Desecration of siddurim at the Kotel by Haredi mob must be condemned

Joint statement protesting desecration of siddurim at the Kotel

Dozens of ultra-Orthodox extremists harassed Women of the Wall worshipers at their monthly service at the Western Wall on Friday, June 11, 2021. Following this hateful incident, JPLAN (the Jewish Pluralism Legal Action Network), and RUACH HIDDUSH (Rabbis and Cantors for Religious Freedom and Equality in Israel) called for charges to be brought against those responsible.

14/06/2021 23:58

Tags: Women of the Wall ·  Haredim ·  JPLAN ·  Ruach Hiddush

Ultra-Orthodox boys destroying prayer books and yelling at Women of the Wall

Dozens of ultra-Orthodox extremists harassed Women of the Wall worshipers at their monthly service at the Western Wall on Friday, June 11, 2021, snatching a suitcase carrying their prayer books and tearing out the pages. Police officers and Western Wall ushers did not prevent the demonstrators from tearing up the prayer books. Following this hateful incident, JPLAN (the Jewish Pluralism Legal Action Network), and RUACH HIDDUSH (Rabbis and Cantors for Religious Freedom and Equality in Israel) called for charges to be brought against those responsible, and for sanctions against those who use violence to interfere with freedom of religious expression.

The joint statement

The destruction and desecration of siddurim belonging to the Women of the Wall at the Kotel by a Haredi mob on June 11, 2021 must be condemned by all who love Israel and Judaism. In particular, lawyers, rabbis, and cantors have an obligation to ensure that peaceful religious worship by the Women of the Wall at this unique place, holy to Jews of all denominations across the world, is not subjected to violent assault by extremists who recognize no law but their own intolerance, and who attack women who “dare” pray aloud and read from the Torah.

For that reason, JPLAN (the Jewish Pluralism Legal Action Network), and RUACH HIDDUSH (Rabbis and Cantors for Religious Freedom and Equality in Israel) call for charges to be brought against those responsible, and for sanctions against those who use violence to interfere with freedom of religious expression.

JPLAN is a network of Jewish lawyers who are committed to Israel; to diversity of Jewish expression in the Jewish state; and to respecting and defending religious freedom for all. Ruach Hiddush is a unique network of rabbis and cantors of all Jewish denominations, committed to religious freedom and equality in Israel. While based in North America, our legal and religious conscience includes a strong commitment to Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. We view Israel as providing a home, whether physical or spiritual, for all Jews. We believe that it is high time that Israel address the dangerous recurring phenomenon of religious extremists who, in their fanatic zeal, desecrate prayer books and obstruct peaceful worship, rather than show respect for Jewish diversity.

We call upon the police to act. The flaccid acceptance of violence against egalitarian and women prayer groups at the Kotel is unacceptable and illegal.

The state-appointed Kotel Rabbi has been doing his utmost to block the monthly prayer services of the Women of the Wall. His security force fails to safeguard WOW members or protect their right to worship. Therefore, we call upon the police to act. The flaccid acceptance of violence against egalitarian and women prayer groups at the Kotel is unacceptable and illegal. The claim by the Western Wall Foundation, headed by the Kotel Rabbi, that it sought to separate the two sides is belied by the video dramatically showing ultra-Orthodox men callously attacking defenseless worshippers and tearing their prayer books. Both the police and the Foundation should be called to account for their tolerance of the violence. The frightening sight of torn prayer books, at a site sacred to all Jews, must never be repeated. We cannot escape thinking of scenes of sacred books torn and burnt in past generations, nor of comparable acts perpetrated against Jews by anti-Semites in the world today.

This should be a time for healing. It can only begin with Tikkun Am, healing our people. The violence committed by the Haredi mob on June 11 contravenes the very essence of the State of Israel and its Declaration of Independence, and is antithetical to Jewish values. The healing will begin only if the authorities show a determination to reject mob rule and protect all of us who love Israel, whether we reside within or outside its borders. We call on the authorities to exercise all avenues of law enforcement, including arrests, to end the violence.

June 14, 2021

Tammuz 5, 5781 (The month on which Jerusalem’s walls were breached, leading to its destruction, for the sins of fanaticism and intra-Jewish hatred)

Signatories

JPLAN co-chairs
Mark S. Anshan
Peter Buchsbaum
David Leit

Ruach Hiddush Executive Committee
Rabbi Robyn Fryer Bodzin
Rabbi Les Bronstein
Cantor Estelle Epstein
Rabbi Neal Gold
Rabbi Raachel Jurovics
Rabbi Asher Lopatin
Rabbi Gordon Tucker

Stanley P. Gold
Hiddush Chair

Rabbi Uri Regev
Hiddush President & CEO