https://hiddush.org/subchannel-56-0-Segregation__Censorship.aspx This is an RSS update from channel Segregation & Censorship on Hiddush website Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:45:45 GMT He-il https://hiddush.org/article-23556-0-On_the_Legal_Front.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23556-0-On_the_Legal_Front.aspx Thu, 12 May 2022 19:30:00 GMT Recently we received a reminder of how important it is to not merely be able to petition the court in order to correct wrongs, but also to monitor implementation of court rulings and of the actual change in policy. That takes time, perseverance, and patience - a requisite for legal advocacy which by its nature is ongoing and can stretch out over a long period of time. https://hiddush.org/article-23515-0-Hiddush_fighting_for_female_appointees_on_religious_councils.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23515-0-Hiddush_fighting_for_female_appointees_on_religious_councils.aspx Thu, 30 Sep 2021 20:25:00 GMT For many years, Hiddush has led the legal battle for women’s representation on Israel’s Religious Councils. Yesterday, we appeared before the Supreme Court in a hearing regarding the petition we filed on our behalf and on behalf of Israel’s leading women's organizations [Israel Women's Network, Naamat, Rackman Center for the Advancement of Women, and Itach - Women Lawyers for Social Justice], challenging the State’s non-compliance with the obligation to appoint women for the role of “Appointees”. https://hiddush.org/article-23501-0-Landmark_Supreme_Court_ReligionState_Rulings.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23501-0-Landmark_Supreme_Court_ReligionState_Rulings.aspx Thu, 15 Jul 2021 09:55:00 GMT This week, the Supreme Court handed down two landmark rulings on cases in the arena of religion and state, which have been pending for years. Once announced, they generated the expected outpouring of reactions. https://hiddush.org/article-23496-0-Joint_statement_protesting_desecration_of_siddurim_at_the_Kotel.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23496-0-Joint_statement_protesting_desecration_of_siddurim_at_the_Kotel.aspx Mon, 14 Jun 2021 20:58:00 GMT 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. https://hiddush.org/article-23491-0-Hiddush_in_the_legal_trenches.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23491-0-Hiddush_in_the_legal_trenches.aspx Thu, 20 May 2021 16:08:00 GMT Last week, Hiddush filed a petition in the Supreme Court on behalf of itself; the Israel Women’s Network; NA’AMAT; the Rackman Center; and Women Lawyers for Social Justice to ensure adequate gender representation for women on Religious Councils and senior oversight appointments. https://hiddush.org/article-23355-0-Equal_status_of_women_a_central_and_important_value_in_the_Israeli_experience.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23355-0-Equal_status_of_women_a_central_and_important_value_in_the_Israeli_experience.aspx Thu, 07 Nov 2019 17:55:00 GMT The last few days have provided us with a striking example of Israel's volatile religion/state terrain, which has consumed considerable media attention: The fight that led to the cancellation of a fundraising concert for Rabbi Avraham Elimelech Firer's NGO Ezra LeMarpeh. https://hiddush.org/article-23226-0-Female_soldiers_excluded_from_Israels_honor_guards.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23226-0-Female_soldiers_excluded_from_Israels_honor_guards.aspx Mon, 09 Apr 2018 10:33:00 GMT Hiddush appealed to Defense Minister Lieberman, Chief of Staff Eizenkot and Chair of the Ministerial Committee for Ceremonies and Symbols - Culture Minister Regev, demanding that female soldiers be fully included in official state ceremonies, including the ceremonies for Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) and Yom HaZikaron (Israeli Memorial Day). https://hiddush.org/article-23218-0-Hiddush_Survey_for_International_Womens_Day.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-23218-0-Hiddush_Survey_for_International_Womens_Day.aspx Wed, 07 Mar 2018 13:12:00 GMT 72% of the Israeli public believes that all political parties running for seats in the Knesset, including the ultra-Orthodox parties, should be required to include female candidates on their party candidates lists and allow women to become party members. 88% favor integrating women into the IDF [69% support the inclusion of women in every possible role, including in combat, and another 19% support their integration into all non-combat roles]. 12% oppose enlisting women into the army at all. https://hiddush.org/article-17132-0-Does_Shas_leader_Aryeh_Deri_promote_religious_freedom.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17132-0-Does_Shas_leader_Aryeh_Deri_promote_religious_freedom.aspx Wed, 26 Jul 2017 21:12:00 GMT This week Shas leader and Interior Minister Rabbi Aryeh Deri turned to Israel's Attorney General, demanding that the mandatory guidelines regarding the exclusion of women in the public sphere be suspended and reconsidered. https://hiddush.org/article-17116-0-Study_finds_that_religious_women_in_IDF_report_increased_religious_convictions.