Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Women At The Wall

The ultra orthodox Jews are often just as intolerant as fundamentalist Muslims. Women reading the Torah and wearing Talitot at the kotel are about as likely to change this intolerance as is a Christian minister burning the Koran. Have we solved all the other women’s issues – trafficking and slavery, the right to equal education as a child and equal pay as an adult, the right to make decisions concerning their own bodies, freedom from sexual harassment, and the myriad of others? The concept of a “holy place” is fundamentally foreign to Judaism. Supposedly God hears all people’s prayers wherever and however they are offered. In my eyes, this issue is not about an individuals’ right of religious freedom but rather no more than a part of the power struggle between different Jewish factions. This should net be construed as endorsing the bigoted actions of the Israeli ultra orthodox establishment, but poking a thumb in their eye is not the way to build respect and tolerance between people. In the context of the ongoing struggle for women’s rights, this is playing the violin while Rome burns.