The traditional Simchat Beit Hashoeva (water-drawing) festivities in the settlement of Elad included an unpleasant incident on Tuesday, when women in the audience were told to leave a publicly funded event.
Residents of the settlement who were present at the event recounted that several women had entered the arena after the event already began—causing a commotion and bringing the performance to a halt—until the women were requested to leave and told that they were forbidden from being there by rabbinical decree.
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Enjoying the Simchat Beit Hashoeva celebrations (Archive Photo: Shaul Golan)
(צילום: שאול גולן)
After they left, the show resumed, but several residents of Elad criticized what transpired and referred to it as a state-funded exclusion of women.
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An advertisement for the state-funded celebration in Elad, marked at the bottom as not open to women
Elad Municipality responded to the criticism, saying, "Like all ultra-orthodox cities, the Elad Municipality conducts events that fit into the ultra-orthodox lifestyle and according to rabbinical decree. This includes keeping singing events separate, during which a live and direct broadcast is shown to the women. Women are also offered many events of their own over the holiday, so claims of them being excluded are absolutely false."
The Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee has yet to issue a response on the matter.