What ever next? Maybe these ultra orthadox men should join humanity, get a job, pay taxes, serve in the army and above all control their sexual urges. The only other alternative is if they move to Tehran !

Nuts, indeed. The inmates are taking over the asylum.

Eri Jabotinsky, past leader of the movement against religious coercion, wake up from your grave, the Jews have gone crazy.

I am not religious to the point of being Orthodox, but I think if the Orthodox want this, why not? The majority of society is secular and they have to adjust. If part of society and community adjusts back, that's the risk of individual store owners who choose to follow along. I personally do not feel going through a separate door lessens me as a woman, since no person has the ability to diminish me, but only themselves.

and should run for office!

a boss for herself. She can do whatever she wants in frame of her own businesses. What is more important is that example should not be taken for granted for ALL other businesses all round the country. There are many many people who do NOT want that rule be implemented in their private life.

was a store for "fruits and nuts".

each other ?

It is a business decision. If the owner generates more traffic this way than good for her/him. No one is forced to shop there. Making an accomodation or finding a business nitch is just smart business practice. Now.... if the government began mandating this I would be screaming too, but so long as this is a private citizen decision catering to his/her cliental than go for it! Good luck.

It's on the way to Iran. I'd hate to see this happen to Israel.

All we need is a big black rock, stone, or sand pile?,Jews, we have plenty. Dear Terry from Eilat, You shouldn't be so concerned regarding the state of affairs in the haredi community. Meshugeh is the appropriate word. They (the women) are already covered-up, just like their muslim cousins. Beaten?, I don't know but relegated to 2nd class human is a "fait accompli". Driving a car, a bicycle, a motorcycle or riding a horse is obviously a no-no We have already sagregated buses, schools, beaches, airplanes?,houses of worship,,the Wall, now stores; next? sidewalks, parks,.....! And the biggest stupid, idiotic, irreverent statment made by a Jew? " It is because women are respected in orthodox judaism that we maintain boundaries ". I don't know if I should laugh, cry or curse ---Islamic extremists, naturei karta, ultra orthodox, the same mold? The taliban must have written their code of conduct in hebrew. Surprising that no one has yet suggested that the family meal should be sagregated as well. Men at the dining room table, women at the kitchen table.

Here's an idea, don't go into those stores that are sex segregated if it offends you,instead give your sheckles to stores that don't segregate based on sex. That way the stores that don't segregate will have business profits go up as well!

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3667308,00.html

While Islam requires their women to cover up to avoid visual contact with men, this practice avoid tactile contact. What's wrong with you people. It's all in the mind.. not eyes or hands

why not divide the jews further?this is argument agaisnt fanatics of reform with their unnecessarily divisive customs--use your brains!

How about instead of worrying if men 'accidentally brush up' against women when the stores are crowded, and separating between men and women, to encourage that your clients DONT push and shove??? How about creating LINES to stand in instead of separation of genders? Just a thought. Common Sense

Then why don't the men sit in the back of the bus, and the women up front. It is unfortunate that Judaic laws are being tranlated and interpreted in ways such as they were never intended to. In Judaic law, a woman is to be respected - not segregated. If looking at a woman bothers a man - then let him not look. As far as touching goes, let the men - and the women - keep their hands to themselves. I think that a little bit of self-dicipline here is what's required.

Yeah, but the orthodox men are quite happy to have physical contact with little boys!!! What a load of crap! Wake up to 2009 already!!

with all due respect to religious people- reading this and seeing what is happening in Muslim countries - the difference is getting less and less...... or maybe it was never that much to begin with? Here it is written in the Torah, they claim it is written in the Koran... God (Allah) must be shaking his head in disbelief.....

and did they ASK the women? Not likely. All this talk about respect sounds really suspicious to me. Not all women want to stay home, do laundry and raise 12 children- pregnant and barefoot all their lives.... the chareidim are the only ones that understand women? If a woman wants to be separate- fine- but impose separation on all women is WRONG- no matter what religion..... 'rubbing against each other'? ridiculous- accidental contact is not RUBBING! What all this has to do with religion is a mystery to me.... piety and faith is in your heart- not in a nut store! I agree with Terry in Eilat- this is a sad and major step back.

The owners of Pitzuchei Mizrahi said they would arrange separate entrances for men and women, after they were recommended to do so by a kashrut supervisor. the store owners gave in to pressure...... 'recommended to do so'....... Mafia tactics?

As a frequent tourist in Isreal, I will not attend such shops. I will just take pictures of them.

There is no source in Halacha for this nonsense. There are explicit Teshuvot by Chreid rabbis that tell their questioners, that there is no concern whatsoever about riding the NYC subway even in the summer because all contact is inadvertent and has no insinuation of the sexual. Furthermore i would warn my fellow chareidim of the observation of the last Lubavitcher Rebbe Ztz"l in several letters that obsession with the "no" can be as bad for ones purity of mind as obsession with the "yes". Lately it seems that all the Israeli branch of the Chareidi family are thinking about is: sex I thought early marriage was supposed to solve this problem which is why we engage in it.... Charedism in Israel is becoming a form of religion as alien to classic Halachic Judaism as Reform is... I beg my brothers and sisters: abandon this heretical path before it is too late!!!.

why this obsession with sex? Is it not possible for the chareidim to see a man or a woman, or a child- without thinking of sex, rubbing, touching etc. etc...? And then quote some obstruse religious law to come up with excuses and reasons... a normal person should be able to have his feelings and urges under control- . Make women wear hats and wigs, odd clothing (i a. look frumpy) like muslim women having to wear burkas, chadors etc...? it is difficult to have any sympathy for such nonsense. This has little to do with religion.-

recently I was told that women in Givat Shaul are not allowed to ride bicycles, & now I can't' shop? What's next--I am not allowed to work?

Although this is a very small group of haredim it is a troubling situation for many reasons. These people claim to be "extra" holy. Well, it is easy to be holy when you are never faced with temptation. I for one refuse to put a bag over my head and sit at the back of a bus because these guys refuse to learn a bit of self control. It is not a female problem--it is the problem of weak, deranged men who are turning faith into an abomination. Hashem should save us from their kind--they are no better than hamas.

Totally dismayed how religious fanatics make up the rules....there is no legitimate reason for this absurdity.....let's separate the "nuts"...before this silliness goes too far.