Enough forcing secularism on the religious. Why not have events that everyone can see? Immodestly dressed women dancing offends at least 30% of Jerusalem's population. Modest women offend near no one. If there is going to be a city event let everyone be comfortable and take part, not just the secular.

what about the majority of the 70%, why the 30% always need to be considered special !!!!!

i'm religious but if the before picture show in the article is accurate i don't see the need to cover them up. .i see girls wearing pants every day and it does not bother me even if the are dancing. what makes it inappropriate is if they dance inappropriately. i don't know whether they were or not, but that should have been the focus. but i do agree though it would nice if the entire community could enjoy the act not just the secular.

Careful now. once we start acting like the TALIBAN we become the Taliban and when that happens we are no longer Jews. we become a bunch of howling apes throwing rocks at things we don't like and making ourselves look like the people trying to distroy us on a daily basis. what's next Honor killings?

Modest? These outfits have gone way beyond modesty. They're just about a step away from burkas.

They are so vicious in their minds that they even can't see a nice young women in pants without desiring to ....them .

The Haredim are sick The Mayor is a weasel The dancers are spineless

I may be missing the point, however, what I see is a piece of metal that looks like a missile headed for Ramallah--and, by the way, this was approved by Olmert while he was mayor--256 Million Wasted--I wonder how much went into his pockets. What a shame that we allow such people to dictate to this country!

Yes its called freedom and democracy, so how is the view from Modesty Command head quaters in Los Angeles?

Who needs dancers? What is this the court of some Arab Sheikh? Why all the fuss? They should have used theri brains and given it a middle eastern flavor or a biblical flavor! This whole business of entertainment at dedication ceremonies is just plain goyish, who needs it? What did it add to the ridiculous bridge that looks like anything from a bent nail to a ship's sail . Did the city make any money by the entertainment? All it did was cause traffic jams. For those who need entertainemt let them go today to watch all the drag queens parading!

Don't forget the Arab population....... It might sound weird but why complain about the way they look? Their behavior, the way they dance. is much more important right? Its very superficial of the chareidim to force their dress codes on them. They are not allowed to look at them even if they were dancing in a Burka... Its stupidity and a misuse of power! Whats the problem with turning around or closing your eyes during the dance? Or even better do not at all show up at this emptiness! Celebrating a bridge while there is a Beth Hamikdash to be build.

....fornot secularizing the country....pretty soon we will look more and more like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and even like our southern neighbours who stroll along Gaza beaches checking the identity of female and male sitting together.... WHAT A WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENT FOR DEMOCRACY ! Being submitted to dikats from the equivalent bearded idiots as stupid as those spreading hatred in Berlin ! SECULARIZE NOW !

Say you have a wedding and 30% of your guest only eat kosher. You would have kosher because it's no inconvenience for the 70%. Same thing here, it's no inconvenience to the 70% for the girl to be more modest. Otherwise to upset 30% who should be respected weather or not you agree with them. Its their city too.

Maybe I'm a little dense however there is something I don't understand. The Ultra Orthodox constitute only 30% of the population. A large percentage of them are supported by the State. Yet,t they give themselves the right to set standards for the general public. Shouldn't those of us who pay taxes have some say?

what is this... there is no need for unmarried girls and women to cover their hair. someone has to stop this crazy progression...otherwise we women will end up in a harem & won't be able to leave the house without a burka!! i speak as a frum woman.

everyone knows that democracy means listening to the voice of the public and the public at large in Jerusalem is observant hence the religious mayor of the city. where did democracy go here? If you dont like it move Also it is ridiculous to say that anyone can have freedom to do whatever they want even when it affects other people. How could you make performances in any way you wish and forget about the harm it may cause to others? do you really think everyone is like the secular sex-obsessed public? Just because sex is the main part of your life doesnt mean it has to be the main part of ours...

