In Israel today, Women of the Wall held their first prayer session since a court decision (see prior posting) vindicating their right to pray at Jerusalem's Western Wall wearing prayer shawls (traditionally worn only by men). The women's group, pressing for women's religious rights, worships at the Western Wall each month on Rosh Chodesh (the beginning of the new month). The Jerusalem Post reports that several thousand male yeshiva students and haredi (ultra-Orthodox) school girls gathered at the Wall to protest. The school girl protest was apparently devised by Knesset members from the United Torah Judaism party. A large number of police were at the Wall and attempted to create a protective barrier between the men's and women's sections. Protesters shouted threw water bottles and other objects at the women, and spit at them. Three haredi men were arrested for disturbing the peace.
In an interview with the Jerusalem Post, the Orthodox rabbi in charge of the Western Wall site expressing distress over the events and asked the Women of the Wall to stop their activities, He said they are a small group trying to sow discord and force their opinions on others. Meanwhile, Huffington Post reports on a statement issued by Women of the Wall praising the police for the protection they provided, and "call[ing] on ultra-Orthodox leadership to denounce all forms of violence against women."
