Israel's High Court Again Orders End To Sex Segregated Streets For Sukkot Celebration

Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post report on an order issued Sunday by Israel's High Court of Justice in a clash between women's rights organizations and residents of the extremely traditional Jerusalem neighborhood of Mea Shearim.  A little known tradition of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot is the Simchat Beit Hashoeivah (Water Drawing Ceremony), a celebration recalling the the water libation ceremony festivities that took place in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem when it was standing.  In Temple times, women were separated from men to watch this celebration. (Background.) In recent years, residents of Mea Shearim, copying the Temple practice, have erected canvass partitions on neighborhood streets, using private security personnel to make sure that women use separate streets during the celebration period. Last year, two women who are members of Jerusalem's city council obtained an order from the High Court to end the segregated streets. However this year police nevertheless gave permission for the barriers to be put up again, though limited them to 26 meters in length. The High Court on Sunday did not order the barriers removed immediately, but ruled that this is the last year that police may permit them. [Thanks to Joel Katz (Relig. & State in Israel) for the lead.]