It's the latest bizarre behavior from these Off these Wall Women.

Anat Hoffman is a pretty cool person who has strong beliefs. I don't agree with all of her outlooks on life and Judaism, but to arrest her for "holding" a Torah is pretty darn ridiculous. The Women of the Wall are a small, innocuous group. Left alone, they would make no headlines, invoke no court trials, and almost nobody would know of them. However, when the ultra orthodox insist on a monopoly on Judaism, the result is major headlines and exposure for Hoffman and the group she belongs to. They've been doing their new month prayer for over 20 years, and there are still no mobs of scantily clad women lustily dancing at the Wall and trying to seduce the worshippers there. If Jerusalem falls it will definitely be for other, much more serious reasons, rather than because of Hoffman and her friends. Basically they show up, do their thing, then go home (or for coffee, i assume). Hoffman should be released. She's been a great elected public servant in the past and arresting her for "holding" a Torah is ludicrous bordering on the totally absurd.

The Torah is for all people. She has every right to read/hold it where ever she is. Moe the only thing bizarre about this is that a Jew is arrested for reading the Jewish bible at a place sacred to her. This incident is sad makes look more like Iran then the country our grandparents/parents/brothers/friends fight for everyday. I am sorry I forgot Moe, Haradeim are to important to fight for Israel. May G-d bless this women for standing up to whats right.

I support Anat Hoffman. It's difficult to have to fight for the rights of women in prayer at the Wall that belongs to all of us. However, this is how women got the right to vote and this is how women will have the right to pray, carry a Torah at the Wall, wear tallitot and lay tefilin. It's our right and I continue to support the Women of the Wall.

Obvioulsy the men in black have never heard of religious freedom and choice. Stand up to the men in Black and unite against these eveil people. Well done to her for being so coureageous and standing up to what she belives in.

Join Hiddush - for religious freedom and equality Take 2 minutes to email Bibi directly http://www.hiddush.org/Campaign1.aspx?id=968 Then forward to friends, family, Facebook, Twitter, blogs... We CAN make a diferrence, change is coming

Moe, dear, these women have a right to pray, Israel is supposed to be for all Jews, not just for fanatical demented men- . If anybody is 'bizarre' it is the men- they want the exclusive right to pray? They should be ashamed- punished- banned from the Wall- or the country- . This is shocking- a democratic country allowing this to happen- you cannot be 21st century and stone age at the same time- Israel better decide. These men behave just exactly like Muslim fanatics-.

you're right, they've actually been doing it for more than 20 years. One of the beautiful things about this group is it's made up of women for the different streams of Judaism who find common ground to pray together. Even though the leader is Reform, there are plenty of Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and unaffiliated in the group.

I'm glad Rabinowitz has finally recognized that the Haredim are a fanatic, political battle of an extremist group

As we once again approach the 9th of Av, it is pretty clear, with great help and effort from our esteemed friends at Ynet, that senseless hatred and division is still alive and well among us. While Hizbullah, Hamas and Iran have amassed huge armies and weapon arsenals, to destroys us, all our enlightend Liberals and our so-called ultra religious worry about is intolerance, hatred and rubbish. Only unity will save us from an oncoming disaster, but this is to much to ask from a stiff necked people incable of ever learning from their own very long and painfull history.

Orthodox judaism exist since a few thousand years. It IS the norm. Now, obviously, everyone can do what he want. But nonetheless they cannot force others. So, especially at the kotel, as the norm has always been according to orthodox judaism, trying to force something different IS a provocation and a try to impose her own ideas. I fully agree with the kotel rabbi : it's sad, especially during the nine days of av, that some are trying to confront others jews...

The more draconian we are, the more misogynistic we become, the less we fit in to civilized society. What seperates us, from the fanatics, is freedom. When the government fails to support religious freedom, we are no better than those fundamentalist societies we try not to be.

of how holy she is and that her intentions are strictly spiritual. Yeh right. And I have hair in the palm of my hand!

So it is against the law in Israel for a woman to read the Torah at the Western Wall? I thought this was the 21st century. Apparently not in Israel.

As during middle age, we might burn the witches. Gd created the world and human created fences.