Freedom of the body is inhibiting the soul. You in TA think you are free but in fact you are prisoners of your base animalistic instinctual desires. You are no more free than animals hunting freely for food and sex. Jerusalem is real freedom where we allow our souls the freedom by training our bodies and telling them what to do. You who free your bodies will imprison your soul. If you need help getting out of jail you can visit Jerusalem the Holy and free city

so many 'secularists' (a religion??) are so militant AGAINST modesty. So....what country 'comes to mind' when people insist on imposing THEIR ways on people who are more modest then they are...?

but it is not a Haredi country, and the Hardei have no right to impose their narrow minded Iran-style fanatacism on the rest us. These girls were dressed in ballet outfits. There is nothing indecent about how they were dressed.

The Orthodox purpose is to have larger families and live lives of some level of holiness, the secular may have families, may have many lovers along the way, may have children before it is biologically too late but will have as many abortions as they have children if not more which is a great shame. They certainly don't in a way prostitute their own daughters and while the orthodox have probably the same level of sexually maladjusted people as everyone else, they do as a community strive to the straight and narrow for something productive and holy , even if they engage in some level of hypocrisy, with porno, and secretive lives, the secular have maybe one or two kids, many do not marry and have kids, many don't have kids because they waited too long, many are gay no kids, how does one build a society on that, you have immigrants who are ready made people, who are not so terribly corrupted by a developed progressive world that swallows people up.

Anti-Semitic article that pulls anti-Semitic talkbacks by Ariel Ben Yohanan (Andras Bereny) Neta, "Orthodox elements" is pejorative wording. Giving voice only to the secularist side is unprofessional. Your journalism seems to be one-sided war-propaganda. Furthermore, confusing modest clothing, a generally accepted requirement in Judaism, for "taliban" behaviour is outright anti-Semitic. The taliban are islamic Jew killers and: attention! Not to be confused with completely normal religious Jews. And yes, the pride march is an anti-Semitic provocation in the heart of Jerusalem. The fact that your piece links the two stories says a lot about anti-Jewish sentiment in Israel today. You are reducing Judaism into something "scandalous" and "backwards". This unti-Jewish attitude is intolerable, especially reporting on a story in Jerusalem, Israel.

I am sick of these mindless and senseless scare tactics. They show an ignorant individual who acts like a sheep stepping blindly to the bleat of stupidity. The orthodox by the way are the ones who live closest to the bridge ceremony. My freinds, if the orthodox cant ask for consideration to be granted in a absolutely unimportant event like a dedication of a bridge that half of Jerusalemites don't even approve of, if they are begrudged a bit of the respect and tolerance that the secularists are constantly harping on about...then I see these two sides as equal. After all the mere fact that there are woman dancing and singing in public goes against halacha and torah law, and yet all they ask is some considerate measures. if you cant understand this, then you are displaying the very same characteristics that you accuse them of. and to #5, the city is 30 percent muslim and 70 percent jewish. the muslims wont ask nicley for modesty, they will kill for it. of the 70 percent jewish population over 40 percent is orthodox. so in the in fact those against the secular values immodesty are quite probably in the majority. of course numbers and facts only appeal to you when they are in your favor.

Lopo is crossing the line here... Jerusalem will never become a second Teheran. Lopo must go.

Unbelievable, authorities are constantly giving in to the Charedy bullying, just like they give in to the Arabs, it looks as if the whole country is controlled by these two groups. We are to become Iran very soon, it seems.

the sex obsessed secular public? You are funny, first of all you are talking about your fellow jews and countrymen, you know the same ones that actully work, pay taxes and serve their country. As usual based on hatred and prejudice. FYI your orthadox pals seem to be the one with the sex problem as they cant control their urges when seeing a women , it sounds like they need proffessional help. Or prehaps you prefer the method they use in Beit Shemesh where the modesty police go around and throw acid in a young girls face for the horrendous crime of wearing a pair of jeans. if you wish to live the Taliban lifestyle try moving to Afgahnistan and join your brothers there.

Let them protest. And if it gets violent - treat them accordingly. They cannot but CANNOT be allowed to continue dictating how we should live, what to wear etc. They don't have to go to these places. They are creating a very dangerous situation - and therefore, should be packed up and sent to either New York or Gaza.