Israel’s cabinet on Sunday approved for the first time ever, the establishment of a mixed-sex prayer area at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
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The organization called it a “minor miracle” that Jews of all affiliations have prayed together at the site for the past three decades, adding that the reason it has been successful is due to “the maintenance at that holy place of a standard – that of time-honored Jewish religious tradition – that all Jews, even those who might prefer other standards or none at all, can abide”.
In the wake of the Israeli government’s historic announcement on Sunday, Jan. 31, that a new, expanded egalitarian prayer space would be opened up at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Natan Sharansky, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, spoke to the press from Pasadena.
The overwhelming majority of affiliated Jews in North America belong to the non-Orthodox Reform and Conservative streams, and their leaders said they had felt increasingly alienated from Israel.
The Western Wall is venerated by Jews as a remnant of a wall supporting the Second Temple complex, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. They resist any inroads from liberals often considered to be second-class Jews who ordain women and gays and are overly inclusive toward converts and interfaith marriages.
Many commentators have seen the dispute over the Western Wall and the rules governing it as part of a larger struggle within Judaism and Israeli society between ultra-Orthodox Jews and non-Orthodox elements of society.
A leading women’s prayer group, Women of the Wall, caused controversy for years by holding monthly non-Orthodox prayers at the site. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how long construction will take, when Women of the Wall will relocate their services to the non-Orthodox section, and whether there will be signs directing visitors to the non-Orthodox section.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) speaks during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, …
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 new area, called Azarat Yisrael, is to be located in the Western Wall plaza’s southernmost corner underneath Robinson’s Arch, which has already been frequently used for egalitarian prayer services.
“This landmark decision gives expression to a fundamental truth: there is more than one way to be Jewish”.
It’s a big deal because these changes on the ancient religious site have been around 27 years in the making. The government does not recognize the authority of Reform and Conservative rabbis and institutions and provides them with only nominal funding.
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“Equality of gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation are central to Liberal Judaism and now at last liberal Jews can celebrate a Judaism in keeping with the modern world at our most holy site”. Pruce said a Cabinet minister’s staffer relayed the result of the vote to the group before the Cabinet officially announced it. “It will be tolerant and equal and friendly”, she said.