Engaging in inner-jewish disputes, as if there were no real enemies. Interesting point, David makes there, I personally think, unity will come along with a possible - but not desirable - outbreak of a major war. It's amazing to see the ability to argue and disagree so much internally, when the outter conditions (enemies) are not rly supporting the disunity of the nation. Divided we stand. Arrested for 'holding' a scripture seems a bit strong in the eyes of the outsider, and a little bit funny :-)

What could possibly be immoral or wrong with a Jewish woman reading from the Torah at the Kotel?

"the haredim have confiscated the Wall from the people." Have we also confiscated the Torah who you refuse to live by? Judaism is not an "I feel" religion. You can not pick and choose how to live and call it Judaism. The greatest crime committed to the Jewish people, is making people believe that there are streams of Judaism. ONE GOD-ONE TORAH. While Jews are struggling to live a Jewish life, you waste you time and energy and money to try to get recognized. Your way of life will not be tolerated in this HOLY LAND. I do not want want my grand/Son/Daughter marry a phony Jew. A feel sad that many people out there think they are Jewish, because they dropped a few bucks on the table to receive a phony document.

I can't believe the tbers here who make it sound like Hoffman was at the Wall first and the Hareidim are invading her rights. Hoffman is selfish - she thinks she can practice what ever Judaism she likes at the Wall and that everyone has to bend their beliefs over backwards in order to accommodate her. That's simply not true. There are posted rules that preserve the modesty and spirituality of the Wall and she violates them without a thought as to what everyone else thinks. Judaism isn't about what I think, it isn't about me, me, me. It's about dealing with everyone else. If she was really a Jewess she would respect the fact that the majority of worshippers at the Wall are Orthodox and respect the Supreme Court's ruling to pray at Robinson's Arch which is just as holy if not as symbolic. But she won't. She symbolizes the worst of Reform movements, which is rooted from Protestant ideals that religion is about me, me, me. It isn't - it's about God, God, God and if you respected God then you would respect the beliefs of people who devote more of their lives to God than you.

Where do the tolerant ones draw the line ? If there is no moral guidebook like Tanakh,then everyone makes up their own rules as Anat Hoffman does. Why are you so intolerant of settlers and so tolerant of perversion in Israel ? The degredation of Israel comes when everything is tolerated. Soon there will be a 'religious' group protesting their right to have religious orgies at the Wall. Can you see how your downfall and decadence began ?

A Jewish woman reading from the Torah at the Kotel might lead to mixed dancing. :-)

I've never seen such ludicrous comments as those made by you so called "progressives." The WALL has been in existence for thousands of years with a self contained tradition of holy rituals and rules. For those of you that want to apply political ideology to an authentic holy symbol of Judaism is an act of supreme hypocrosy. What right do you have to just walk in to this holy site from left field and desecrate it with your manufactured religion? you want to pray and do your progressive feminist dance? Go and make your own wall and do your own thing. nobody will stop you. But the western wall is a religious site with its own traditions-you have no right to come onto that site and heap scorn and contempt on its authentic traditions. Why don't you demonstrate in front of mosques and demand women should be allowed to lead the services there?

I'd like for any man to tell the Jewish women I know what they can and can't read where or wearing what!!! There'd be verbal hell to pay for starters, with probably a few cracked heads to follow; if not from a Torah, then from whatever minorah is handiest.

I'm so glad that haredim aren't rioting or burning trash cans in Jerusalem, so the police have nothing better to do than to arrest this woman.

This woman was not desecrating the Wall. And, traditions change. I support woman Rabbi's, and woman having an equal position in Judaism. Call me liberal, progressive, whatever. But, I am just as Jewish as anyone else. The arrest was not due to her practicing "her" version of religion, it was a discriminatory law barring woman. Nothing more, nothing less. This is nothing but Ultra-Orthodox misogyny.

Israel is becomming more and more like Iran . We now have our own " Ayatollas "

except arab women of course....

Judaism was established with a distinction between men and women, clearly evident in the Court of Women in the Beit haMikdash which was above where these women create conflict. It's okay for them to do whatever they want, but it isn't Judaism, and they are pushing their feminist ideology into an area where it shouldn't be. Frankly, these women and the men who support them simply don't like Judaism, and they want to make into something other than what Hashem commanded.