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17116-0-Study_finds_that_religious_women_in_IDF_report_increased_religious_convictions.aspx Thu, 01 Jun 2017 21:57:00 GMT A new Israeli study found that young women who served in the IDF reported an increase in their level of religious convictions, more so than those who served in National Service. 89% said that their religious levels were not harmed or even improved during their IDF service. https://hiddush.org/article-17117-0-75_Israelis_support_coed_service_in_the_IDF.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17117-0-75_Israelis_support_coed_service_in_the_IDF.aspx Tue, 30 May 2017 10:08:00 GMT According to a Hiddush survey, the overwhelming majority of the Israeli Jewish public supports coed military service, including most of the voters for the Government Coalition parties. https://hiddush.org/article-17089-0-Israels_exclusion_of_women_and_lack_of_civil_burial_alternative.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17089-0-Israels_exclusion_of_women_and_lack_of_civil_burial_alternative.aspx Thu, 20 Apr 2017 22:12:00 GMT This week Hiddush initiated stern communications to the authorities over two critical issues: 1) the gross breach of responsibility of the Ministry of Religious Services to provide an option for alternative civil burial, and 2) the exclusion of women from a medical conference about women’s health. https://hiddush.org/article-17060-0-80_of_Israels_religious_councils_have_only_one_woman.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17060-0-80_of_Israels_religious_councils_have_only_one_woman.aspx Tue, 07 Mar 2017 12:09:00 GMT Only 70 women currently serve nationwide (on 58 of Israel's religious councils). They represent 17% of the total 407 religious council members throughout Israel. https://hiddush.org/article-17050-0-Leading_Ashkenazi_Rabbi_rules_Women_should_not_be_allowed_to_drive.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17050-0-Leading_Ashkenazi_Rabbi_rules_Women_should_not_be_allowed_to_drive.aspx Thu, 26 Jan 2017 13:57:00 GMT Often we are reminded of the outlook at the core of the ultra-Orthodox political parties' actions. While they may appear to share our respect for a democratic society oriented toward civil liberties, the truth is that their motivations are anything but. https://hiddush.org/article-17024-0-69_of_Jewish_Israelis_support_womens_candle_lighting_ceremonies_at_Kotel.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17024-0-69_of_Jewish_Israelis_support_womens_candle_lighting_ceremonies_at_Kotel.aspx Tue, 27 Dec 2016 08:48:00 GMT 69% of Jewish Israelis favor allowing women to light Chanukah candles at the Western Wall. This principled position also enjoys a high level of support among voters for the non-Haredi Coalition parties. https://hiddush.org/article-17014-0-‘Tzviut’_–_not_‘tzniut’_(Hypocrisy_not_modesty).aspx https://hiddush.org/article-17014-0-‘Tzviut’_–_not_‘tzniut’_(Hypocrisy_not_modesty).aspx Tue, 29 Nov 2016 21:08:00 GMT The first business conference organized by the ultra-Orthodox newspaper Hamodia, Agudat Israel’s organ, took place last week. So who was not invited? Not a single woman – neither as a speaker nor as an attendee. https://hiddush.org/article-16913-0-Israels_ritual_bath_controversy.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16913-0-Israels_ritual_bath_controversy.aspx Thu, 16 Jun 2016 20:00:00 GMT Unsurprisingly, though extremely disappointingly, MK Gafni's partners in the Coalition Government have all bowed to his demands, and are supporting his legislative initiative to undo the landmark Supreme Court ruling on mikva'ot. https://hiddush.org/article-16892-0-1_woman_per_religious_council_but_God_forbid_not_more.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16892-0-1_woman_per_religious_council_but_God_forbid_not_more.aspx Fri, 06 May 2016 09:37:00 GMT 49 women currently serve on Israel's Religious Councils, but only six Councils have more than one female representative. https://hiddush.org/article-16845-0-The_Kotel_Agreement_–_Multiple_Perspectives.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16845-0-The_Kotel_Agreement_–_Multiple_Perspectives.aspx Wed, 24 Feb 2016 13:25:00 GMT The picture that emerges now is fuller and more complex. On the side of those involved in reaching the agreement, additional perspectives have been emerging. Below, we will attempt to organize the primary views and arguments that were heard following the agreement, both pro, con, and those in-between. https://hiddush.org/article-16804-0-Hiddush_demands_appointment_of_women_to_religious_councils.