Plan for mixed-gender prayers at Western Wall halted
JERUSALEM — The Israeli government froze a long-overdue plan Sunday to open a mixed-gender prayer area at Jerusalem’s Western Wall, a major policy reversal that infuriated the liberal streams of Judaism that represent most Jews in the United States.
Israel had approved the plan in January 2016 to officially recognize the special prayer area at the Western Wall — the holiest site where Jews can pray — a compromise reached after years of negotiations between liberal Israeli and American Jewish groups and the Israeli authorities. It was seen as a significant breakthrough in promoting religious pluralism in Israel, where the ultra-Orthodox authorities govern almost every facet of Jewish life.
But the program was never implemented as powerful ultraOrthodox members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government raised objections to the decision after they had initially endorsed it. Under ultra-Orthodox management, the wall is separated between men’s and women’s prayer sections.
Netanyahu, trying to placate both his coalition partners and wealthy American Jewish donors, had promised the new $9 million plaza for mixed-gender prayer would be established. On Sunday, he ordered top aides to formulate a new plan but said little more. In another controversial decision Sunday, his government promoted a bill to maintain the ultra-Orthodox monopoly over conversions.
It set off a cascade of criticism from liberal groups both in Israel and abroad.
“I’m outraged by this government decision. I think it shows cowardice,” said Anat Hoffman, chair of the Women of the Wall group, which has pushed for egalitarian access to the wall.
American Jews have been pushing for the new prayer area and had warned that if the deal did not go through it would lead to a dangerous rupture with North American Jewry.
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, the President of the Union for Reform Judaism, the largest stream of Judaism in the United States, said the decision could lead many to rethink their support for Israel.
“There is a limit to how many times you can be delegitimized and insulted,” he said. “This is the core mission of the Jewish state — to be a home for all Jews ... it is unthinkable but the unthinkable just happened.”