling all other mitzvahs (Rav Feinstein)….this drawing attention to their display of excess piety. A challenge to gender bias. Not in my opinion done with any deep spiritual sense involved. It makes a mockery of those there that are there for deep spiritual reasons and Torah. They disrupt those that are there, whose beliefs may differ. And is seen by them as a challenge to others beliefs there. “Intent”. Are they there with any deep heartfelt urge to keep mitzvahs. I was there when they came in, it was a circus atmosphere. Gazing around to make sure others were watching their “show”….when others are deep in prayer…. what a shame. If they understood the deep spirituality and blessing that women already receive when observing mitvot, they would not need to don tallit, at that time, they may wish to I would assume. It is coming from far beyond the Kotel, and bringing your protests to the Kotel…amazing..all above said before.

[Shmarya Rosenberg]

Redleg –

Not true. Gender segregation was added later, not when it was built and not during the first century (at least) the Temple stood.

[CLR]

These women, what they are doing they are doing in a manner of protest, no intention as well of fulfilling all other mitzvahs (Rav Feinstein)….this drawing attention to their display of excess piety.

If they didn't get arrested, escorted out, have chairs thrown at them, or get yelled at, they wouldn't be "drawing attention" by their presence.

If the those opposed were truly concerned about the attention drawn by the WOW, they would first, tell the authorities to leave the WOW alone and not arrest them, second, encourage Western Wall Heritage to change the "rules" banning what WOW do, and third, they themselves would simply ignore the WOW when they show up and not pay any mind to what goes on on the other side of the mechitza.

If they did that, the "attention" would cease immediately.

[CLR]

The first paragraph of my comment was a quote from "D".

HTML tags don't work anymore?

[EC]

Sound like as reasonable of a solution as anyone would come up with.
Keep in mind that the non orthodox movements in Israel is are a fraction of their size in America, primarily due to Sefardim not having a history of a Reform or Conservative movement.

[Nachum]

"even if it is newly renamed as part of the Kotel"

The Kotel of today is expanded from what it was pre-1967.

[gevezenerchusid]

"So calling Robinson's Arch "the Kotel" won't satisfy them."

only because out of their ignorance about what the Kotel is they don't realize that Robinson's Arch is indeed part of the "Kotel".

A better solution would to be to put the Orthodox near Robinson's Arch, since they realize and appreciate that the Kotel is the Kotel and are less interested in the nostalgia and the photo-ops.

[Jeff]

"If they understood the deep spirituality and blessing that women already receive when observing mitvot, they would not need to don tallit, at that time, they may wish to I would assume."

And once again, the same bullcrap you people have used for God knows how long to justify your patriarchy and collective misogyny. Really, you're just one collective broken record.

Of course, I'm an ignorant apikorus who doesn't understand the beauty of the Toyreh way of life. Oy, nebach.

[Cynthia]

From what I've read, Women of the Wall are supportive of the proposal. It's not just the status quo - it will be equal in size to the existing Kotel prayer area, have free access 24/7, and be accessed from a common plaza with the existing area. IF the plan is actually put into place as stated, then the egalitarian site would not longer come across as the inferior alternate site.

The "for hundred of years" argument sort of falls flat. Prior to 1967, it was a narrow passageway - the entire Kotel plaza was constructed afterward. If you want to get really technical, the spot that is closest to the former Holy of Holies is at neither the existing Kotel plaza nor the Robinson's Arch - it is within the Western Wall Tunnels.

[Shmarya Rosenberg]

Cynthia –

Please.

The area of the present mens section is the traditional are Jews prayed at for HUNDREDS OF YEARS. In 1967, Israel liberated the Old City and cleared the slums located next to and against that part of the western retaining wall and constructed the plaza so the area could be used for large public gatherings. But it did not clear any of the area of the western retaining wall in the Muslim Quarter.

Past that, I lived and worked in the Old City, I co-founded and ran a tzedaka for soldiers and border patrol that guarded the Kotel, was there almost every day for years, and even davened in the shul in the tunnels opposite the Kodesh Hakedoshim with the mekubalim minyan.

Stop trying to mislead.