The Sivan Situation: by WOW Intern Gaby Mervis

Anat argues with a policeman

Last month, I based my blog post on a list of observations.  After this past Rosh Hodesh service, it seems only fitting to structure this post with a list of confrontations.  While I have only been to three WOW services, last week’s service was the most exciting (for better or for worse).  Being the photographer, I was consistently running from one situation to the next.  It felt like the altercations never stopped.

We started the morning with a plan.  Last month, we were told that one person could only bring in two or three siddurim, prayer books.  As our supporters use our siddurim to follow the service, this was unacceptable. Generally we have people bringing five siddurim each.  Anat decided to walk through security with 15 siddurim right in her arms, not even in a bag, in order to challenge this new arbitrary restriction.  We were ready for the security to challenge this move, but oddly enough, with cameras rolling, there seemed to be no problem bringing in all 15 of the siddurim.  Anat explained that every month the security forces seem to make up new rules that are not according to laws or legitimacy; and that it is almost like they are looking for new ways to bother us, consistent or not.

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