WOW History

 

On the morning of December 1, 1988, a multi-denominational group of approximately seventy women approached Jerusalem’s Kotel (Western Wall) with a Torah scroll to conduct a halakhic (according to Jewish law) women’s prayer service.  As no provisions for Torah reading existed in the women’s section of the Kotel, we brought a sefer Torah (Torah scroll), stood together, and prayed out loud (a number of us wore  prayer shawls).

Suddenly many women, and men on the other side of the mechitzah (barrier separating men and women), began to scream, curse and even threaten us. Despite these events, we managed to complete our Torah reading. The then Kotel Administrator, Rabbi Yehuda Gertz, allowed us to continue our service stating that we were “not violating Halakhah.”

Since that day, we struggle to relive our service, to once again pray together while wearing our tallits and bringin a Torah Scroll to the women’s section.  For over twenty years, we have endured violence and spent many years in court fighting for this basic right as Jewish women, while mobilizing support from the Israeli and international community and raising funds.  You can read below all of the history of our efforts.  To read the most recent history, click here.

To Join our monthly Rosh Hodesh Services at the Kotel click here or make a Difference and Take a Stand.

 

A legal chronology of Women of the Wall

 

1988

  • First International Jewish Feminist Conference held in Jerusalem. One hundred Jewish women gather for a prayer service and Torah reading at the Kotel. Service is disrupted by verbal and physical assaults from some ultra-Orthodox men and women at the site.

1989

  • A group of Jerusalem women continue regular prayer services at the Kotel. Violent attacks from ultra-Orthodox opponents continue. Police refuse to provide protection.
  • In March, after prayers at the Wall end with police using tear gas to contain harassment, four women submit a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court, asking for an order to allow women’s prayers and Torah reading to continue.
  • In May, Israel’s Supreme Court hears the case of WOW for the first time. The state is given six months to respond to the petition. The Court issues a temporary injunction barring women from praying at the Kotel with a Torah and tallits.
  • Women now pray at the Kotel without a Torah or tallits. Ultra-Orthodox opponents now demand that we not pray aloud because “kol b’isha erva” (the voice of woman is lewd).
  • Following further violence and harassment by female security WOW requests a speedier response from the state and protection of the right to pray out loud. Both requests are denied.
  • Newly formed International Committee for Women of the Wall (ICWOW) donates a Torah Scroll to WOW, and travels to Israel for a dedication ceremony. The ceremony is not held at the Laromme Hotel as planned because the Jerusalem Rabbinate threatens to revoke the hotel’s kashrut license if the ceremony is held on their premises.
  • On Dec 31, a new regulation is promulgated by the Ministry of Religion and the Ministry of Justice to “prohibit any religious ceremony at a holy place that is not in accordance with the custom of the holy site and which offends the sensitivities of the worshipers at the place.” The penalty for violating this regulation is 6 months in jail and/or a fine. This regulation is still in effect.

1990

  • The state files a response, 150-page collection of extreme halakhic opinions concerning women’s rights to pray out loud as a group, wear tallit, and touch or read from the Torah scroll.
  • ICWOW files an independent lawsuit with the Israeli Supreme Court, stating that the cause is of critical importance for Jewish women everywhere.
  • Women’s Network (Shdulat Hanashim B’yisrael) submits a motion to the Court asking to be allowed to the lawsuit as a co-petitioner. The court refuses.

1991

  • The Supreme Court hears oral argument on ICWOW’s case. Solidarity services are planned in Stockholm, Sweden, and in cities across North America.

1994

  • In Jan., the Supreme Court at last issues a decision against ICWOW and WOW, but the presiding judge, Justice Shamgar recommends that the government set up a commission to resolve the matter.
  • In Feb., ICWOW and WOW request permission to appeal the court’s decision. The request is denied. The court states that “the doors of the court are open,” if the commission does not provide a proper remedy.
  • A government commission, henceforth referred to as the Mancal (directors-general) Commission, is appointed to propose a solution to the issue of women’s prayer at the wall. No women are appointed to the commission. ICWOW undertakes a massive campaign to recruit individuals and organizations to lobby the commission.
  • The Commission fails to meet its first deadline in November. The government grants it a six-month extension.

1995

  • ICWOW and WOW are finally granted permission to testify before the Commission. Six Israeli women and one representative from the U.S. give testimonies in February.
  • The Mancal Commission fails to meet its May 17 deadline.  WOW and ICWOW file suit, demanding that: (1) the Commission be ordered to fulfill its mandate immediately; (2) the court issue an injunction against the government, prohibiting any further deadline extensions for the commission; (3) a temporary injunction be issued, allowing women to pray aloud at the Kotel with a Torah scroll and wearing tallitot; and (4) the state provide police protection for WOW.  Judge Dalia Domer rejects the request for an injunction preventing the commission from being granted further extensions.  A hearing on the rest of the lawsuit is set for Apr. 14, 1996.
  • The commission is granted another 6-month extension, until Nov. 17, 1995.
  • The Nov. 17 deadline passes with no report issued.