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16804-0-Hiddush_demands_appointment_of_women_to_religious_councils.aspx Fri, 08 Jan 2016 09:42:00 GMT The ultra-Orthodox Shas party's Minister of Religious Services David Azoulay has appointed six “appointees” for four religious councils since assuming office after the May 2015 Knesset elections. Minister Azoulay, like his predecessors, has not appointed a single woman, despite Israeli law and the commitment the Ministry made to the AG office in the past to exercise affirmative action in this arena. https://hiddush.org/article-16764-0-Katniss_Everdeens_image_censored_in_Jerusalem.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-16764-0-Katniss_Everdeens_image_censored_in_Jerusalem.aspx Wed, 25 Nov 2015 21:32:00 GMT Katniss Everdeen was censored out of Jerusalem and B’nei Brak 'Hunger Games' posters; only the fiery bird image was included. Hiddush immediately alerted the media of this censorship, prompting an investigation of the matter. https://hiddush.org/article-15734-0-The_phenomenon_of_sex_segregated_bus_lines_is_growing.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-15734-0-The_phenomenon_of_sex_segregated_bus_lines_is_growing.aspx Thu, 16 Jul 2015 13:12:00 GMT An ultra-Orthodox myth is that ultra-Orthodox women really want to sit in the back of the bus, so we shouldn’t interfere with the growing phenomenon of gender-segregated bus lines. However, ultra-Orthodox blogger Chani Weiser of B’nai Brak has recently come out publicly, challenging her community’s self-righteous claims. She does not want to sit at the back of the bus! https://hiddush.org/article-13729-0-A_threatening_hint_deleting_women_from_the_public_sphere.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-13729-0-A_threatening_hint_deleting_women_from_the_public_sphere.aspx Sun, 14 Jun 2015 13:57:00 GMT We are once again reminded of the deleterious impact of religious fundamentalism on gender equality. We come back to this phenomenon because its seriousness is compounded by the fact that these aberrations often represent major segments of Israel’s body politic, which have now returned to the front of the political stage. https://hiddush.org/article-2641-0-Hiddush_celebrates_Israeli_independence_and_great_strides_for_gender_equality.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2641-0-Hiddush_celebrates_Israeli_independence_and_great_strides_for_gender_equality.aspx Sun, 04 May 2014 12:47:00 GMT Israel's Day of Indepedence in 2014 marks the 66th anniversary of the date when Israel's founding promise of "freedom of religion and conscience" was declared in the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Hiddush is still work tirelessly to help Israel in fully realizing that promise. https://hiddush.org/article-2640-0-Hiddush_celebrates_Israeli_independence_and_great_strides_for_gender_equality.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2640-0-Hiddush_celebrates_Israeli_independence_and_great_strides_for_gender_equality.aspx Sun, 04 May 2014 12:21:00 GMT Over Israel's 66th year, there were many successes and challenges in the field of religion and state, especially in the area of gender equality. https://hiddush.org/article-2400-0-Hiddush_Original_Don’t_Push_me_to_the_Back_of_the_Bus.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2400-0-Hiddush_Original_Don’t_Push_me_to_the_Back_of_the_Bus.aspx Tue, 25 Dec 2012 21:41:00 GMT Marking International Human Rights Day on December 10th, Hiddush released a short film in protest, featuring Israeli Artists celebrities called “Don’t push me to the back of the bus!” https://hiddush.org/article-2397-0-Arresting_WOW_Leaders_isnt_the_Answer.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2397-0-Arresting_WOW_Leaders_isnt_the_Answer.aspx Tue, 23 Oct 2012 22:25:00 GMT On October 16th, Anat Hoffman of "Women of the Wall" was arrested as she led a monthly Rosh Hodesh prayer service at the Western Wall. On November 15th, six WOW leaders were detained. It's time to face the bigger picture. https://hiddush.org/article-2340-0-Hiddush_presents_Exclude_the_Excluders.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2340-0-Hiddush_presents_Exclude_the_Excluders.aspx Wed, 15 Feb 2012 03:30:00 GMT Director of Hiddush, Rabbi Uri Regev: "No more will women be excluded from the public sphere. We can no longer stand with those who promote the exclusion of women, the time has come to for a civil governmental coalition without those who exclude." https://hiddush.org/article-2334-0-US_State_Department_warns_tourists_against_“immodest_dress”.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2334-0-US_State_Department_warns_tourists_against_“immodest_dress”.aspx Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:45:00 GMT Updated travel guidelines from the US State Department reflect growing concern about violence against women for their dress. https://hiddush.org/article-2333-0-Women_only_5_percent_of_religious_councils.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2333-0-Women_only_5_percent_of_religious_councils.aspx Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:55:00 GMT Only one woman was appointed as a member of a religious council in 2011. Not a single council chair is female. Hiddush President, Rabbi Uri Regev: The horrific discrimination against women on religious councils only provides more proof that they must be eliminated and their responsibilities transferred to local authorities. https://hiddush.org/article-2330-0-Picture_of_Maj_Gen_Orna_Babibay_erased_from_ultraOrthodox_paper.