I don't agree with everything the Women of the Wall are doing, but some tolerance is in order. According to Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, [a] the chairwoman's desire "to see and be seen." "proved" [b] "that they were seeking to 'injure Orthodox people's heart'." Someone please educate R. Rabinowitz concerning what constitutes a proof and the difference between a logical non-sequitur and leshon ha-ra so that we can determine which he's guilty of. Then, according to UTJ MK Eichler, "They are not here to pray. They want to lead to bloodshed in this holy place…" Does UTJ MK Eichler claim clairvoyance? To judge the women's hearts? Or does he commit the khilul ha-Sheim of claiming that, le-havdil, ha-Sheim whispered it in his ear? Or can we conclude it's yet more of the routine Ultra-Orthodox leshon ha-ra? Why do Israeli Jews overlook such behavior in their "priests", ignore the suffering of the victims and idolize the guilty as their religious ideal? It's certainly contrary to Torah. Is your "revolution" now going to lose public interest and stall in the water after only feckless gestures? Will the courts ever take a solid and dependable stand against slander? Slander is not covered by free speech. Does the 2,000 year old charge of "hypocrites" ring a bell? And, again, you reverted to shooting the messenger instead of correcting the guilty.

Why do the YNET writers use mishagoyishe mistranslations like "phylactories" for tefillin, when no observant Jew the world over would ever use such a nonsensical term?

An arrangement must be made to provide prayering access to three groups of religious-traditional on Motel plaza as it is, the liberal-reform on southern plaza, and the religious zionist and Emuni jews to pray on the mount plaza itself over the Temple Mount.

All people should be treated as equal -- of all religions, gender, age, dressing choices, cultural backgrounds, prayers, languages. It is an open space, so the access should be open. In a privately built synagogue, the owners can rule something else for themselves inside the walls and under a roof, or do it in their private homes.

Instead of fighting over women's prayers at the Wall, Israel should concentrate on securing Jewish rights on the real holy site, the Mount itself (we are fighting over the crumbs while the Moslems are eating the bread). Since we can go on the Mount, why should we care about the Wall? The Wall has no sanctity. If we don't secure jewish rights on the Mount, the Waqf will eventually take it over completely. We must reverse what dayan's mistake after the 6 day war and truly take control of all of this holy site.

I completely agree. These differences between religious-seculars, sephardic-ashkenazic and Orthodox-Reform all stem from the fact that we dont act and behave as a nation but rather as sectors. Praying on the Temple Mount would slowly and gradually erase these sectorial lines and transform us into Nationhood. Historically it was when David asserted the Hebrew-Israelite control over the Temple Mount that we stopped identifying ourselves as tribes and became a full functioning nation which naturally needed a king and a kingdom rathe than judges rotating eery decade or so between tribes.

People like you are the reason we are hesitant about converts...

Rarely do I read such wise comments back to back. I often get tired from the idiocies in Talkback so thanks to both of you. As to Women of the Wall, in my estimation, this is mainly a political move on their part and they will not be satisfied until all prayer at the Kotel is disrupted just to feed their greedy egos. To think that this is the issue which employs their efforts while we face our own possible imminent destruction as a nation and perhaps as a people is a very sobering thought (for me). On the other hand, we do have a woman's movement here in Israel, Women in Green, which is involved in very serious work re our enterprise in populating our own ancient land. I attended their last conference: high value and extremely well organized. Since then, this group of women keeps past attendees alert and apprised of new challenges and endeavors. An immense difference between them and this aforementioned group of Kotelaholics in terms acting with purpose and meaning.

Why is it that that these women need to make such a spectacle of themselves by dressing up in what is men's attire to so called pray in such a holy place as the Kotel which represents thousands of years of Jewish history and tradition. What about the offence it causes others? does that not bother them! Couldn't these women put their energies to better use? Aren't there more important issues for both the Jewish people and the israelis to contend with today? I find their drama highly uncomfortable and embarrassing and I am female too!!

Sir, you are incorrect in your characterization of the kotel. Both the legislative and judicial branches of the sovereign State of Israel have designated the kotel as an Orthodox synagogue. It is open , 24/7, to all visitors who respect the sanctity of the site, and follow halachic synagogue protocol. Do you speak this way about Mecca? The Kabbah is also in an open space, and yet, they will cut the head off of any non-Muslim who dares to enter the entire city of Mecca. Either governments have the authority to designate the rules at holy sites, or they don't. If you think that they don't, then please organize a charter flight full of non-Muslim protestors to fly to Mecca, and enter the city, in the name of "equality".

the hulda gate area is already built up..there is a huge plaza which can be used to allow for women's groups, mixed groups and men's groups each to pray according to their belief and/or tradition. But then WOW are only interested in making a spectacle of themselves...if they really wanted a serious solution they'd go have a serious look at the Hulda Gate area!

For the first time in my life I am rethinking the Satmar warnings about the government in israel. If the Kneset and the Supreme Court cannot show a reasonable degree of reverence for the Kotel---the remainder of the Bais Hamigdash --then it might be time for the orthodox communities around the world to rethink aliyah. Judaism does not have 3 equal branches--- thats a figment of the minds of the seekers of convenience.When groups put limits upon what G-d will be permitted to demand of them, thats not an appropriate partner for orthodox Judaism. Just think what would happen in the US were the protestants to demand that the catholic church allow them to do anything they wanted to do in the catholic churches.Can you imagine anyone calling that religious freedom?

Why attack #1? Is it becuase he exposses the not so kosher things going on in Ultra orthodoxy?... yeah, I think I got that right.