Disgrace at Western Wall

Police detain “Women of the Wall” member for carrying Torah scroll and wearing prayer shawl.

Women of the Wall (WOW), holding their traditional monthly prayer service for Rosh Chodesh, were shocked when one of their members, Nofrat Frenkel, a young medical student, was detained for questioning by police for carrying a Torah scroll and wearing a prayer shawl at the Western Wall. The action caused a commotion and Western Wall Rabbi, Shmuel Rabinovitz, claimed it violated the law.

WOW chairwoman Anat Hoffman told Ynet, “This is the first time in 21 years that one of us has been arrested.” “It is unthinkable that a citizen of the State of Israel can be arrested for donning a prayer shawl and holding a scroll. There were hundreds of people on the other side of the screen who did the same and nothing happened to them.”

Every Rosh Chodesh, WOW members hold a festive prayer service, common to both men and women, in the Western Wall square and later move to the adjacent Robinson’s Arch in accordance with a compromise reached with the High Court of Justice.

Wednesday morning saw 40 women participating in the event, including one woman who carried a Torah scroll brought from home, instead of keeping it in her bag. Inspectors of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation claimed that the act was a violation of the law and called a police officer who proceeded to arrest the woman and escort her to the police station for questioning.

Rabbi Gilad Kariv, leader of the Movement for Progressive Judaism, said “Millions of women in the Jewish world enjoy the privilege of donning a prayer shawl and taking an equal part in public prayer. “It is in the Jewish State and the holiest site for the Jewish people of all places that police are sent to arrest a woman who seeks to pray according to her conscience and conviction. It is a great shame to the Israel Police and the State.”

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"I was banned from visiting the Kotel for two weeks, and a criminal file has been opened against me. I hope that the file will be closed, especially so that my medical studies will not be jeopardized. Perhaps, with God’s help, this regretful event will awaken wide public objection, enough for the high court to re-evaluate its decision and annul it."

Jerusalem is the city of holiness and justice for all humankind. From Zion, the voice calling for equality should be heard, for boundless love, for better understanding between people. Jerusalem has already been destroyed, due to unfounded hatred. Let us hope it will not happen again."

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