February 15, 2010 (Section 1) (see also Section 2)
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Editor – Joel Katz
Religion and State in Israel is not affiliated with any organization or movement.
By Ayelet Dekel www.midnighteast.com February 11, 2010
Black Bus (Hebrew title: Soreret), a documentary produced and directed by Anat Yuta Zuria, will have its international premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), taking place from February 11-21, 2010.
Third in a trilogy concerned with the relationship of women to Jewish religious law, the film observes that which remains hidden from view – the lives of ultra-Orthodox women.
Black Bus takes a route marked by images and associations, rather than linear narrative, viewing this world from the perspective of its two protagonists: women who have left the Ultra-Orthodox community – a blogger and a photographer.
Scenes from their lives are like stops along the way, set against the background of the ongoing debate in Israel over the issue of sex-segregated buses.
By Ron Friedman www.jpost.com February 12, 2010
An updated list of gender-segregated buses operated by Egged and obtained by The Jerusalem Post on Thursday reveals that on five intercity routes passengers have no choice but to use “mehadrin buses,” and that on more than 25 other routes, females who don’t want to board via the rear door have to switch buses two or three times and often pay substantially more to reach their destination.
The list of routes, compiled by the legal department of the Reform Movement’s Israel Religious Action Center, reveals, for example, that it is impossible to travel from Ashdod to Safed by bus without boarding a mehadrin line or making a transfer.
The same goes for people traveling from Beit Shemesh to Jerusalem and from Ashdod to Bnei Brak. The sole Saturday night bus from Ashdod to Haifa is also of the segregated variety.
Queen Esther’s Progeny Still Ride on the Back of the Bus
By Francine Klagsbrun Opinion www.thejewishweek.com February 9, 2010
Haaretz Cartoon by Erin Wolkowski October 28, 2009 “Jews, Save Us!”
It’s easy to dismiss these incidents as trivial. After all, Israel faces pressing problems of security and of vilification by hostile nations, and we certainly need to defend and protect it in every way possible.
But such occurrences are not inconsequential, nor are they only about haredim or women or even Israel. Every ruling that chips away at women’s freedom or dignity chips away also at the soul of a country that is at the center of Jewish life.
Our tradition lauds Queen Esther for speaking out. The least we can do is speak out also, for women whose voices are being squelched.
By Steve Lipman www.thejewishweek.com February 9, 2010
“We are pleased with Minister Yisrael Katz’s recognition of the needs of the haredi public, said Shimon Stern, a spokesman for the Rabbinical Committee for Transportation Affairs.
“Seven countries in the world have separate cars for women who desire it, and it is legitimate to have this in Israel as well.”
Egged and the Wheels of Justice
By Shira Schmidt Opinion www.cross-currents.com February 7, 2010
Laughter broke the tense atmosphere of the Israel Supreme Court session on Thursday Feb.4 (20 b’Shvat) when both sides, those in favor of gender-separated seating on Mehadrin buses and those against, reacted with smiles to the quip by Justice Elyakim Rubinstein.
I sat through the court session and, with Adar coming up, decided to record the humor and the jokes, which I will emphasize below.
VIDEO: TV Interview with Sara Einfeld
www.23tv.co.il January 16, 2010 (Hebrew)
See article on Sara Einfeld: No hole in the sheet
Sarah Einfeld, previously a Gerrer Hassid and currently a secular divorcee mother of two, has told her story across the pages of Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. She is also featured in Anat Zuria's film "Black Bus" (see trailer above).
Reform position and guidelines regarding the "Western Wall"
http://arza.org.au February 12, 2010
Statement from the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism: Rabbi Gilad Kariv, Executive Director
IMPJ adopts the following operating principles with regard to the Kotel:
…3. IMPJ’s efforts will focus on the general character of the site and its accessibility to a range of Jewish communities, and not only to one component of the public struggle, including the activities of the Women of the Wall.
4. IMPJ will aspire to engage additional partners in this endeavor. The basic terms for partnership will be strict adherence to Higher Court rulings with regard to the Kotel Plaza. IMPJ will neither cooperate with nor support organizations which deliberately do not comply with these guidelines.
5. In light of the failure of the compromise to conduct joint prayers at Robinson’s Arch, IMPJ will place a central focus on the creation of a third public area at the Kotel, which will be an egalitarian plaza open to the public at large, for the purpose of prayer or a visit to the Kotel.
By Rabbi Marc Rosenstein http://blogs.rj.org February 9, 2010
As long as we Reform Jews speak the language of secular democracy and claim moral authority as a persecuted minority - so long will we continue to be considered an irrelevant nuisance here.
