Posted on Jan 4, 2022
Western Wall prayer site's future is in doubt under Israel's fragile government
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https://www.npr.org/2022/01/04/ [login to see] /western-wall-prayer-sites-future-is-in-doubt-under-israels-fragile-government
When Israel's new government took office last June, it indicated it would press ahead on an egalitarian prayer site at Jerusalem's Western Wall — a sensitive holy site that has emerged as a point of friction between Jews over how prayer is conducted there.
But the plan is coming up against the limits of Israel's fragile government, which is struggling to move forward on the issue due to its own internal divisions. The inaction has disappointed both Israeli groups that promote religious pluralism and their American Jewish allies, who view the issue as an important test of recognition from the Israeli government.
"Anyone can topple the government if they sneeze in the wrong direction," said Anat Hoffman, chairwoman of Women of the Wall, a group that advocates for pluralistic prayer at the holy site. "They are very cautious with the temperature of the hot potatoes that come their way and the Western Wall is a special hot potato."
When Israel's new government took office last June, it indicated it would press ahead on an egalitarian prayer site at Jerusalem's Western Wall — a sensitive holy site that has emerged as a point of friction between Jews over how prayer is conducted there.
But the plan is coming up against the limits of Israel's fragile government, which is struggling to move forward on the issue due to its own internal divisions. The inaction has disappointed both Israeli groups that promote religious pluralism and their American Jewish allies, who view the issue as an important test of recognition from the Israeli government.
"Anyone can topple the government if they sneeze in the wrong direction," said Anat Hoffman, chairwoman of Women of the Wall, a group that advocates for pluralistic prayer at the holy site. "They are very cautious with the temperature of the hot potatoes that come their way and the Western Wall is a special hot potato."
Western Wall prayer site's future is in doubt under Israel's fragile government
Posted from npr.org
Religion
Israel
Jerusalem
Judaism
Orthodox Judaism
Posted >1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."The Western Wall is considered the holiest site where Jews can pray. Under ultra-Orthodox management, the wall is currently separated between men's and women's prayer sections.
Under the more liberal Reform and Conservative streams of Judaism, women and men pray together and women are allowed to read from the Torah, which Orthodox Judaism prohibits. Those streams are a minority in Israel but make up the majority of American Jews. Israel's refusal to recognize these liberal streams has long been a point of tension with American Jews.
After years of negotiations, Israel approved a plan in 2016 to officially recognize a special prayer area at the Western Wall. The $9 million plan vowed to expand an egalitarian prayer site and make it more hospitable to prayer and religious events held by Jews who don't follow Orthodox traditions.
The deal was welcomed by Jewish American leaders and seen as a significant breakthrough in promoting religious pluralism in Israel, where the ultra-Orthodox authorities govern almost every facet of Jewish life. But then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu never implemented the plan due to objections from powerful ultra-Orthodox allies who had initially endorsed it.
He shelved the plan the following year, leading to strained relations with American Jewish leaders that continued until he left office last year. His tight relationship with President Donald Trump further unsettled the heavily Democratic-leaning Jewish community.
American Jews have long lamented that Israel should be as accepting of their religious practices as they are of their financial and political support.
The new government, led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett — the child of American immigrants — brought hope that the plan may be revived."...
..."The Western Wall is considered the holiest site where Jews can pray. Under ultra-Orthodox management, the wall is currently separated between men's and women's prayer sections.
Under the more liberal Reform and Conservative streams of Judaism, women and men pray together and women are allowed to read from the Torah, which Orthodox Judaism prohibits. Those streams are a minority in Israel but make up the majority of American Jews. Israel's refusal to recognize these liberal streams has long been a point of tension with American Jews.
After years of negotiations, Israel approved a plan in 2016 to officially recognize a special prayer area at the Western Wall. The $9 million plan vowed to expand an egalitarian prayer site and make it more hospitable to prayer and religious events held by Jews who don't follow Orthodox traditions.
The deal was welcomed by Jewish American leaders and seen as a significant breakthrough in promoting religious pluralism in Israel, where the ultra-Orthodox authorities govern almost every facet of Jewish life. But then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu never implemented the plan due to objections from powerful ultra-Orthodox allies who had initially endorsed it.
He shelved the plan the following year, leading to strained relations with American Jewish leaders that continued until he left office last year. His tight relationship with President Donald Trump further unsettled the heavily Democratic-leaning Jewish community.
American Jews have long lamented that Israel should be as accepting of their religious practices as they are of their financial and political support.
The new government, led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett — the child of American immigrants — brought hope that the plan may be revived."...
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