Our quiet prayer at the Kotel

by
Women of the Wall

This morning, it was cold at the Kotel- cold and quiet and peaceful.

Eleven Women of the Wall leaders met at the Kotel to pray shaharit together, in memory of a board members’ father. On the yarzheit of her father, Bonnie Ras wanted to pray at the Kotel with her community of women. We agreed to go, knowing that we risked being detained by police. As an experiment, and in attempt to complete the short prayer service without arrests, we wore our tallitot under our coats and entered the Kotel plaza from multiple entrances.

We feared harassment at the security, but no one so much as looked at us twice.

We feared police presence, but there was none.

We feared that our small prayer would be ruined by curses and slurs from onlookers, but the onlookers joined us in song!

We anticipated Rabbi Rabinowitz’s regulations, but we were allowed to pray freely. Apparently, these regulations are enforced only once a month, and only on a particular few women.

Somehow, on a day that was not Rosh Hodesh, without the tension and threat of police, we were able to pray in peace. More proof, as if you needed it, that the “disturbance” of the public order at the Kotel are those who arrest the innocent, curse and harass women while praying, and not the Women of the Wall.

 

7 thoughts on “Our quiet prayer at the Kotel”

  1. No where in the TORAH says women are forbiden to be at the wall to pray, no Rabbi owns the WALL, my Jewish grandmother told my father that and even her Rabbi father says that. If Isreal to to stay Holy, it must permit all to worship at the WALL, for it is the reason it was made for,to worship by all who seek closeness with G-d. Any Rabbi forbid WOMEN OF THE WALL is a sepratist and a antoganistic fool, Women worship to G-d is not illegal or immoral, disrespect will not be tolerated and no Rabbi can ever owned the WALL.
    As Moses said: Let my people go!

    Sincerely
    Peter Chin-Tai
    peterchintai@gstinvestigation.com

  3. why is this written in such a negative manner, perhaps you were allowed to pray because you didn’t do it just to be in the faces of the rules that are in place and the people there?!
    May you were allowed because when it is done in sincerity and not just to make a scene no body cares. So instead of making it sound like you got away with murder share how nice it was that people were welcoming to what you were doing.
    A article like this could have been written a whole lot better then the typical attacks like look how horribly religious Judaism is, I am a disappointed.

  4. Well, Hallelujhah! Wishes of strength and more strength to all. Indeed,it makes no sense that on a day that isn’t Rosh Chodesh, women in prayer, in ritual garb, are left alone. So, kal v’chomer, how much more so, on Rosh Chodesh? As for the harassers and disturbers, the self-promoters of the “right” way to pray, their arguments have fallen, with a whisper and a song, not a crash. But they have fallen.

  5. Well, Hallelujhah! Wishes of strength and more strength to all. Indeed,it makes no sense that on a day that isn’t Rosh Chodesh, women in prayer, in ritual garb, are left alone. So, kal v’chomer, how much more so, on Rosh Chodesh? As for the harassers and disturbers, the self-promoters of the “right” way to pray, their arguments have fallen, with a whisper and a song, not a crash. But they have fallen.

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