Iran, Saudi Arabia, et. al. Does Israel *really* want to be considered in such company? What a wretched decision! If such buses are to be marked by color, they should be black -common to both the kapote and the Iranian chador.

Iran, Saudi Arabia, et. al. Does Israel *really* want to be considered in such company? What a wretched decision! If such buses are to be marked by color, they should be black -common to both the kapote and the Iranian chador.

It is not that simple. What about a woman who gets motion sickness? I and many other women I know who must rely on bus transportation cannot sit at the back of the bus. I tried and withing a half block I was vomiting all over the place. If people want to be segregated than the answer is special marked buses--like the Super Bus. I am religious and dress in a modest way acceptable in Mea Shearim, but my beliefs do not prevent me from motion sickness.

How about sending these fanatical parasites who cant control their sexual emotions while riding the bus to pick up their social secuiry checks all paid for by those nasty seculars who work , pay taxes and serve in the IDF. Special needs my a** !

You dont live here you cant know how things go Actually a lot of people are pro this kind of arrangement- Good fr the Miniter

There's no room for debate about it, not by this or that secular minister, not for a Reform "religious action center," and not for teh treif talk-backers who will attack this talk-back. As for enforcement, every loyal Jewish man will defend Hashem, and even some disloyal ones will do so because their wives will insist on it.

Sure we believed Nefesh B' Nefesh when they said: all Jews are equal but they didn't tell us that it only applies to men. Men's yeshiva's, kollel, prayer at the Kotel, opportunity for education and employment and now you want to make it official for the public bus system? Back of the bus - NOT!

never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups. Dear Ovadia Yosef,i coudn,t repair your brakes,so i made your horn louder

By a government minister who's afraid of rocking the coalition boat. The only thing that will stop decisions like this is drastic change in the electoral system and in the criteria for voting. People who don't work by choice and do not pay Bituah Leumi or income tax should not be allowed to vote. Only if and when we have an electoral system that truly represents the political and social makeup of the country with representatives who are accountable to their voters will these political machinations be curtailed.

not only it will increase friction between secular and religious. It will also change the way the free world (christian world) view and support Israel. A Israel that will be compared to S. Arabia and Iran.. which are a symbol of intolerance and supression...

as an orthodox Jew and a Likudnik, I am disgusted. I may have to stop voting Likud and switch to Israel Beitanu. This is not the kind of country I want to live in.

This behaviour is insulting und humiliating for women, therefore it is NOT halachic. Go walk, if you can't control your sexual appetite.

Separation is halacha only during prayer.

You are right. In addition, elderly people, the handicapped and pregnant women should not have to walk to the back of a moving bus.

Israel is a secular democracy, not a Judaistic theocracy. Next they'll be demanding to stone people for adultery or blasphemy. Give these people an inch, they'll take a hundred miles. In the end, the Islamofascist terrorists will not want to destroy us anymore because we'll have turned Israel into a place like Iran. Hell, even the Iranians will have gotten rid of their ayatollahs and mullahs by then!

I defy you or anyone to bring one normative, authoritative halachic source that requires such a thing. On the contrary, Gedolei haDor such as R. Moshe Feinstein ZTZ'L have explicitly said that it is not required.

the lord is light and in him is no darkness at all if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth but if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of jesus messiah cleanseth us from all sin if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness if we say that we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in us

I think that everyone should be allowed to sit wherever they want to. we all pay for the ride, just because the back is full does that mean we'll have to stand because the front is only for men???? im sorry this is not a synagoge go get a life dont go ruin others!!!! keep your halachot to yourself

Thanks but you can GFY

I say let them run their own bus lines and pay for it with their own money. Also what about disabled women - my wife has C.P (cerebral palsy) and has fallen numerous times on buses as she's been forced to (try to) stand or somehow make her way to the back as so called "menschim" refuse to let her sit in seats designed and designated specifically for disabled/eldery passengers. The height of rudeness and inconsideration - no wonder we'll NEVER see mashiach - we don't deserve it! We can't even treat each other with respect - how do we expect the world to treat us with the same respect. Remeber - do unto others as you would want them to do unto you..... Control your loins or don't leave your house! - Why should the public suffer because some men can't stop thinking about their shemckels!?!??!? For those that think their 'holier than thou' - instead of worrying so much about kashrut and what goes in their mouths - perhaps it's time to start worrying about what comes out of their mouths and the damage THAT causes to "ben adam le chavero" - I'm disgusted by this extremism and coersion and I'm religious...no wonder so many feel so vehemently against the charedi community.

The supreme court will decide any how. This committee that was set up for this decision was appointed by the last government in 2008. Bibi is being destroyed by everything and we will be stuck with that terrible Livni who lost us two wars. Yeah vote Lieberman who almost sided with Kadima. Maybe we can have olmert and peretz back as well with mofaz.

Tzina, you write that " Women are not 'niggers'." Not sure where you are from, but people of color have not been racially separated on buses in the US for over 50 years. I understand your anger about women's inequality in Israel, and I agree with you that gender separation on public buses is a bad move for Israel. At the same time, there is no need to suggest that any group or class belongs at the back of a bus in order to make the case that women don't.

This decision does not reflect halacha, only political expediencies. Just how do they plan to make this voluntary - so I get on a voluntarily segregated bus, because it is the one that comes first, or goes where I need, and I don't want to sit in the back, just like Rosa Parks. How will that work, who will insure my safety. The whole thing stinks and is just another example of how our elected officials don't represent anyone but themselves.

what happened dogs r not ok. ;p

and I think this orthodox jew never heard of the laws that was legislated in Germany in 1938 about jews and useing public services, he probably change his mind, you dont think he will want to wear the David star again. just a thought.

When were the Machizas in Mizraim? Did they pause at the border till they could construct some while their bread was leavening? Made up illegal additions to Torah. It is a Mitvah to protect Torah and a Mitzvah not to add a word or take away a word. A Mitzvah that is not optional. Do away with the chet additions. Cult control and gifting of women by cult leaders to the pupils who serve the cult the best is nothing the Israeli government should give a wink to. Is the separation about anything other than treating women as a commodity and extremist rabbincal rewards system for brainwashing? "Can see a woman unless we say"? Torah is not a cult and balooning interpretations, it is a law book and separation of men and women is not a law from G-d. It is chet.