1996

  • On Apr. 2, the Mancal Commission issues its report, which looks at four alternate sites and proposes that the WOW services be moved to the southeastern comer of the Old City wall (outside the Old City itself).
  • WOW and ICWOW return to court for a hearing of the May 1995 petition. The petition is strongly supported by affidavits from the Progressive (Reform) and Masorti (Conservative) movements in Israel, stating that they do not want their own demands concerning the Kotel to be used as a further delaying tactic by the government. The government requests and is granted a 1-month delay.
  • On Apr. 21, the government appoints a new ministerial commission to decide if and how to implement the Mancal Commission’s report.  ICWOW immediately initiates a letter-writing campaign to the new commission.
  • In May, WOW/ICWOW’s delayed April hearing (for the suit filed in May 1995) comes before the court once again. The government is granted a delay until July 29, 1996.
  • In June, Israeli elections give newly-expanded influence to ultra-Orthodox parties.
  • In Oct., the Israeli Supreme Court orders the Ministry of Religion to pay WOW and ICWOW 5000 shekels toward legal costs for their “interminable delays” and for the disrespectful “recommendation” that WOW pray at the southeastern comer of the Old City.

1997

  • Rabbi Emanuel Rackman, Chancellor of Bar-Ilan University, issues statement of unequivocal public support for WOW.
  • On Mar. 4, the Israeli Supreme Court orders the state to “show just cause within 90 days why Women of the Wall’s lawsuit against the government should not succeed.” One day later, a bill sponsored by the SHAS party passes a preliminary vote in the Knesset. The bill would turn the Kotel from a national site into an ultra-Orthodox synagogue.
  • The Ministerial Commission issues its report in June, recommending maintenance of the status quo, under which women’s group prayer at the Kotel is illegal. One week later, the state files its response with the Supreme Court and attached the decision of the commission.
  • Shortly before the date of Women of the Wall’s court hearing, Nili Arad, the lawyer representing the government, makes several proposals, including establishing another Ne’eman commission, and/or allotting WOW a place to pray at Robinson’s Arch, adjacent to the Kotel. WOW and ICWOW agree unanimously to reject these proposals, but at the hearing, pushed by the judges, it was concluded that there is no alternative but to participate in a commission. WOW agrees to present minimal terms for participating in the Commission within two weeks. Ultimately, these terms are not met.

1998

  • First meeting of Ne’eman Commission in March. Several key members are absent.
  • Second meeting of Ne’eman Commission in May. A representative of the Ministry of Religion, reviews the status of alternate sites that had been previously rejected by WOW, the Antiquities Authority, or police, and maintains that the only remaining option is the area by the security gates separating the Kotel plaza from Dung Gate.  Ne’eman suggests that the feasibility of this site, including the construction of some structure to protect women there, be investigated by all parties.
  • Tour of Kotel area by members of the Ne’eman Commission occurs in June.
  • The Neeman Commission issues its report in Sep., concluding that WOW should pray in the Robinson’s Arch area immediately south of the Kotel, currently an archeological site. WOW had no vote, nor was any serious attention given to our compromise proposal of a time-sharing arrangement.

1999

  • On Feb. 16, the State submits an affidavit by Jerusalem Chief of Police Yair Yitzhaki arguing that it is WOW who provokes violence. The next day the Supreme Court holds a two-hour hearing on the petition of WOW and ICWOW to pray as a group at the Western Wall, with Torah and tallit.

2000

  • Court judges Eliahu Matza, Tova Strassburg-Cohen, and Dorit Beinish tour the Kotel plaza and proposed alternate sites, in the company of WOW and ICWOW representatives, our lawyers, representatives of the government legal advisor, the police, the Antiquities Authority, and councils responsible for development of the holy sites.
  • In a lengthy opinion these judges recognize our rights, but transfer the matter to the government yet again, charging it to find a solution at the Kotel within six months. They award WOW 20,000 shekels for legal costs.  The Shas and Degel Ha’Torah religious parties introduce in the Knesset repressive bills aimed at overriding the Court’s ruling. One of these bills would make women’s worship at the Western Wall with Torah and tallitot (prayer shawls) an offense punishable by seven years imprisonment.
  • The State files a Request for an Appeal on the decision.

2001

  • On December 3, proposed bill no. 1924 was voted on in the Knessest. This is an amendment to the Holy Sites Law of 1967 and reads as follows: “1. The prayer area at the Western plaza shall be divided into a men’s section and women’s section by a divider, and prayers by men and women in a mixed group shall not be permitted there. 2. No religious ceremony shall be held in the women’s section near the Western Wall that includes taking out a Torah scroll and reading from it, blowing the shofar, or wearing tallitot or tefillin. 3. Violators shall be imprisoned for seven years.”  WOW and ICWOW orchestrated a letter-writing campaign to the prime minister, the justice minister, and the speaker of the Knesset.

2009

  • On Rosh Hodesh Kislev, Nov. 18, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation demanded that the police stop WOW’s prayer services, and in response, the police arrested group member Nofrat Frenkel, a young Israeli medical student.  Frenkel was held for several hours, interrogated, and charged with illegally wearing a tallit at the Western Wall.

2010

  • WOW chairperson, Anat Hoffman, was interrogated on January 5th 2010. She was finger-printed and warned that she would be charged with a felony offense for wearing a tallit at the Western Wall.
  • Noa Raz, a member of WOW, was physically assaulted on May 12th by an ultra-Orthodox man at the Central Bus Station in Be’er Sheva for having the imprints of tefillin lines visible on her arms.
  • WOW Chairperson, Anat Hoffman, was arrested in July for carrying a sefer Torah during Rosh Hodesh Av.  Moments after leaving the Wall, police confronted and blocked the procession and began menacingly to attempt to remove the Torah from Hoffman’s arms.  Hoffman was detained under the pretext that she was not praying according to the traditional customs of the Kotel.  Hoffman was taken into police custody and interrogated for five hours.  Hoffman was released from police custody and banned from the Kotel for 30 days.

To learn more about the restrictions, click here.