Women Of The Wall Splinter Group Tells Israeli Government It Will Not Compromise

"…O-WOW calls upon the Israeli government to uphold the rule of law and enforce the court rulings that have validated women's religious rights in the Ezrat Nashim of the Kotel.  Further, O-WOW calls upon Israel, as guardian of the Holy Sites of many religions, to guarantee freedom of access and religious freedom for those seeking to worship at those sites.…"

ORTHODOX LEADERS IN NORTH AMERICA AND ISRAEL SUPPORT WOMEN'S PRAYER IN THE EZRAT NASHIM AT KOTEL
 
Leading Orthodox men and women, including rabbis and communal leaders, have signed a letter in support of preserving women’s customary group prayer in the Ezrat Nashim (women’s section) of the Kotel.

The letter, sent to both Economy Minister Naftali Bennett and Cabinet Secretary Avichal Mandelblit, endorses the Original Women of the Wall’s  (O-WOW) right and commitment to continuing women’s group prayer which has been customary at the Kotel for 25 of the 46 years of renewed Jewish presence at the Kotel.  There are 23 signatures and more are arriving daily.

O-WOW calls upon the Israeli government to uphold the rule of law and enforce the court rulings that have validated women's religious rights in the Ezrat Nashim of the Kotel.  Further, O-WOW calls upon Israel, as guardian of the Holy Sites of many religions, to guarantee freedom of access and religious freedom for those seeking to worship at those sites. 

Others, including the Reform and Conservative movements, have decided that Robinson’s Arch can serve as an alternative prayer site for them and are reportedly negotiating with Israel's government regarding development of that site.   The hearts and spirits of O-WOW, however, remain bound to the Kotel, where Jews have prayed for two millennia.

O-WOW will be publicizing dates and times for women’s group prayer at the Kotel.  Please join us and contact O-WOW about occasions that you would like to mark with a prayer service in the women’s section of the Kotel.

For further information contact:
Israel Contacts
 Dr. Susan Aranoff, 02-561-9344 and 54-576-1966; susanaranoff@gmail.com
 Cheryl Birkner Mack, 054 535 9572   cbirknermack@gmail.com
North America Contact
Dr. Shulamit Magnus, 216 342 5054; smagnus@oberlin.edu
 
LETTER
TO: Minister Naftali Bennett
TO:Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mendelblit

We, the undersigned, are Orthodox women and men who remain unalterably committed to the rights of Jewish women to group prayer, with Torah reading, tallit, and tefillin, at the Kotel ha'maaravi, the historic holy site of the Jewish people, rights recognized by the Supreme Court ruling of 2003 and the Sobel ruling of 2013.

We accept no alternative place to the Kotel.

We recognize the legitimacy of no person or group to negotiate in our name or for us for any abridgement or alteration of our rights, listed above.

We will not be bound by any agreement that abridges or amends our rights, listed above.

We will continue to exercise our rights to full religious expression for women in the Ezrat Nashim at the Kotel ha'maaravi.
 
אנו החתומות מטה, נשים וגברים אורתודוכסיות ואורתודוכסים המחויבים לזכותן של קבוצות נשים לקיים תפילות וקריאה בתורה, להתעטף בטלית ולהניח תפילין בכותל המערבי, האתר המקודש של העם היהודי, זכויות אשר הוכרו בבית המשפט העליון בשנת 2003 ובפסיקתו של כב' השופט סובל בשנת 2013.
 
אנו לא מקבלות אלטרנטיבות לתפילה בכותל.
 
איננו מכירות בלגיטימציה של אף אדם לנהל משא ומתן בשמינו אשר ימנע את מימוש זכויותינו הרשומות מעלה.
 
לא נהיה מוגבלות על ידי הסכמים המגבילים את הזכויות הרשומות מעלה.
 
אנו נמשיך לפעול למימוש זכויותינו בעזרת הנשים של הכותל המערבי בהתאם לזכות לחופש הדת.


SIGNED (thus far)
Dr. Susan Aranoff, New York
Rabbi Tsvi Blanchard, New York
Dr. Aliza Berger-Cooper, Jerusalem
Dr. Adena Berkowitz, New York
Rabbi Yossie Bloch, Jerusalem
Board of Directors of Kolech, Jerusalem
Maharat  Rachel Kohl Feingold, Montreal
Prof. Sylvia Barack Fishman, Waltham, MA
Brenda Gewurz, Montreal
Rabbi Steven Golden, Tenafly, NJ
Rivka Haut, New York
Dr. Norma Joseph, Montreal
Hannah Kehat, Jerusalem
Rosh Kehilla Dina Najman, New York
Belda Lindenbaum, New York
Barbara Nirenberg, Montreal
Lawrence Nirenberg, Montreal
Rabbi Isaac Sassoon, New York
Leah Shakdiel, member: Kolech ,Yerucham, Israel
Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, Montreal
Julie Shugarman, Montreal
Rabbi Sidney Slivko, Jerusalem
Dr. Shani Tzoref, Göttingen, Germany