“On the same day the Israeli Government recognized the right of all Jews to worship at Judaism’s holiest site, strengthening Israel’s relationship with the vast majority of Diaspora Jews, a senior member of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s coalition once again has insulted the largest religious stream in the American Jewish community”, said Jay Ruderman, president of the Ruderman Family Foundation.
Advertisement
A plan was approved on Sunday for a mixed-prayer space to be built at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
The campaign for equal access to the Wall by all Jews was led in recent years by a group of Jerusalem women who called themselves Women of the Wall.
The Cabinet decision was hailed by the head of the Reform movement in Israel, Rabbi Gilad Kariv, who said it was the first time the government has given official recognition to non-Orthodox Jewish movements.
The new prayer section is estimated to cost 35 million shekels ($8.8 million, 8.1 million euros) funded by the government and Jewish Agency.
The rabbi of the Western Wall Shmuel Rabinovitz told they learned the decision “a heavy heart” but said he was relieved to see “Women of the Wall” pray in a different part of the ultra-Orthodox women section. Archeologists expressed dismay that more development at the Western Wall could destroy precious artifacts and change a visitor’s view into the past.
Uri Regev, director of Hiddush – Freedom of Religion for Israel Inc., said the achievement was liable to undermine efforts to loosen the Orthodox rabbinate’s lock on other areas of Jewish life, such as marriage, conversion and burial. The plaza will be near but separate from the Orthodox prayer plaza. Most religious rites take place in the men’s section in accordance with centuries-old Orthodox standards that hold sway in Israel.
“Ever since the fringe and vociferous group of Women of the Wall started its mass-media activity”, the wall “went from being a unifying site to one of incessant quarrels”, he said.
Israeli authorities do not allow Jews to pray on the compound.
“We applaud Israel’s historic decision”, a joint statement from the Conservative, Reform movements and Jewish Federations in the United States read.
“We fully appreciate that much remains to be done to further religious pluralism in Israel”, he added.
The Western Wall, known as the Kotel in Hebrew, is one of the holiest sites in Judaism because it is the closest site at which Jews can pray to where they believe the Jewish Temple stood 2,000 years ago.
Advertisement
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the move as “a compromise on this delicate issue in a place that is supposed to unite the Jewish people”.
