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29 Sivan 5765 - July 6, 2005 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Women's Group to Hold Provocative Rosh Chodesh Gathering at Kosel

By Betzalel Kahn

Despite a High Court ruling not to gather at the Western Wall Plaza a group of women stirring controversy every Rosh Chodesh continues to sully the sanctity of the Kosel Maarovi and the sensitivities of visitors coming to pray. The group is planning to meet at the Kosel on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz as well, with unseemly ceremonies scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

Known as Women of the Wall the group meets every Rosh Chodesh to hold ceremonies in which they wear tallisos and hold public Torah readings. On Rosh Chodesh Sivan a handful of them managed to provoke other visitors and to disturb men and women who had come peacefully to pray. Many of those on hand expressed their resentment and their surprise that the police and the justice system did not take action to enforce the High Court decision prohibiting their gatherings in the main part of the Western Wall Plaza, since they have an alternate site near Robinson's Arch.

The rov of the Kosel, HaRav Shmuel Rabinovitz, contacted police officials, the State Prosecutor and recently the Attorney General to make them aware of these disturbing gatherings, saying their sole intention is to provoke the public and offend other people's sensitivities.

"As a result of the High Court ruling, the Government of Israel built an otherwise needless alternative site at a cost of NIS 2 million for this group of provocative women," HaRav Rabinovitz said Monday. "Our claim all along that their only intention is provocation has proven itself. The police authorities must prevent their entry into the Western Wall Plaza in order to preserve the sanctity of the site."

 

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