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2330-0-Picture_of_Maj_Gen_Orna_Babibay_erased_from_ultraOrthodox_paper.aspx Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:25:00 GMT The face of the head of Human Resources for the IDF was completely erased, while her body remained on a Knesset panel discussion the Tal Law. https://hiddush.org/article-2301-0-Israeli_school_to_its_student_If_you_sing_in_front_of_men_you’re_gone.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2301-0-Israeli_school_to_its_student_If_you_sing_in_front_of_men_you’re_gone.aspx Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:50:00 GMT Ministry of Education supports the position of the school: OK to prohibit students from participating in activities against Jewish law https://hiddush.org/article-2299-0-Human_Rights_Day_in_Israel.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2299-0-Human_Rights_Day_in_Israel.aspx Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:25:00 GMT As we reflect on Human Rights Day, we are reminded of the dire need of Israel to acknowledge its failure in ensuring those promised in both the International Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration of Independence of Israel itself. https://hiddush.org/article-2292-0-MK_Livnat_Ministerial_Committee_on_the_Status_of_Women_will_be_convened.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2292-0-MK_Livnat_Ministerial_Committee_on_the_Status_of_Women_will_be_convened.aspx Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:19:00 GMT Debates rage on as discrimination of women and erasing them from public spheres continues, with disagreement between head of the Ministerial Committee on the Status of Women and Shas minister Mashulam Nahari https://hiddush.org/article-2290-0-Hiddush_outraged_by_possibility_of_allmale_committee_for_Rabbinic_appointment.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2290-0-Hiddush_outraged_by_possibility_of_allmale_committee_for_Rabbinic_appointment.aspx Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:10:00 GMT Suggested appointments for the Committee for Rabbinical Judges would leave the committee without female members, exacerbating and intensifying the already gender-discriminatory rabbinic court system https://hiddush.org/article-2285-0-91_of_Jewish_religious_population_Gender_segregation_is_distortion_of_Judaism.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2285-0-91_of_Jewish_religious_population_Gender_segregation_is_distortion_of_Judaism.aspx Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:35:00 GMT According to a survey by the Smith Institute for Hiddush, 89% of the Jewish public in Israel sees recent controversies over gender segregation in the streets of Mea Shearim and on bus lines as a distortion of Judaism (42%) or extremely unnecessary (47%). https://hiddush.org/article-2268-0-US_State_Department_reports_limitations_on_religious_freedom_despite_opposition_from_most_citizens.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2268-0-US_State_Department_reports_limitations_on_religious_freedom_despite_opposition_from_most_citizens.aspx Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:06:00 GMT The U.S. State Department 2010 Report on International Religious Freedom sites increasing tension in Israeli society between secular and ultra-Orthodox citizens on issues such as housing allocations, military service exemptions and allocations for religious institutions of study. The report also lists a series of cases of violence against women in terms of extreme demands for modest dress and gender separation. https://hiddush.org/article-2170-0-Elad_Poster_Outs_Couple_for_Immodest_Behavior.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2170-0-Elad_Poster_Outs_Couple_for_Immodest_Behavior.aspx Mon, 30 May 2011 08:38:00 GMT A pashkevil went up over the weekend in Elad, warning the public about a woman and man who did “grave deeds:” Elad is a religious city outside of Petach Tikva. https://hiddush.org/article-2082-0-IRAC_2010_Report_on_Gender_Segregation_in_Public_Sphere_in_Israel.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2082-0-IRAC_2010_Report_on_Gender_Segregation_in_Public_Sphere_in_Israel.aspx Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:42:00 GMT Excluded...for God's sake https://hiddush.org/article-2078-0-Court_verdict_reflects_womens_right_to_choose_bus_seat_.aspx https://hiddush.org/article-2078-0-Court_verdict_reflects_womens_right_to_choose_bus_seat_.aspx Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:50:00 GMT The Hiddush organization for religious freedom and equality expressed similar sentiments to the Masorti movement, saying in a statement that "the Supreme Court's decision means that sexual harassment of women in the mehadrin lines will continue."