Beginning in November 2009, there occurred a remarkable confluence of events that brought the need for religious pluralism in Israel more sharply into focus. First, medical student Nofrat Frenkel was arrested on Rosh Hodesh Kislev 5770 for the crime of wearing a talit at the Kotel. Two months later, leader of Women of the Wall (WOW) Anat Hoffman was interrogated by Jerusalem police. In solidarity, a prayer service, conceived and led by two of our members, was held on January 10 in San Francisco’s Union Square. 200 of the Bay Area Jewish community lifted their voices in support of WOW. Two weeks later, Congregation Beth Israel Judea in San Francisco screened “Praying in Her Own Voice,” a documentary film about WOW. Less than a month later, Anat Hoffman spoke at San Francisco’s Temple Emanu-El, and two weeks after that, spiritual and lay leaders of the Bay Area Jewish Community were invited to meet with Consul General AkivaTor. He suggested that we assemble a leadership delegation to Israel, and if this could be accomplished, he would work to arrange high level meetings with influential Israeli leaders. We are gratified that the Rabbis Mission in January 2011 evolved in part from that meeting with Consul General Tor, along with the efforts of Rabbi Allen Bennett and others.
Some of the leaders who met at these events joined together to form Friends of Women of the Wall, with the mission to support WOW in achieving the social and legal recognition of the rights of women to pray and read Torah publicly at the Kotel. For us their challenge is emblematic of the broader need for Israel’s acceptance and support of the religious and civil rights of all Jews. Our group’s goal is to raise awareness of these issues in the Bay Area Jewish community. We conduct educational outreach, promote the WOW photo campaign of women holding Sifrei Torah, lead the “Silver Thread Ritual” which originated at the 2010 Union Square service, and garner additional support of activists through our expanded outreach, building a national network and sending news of recent developments. Several of our members traveled to Israel this past November to join with WOW at the Kotel for Rosh Hodesh Kislev (the anniversary of Nofrat’s arrest). They met with WOW leaders, and participated in their meetings with political leaders.
As progressive American Jews, we have a strong connection with Eretz Yisrael and care deeply about Klal Yisrael; we are one people with many voices. We feel it is essential that Israel be governed within a framework of Jewish and democratic principles. Ours is a vision of a Kotel and an Israel where all Jews can pray according to their custom, in which no person’s light need be diminished for another’s to glow fully.
Both pluralism and women’s prayer are close to the hearts of many in the American Jewish community. For us it is at the crux of evolving Jewish life in Israel; we are following events closely as they unfold. We find it deeply disturbing that the majority of Jews worldwide are presumed invisible and without religious rights and freedoms when in Eretz Yisrael. All self-identified Jews must be recognized as Jews. We believe that the relationship of Jewish American youth to Israel is integral to the future of Judaism. They must know that there will be room for them to fully engage and participate as Jews in Israel.
We remain committed to Women of the Wall and to a favorable resolution of the larger question of the full acceptance of Jewish pluralism in Israel. We continue to expand our efforts in the Bay Area, and develop a deeper exploration and understanding of the issues in the hope of building stronger connections to Eretz Yisrael. All of our voices must be taken seriously at this critical time in the history of Israel and the Jewish people. If you are interested in our work or would like to arrange a program for your synagogue or group, we would love to hear from you.
Visit Friends of Women of the Wall – San Francisco Bay Area on Facebook; friendsofwomenofthewall.com; contact us at friendsofwomenofthewall@gmail.com or 415.754.9546. Visit the Women of the Wall website.
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