Our strength is in offering a meaningful alternative at the level of the community, the school, and the synagogue, in realizing the vision of - and modeling - a Judaism that can meet the spiritual needs of the citizens of a modern state and can live in harmony with democracy.
It is too easy to say what we don't want (religious discrimination) and too difficult to say what we do want (i.e., do we really want Israel to look just like the United States?
If so, how will it be a Jewish state?). We need to be the visionaries of a state that lacks them in our generation - not still another group of victims vying for headlines and sympathy.
http://rabbicreditor.blogspot.com February 11, 2010
A Statement from Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, Executive Vice President of the (Conservative Movement's) Rabbinical Assembly
Discrimination and harassment –whether sexual, racial, or religious--are demeaning and dehumanizing.
We fool ourselves if we think we can stand by while Jews in the Jewish state utilize government agencies to harass and oppress other Jews based on religious practice. The soul of the state of Israel and of the Jewish people is at stake.
Is the Entire Kotel Plaza Really a Synagogue?
By Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin www.schechter.edu
Responsa in a Moment Volume 4, Issue No. 3, February 2010
I) Was the area near the Kotel considered a synagogue before 1948 and did it have a mehitzah?
II) Why is the Ministry of Religion in charge of the entire Kotel plaza?
III) What is the halakhic status, as opposed to the legal status, of the Kotel Plaza; is it really a synagogue?
IV) How should the State of Israel deal with the fact that the entire Kotel plaza is slowly but surely becoming a Haredi synagogue?
Reform Judaism, Progressive Values and Israel Today
http://rodephshalom.wordpress.com February 12, 2010
This week, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, wrote a letter to his rabbinic colleagues about his recent trip to Israel.
“Legislation advancing religious freedom and pluralism will not be possible with this government, which includes two ultra-Orthodox parties needed to maintain its majority.
My task, therefore, was to argue that even if a major step forward was not possible, it was essential that Israel’s government avoid a major step backwards.”
“I met as well with the leaders of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism. Since much of their funds are raised in North America, the financial crisis here has impacted them in a significant way.
Both ARZA and the World Union for Progressive Judaism, which have historically provided most of their support, are now struggling financially, as are the Union, the College-Institute, and all Jewish organizations and congregations.”
By George Robinson www.thejewishweek.com February 9, 2010
Haim Tabakman’s appearance belies the somber nature of his impressive first film, “Eyes Wide Open.”
The film, which is playing at the Cinema Village (22 E. 12th St.), is a mesmerizingly slow trip inside the Haredi community of Jerusalem, a visually beautiful yet austere recounting of the mid-life crisis of Aharon (Zohar Strauss), inheritor of his late father’s butcher shop; Aharon takes on Ezri (Ran Danker) as his apprentice and falls in love with him.
Eyes Wide Open – FILM Trailer with English subtitles
VIDEO: Israel TV Program ‘Yoman’ - Requesting Recognition”
www.iba.org.il February 12, 2010 (Hebrew) [Fast forward to 39:35 mark]
Gay and Religious - Including: Rabbi Ron Yosef, HOD; Aviad Doron, Havruta; Rabbi Ronen Lubitch, Nir Etzion
Finance Committee: Scholarships for Torah research exempt from tax
By Haim Bior www.haaretz.com February 12, 2010
The Knesset Finance Committee has forced the Finance Ministry to include researchers at non-academic Torah study institutes on a bill that would make academic scholarships tax-exempt.
The bill was given the green light for its second and third readings Wednesday morning, after MKs Uri Ariel (National Union) and committee chairman Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism), succeeded in including non-academic Torah researchers in the bill.
Women discuss 'kosher' use of social media
st www.ynetnews.com February 8, 2010
Anglo-Israeli women will hold a one-day conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday, February 17, to discuss how Torah-observant people and organizations can use social media as a tool to build their businesses.
The featured speaker and religious advisor to the Conference is Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits, Director of the Jerusalem Kollel and a respected "posek" (advisor) on contemporary halachic issues, particularly for Jerusalem's English-speaking haredi community.
There will be sessions on the halachic (legal) and hashkafic (philosophical) issues relating to social media use, and how to make the internet a safer place for business users, children and students.
For more info, see Kishor - Professional Jewish Women
VIDEO: Knesset Members Study Torah
www.israelnationalnews.com February 9, 2010
In a special Tuesday session of the House of Torah Study for Knesset Members, headed by Education and Culture Committee Chairman Zevulun Orlev, leaders from the Jewish Federation of New York took part in Torah study with Knesset members.
Orlev: Religious public shouldn't pay for 'Eretz Nehederet'
By Gil Hoffman www.jpost.com February 14, 2010
“There is no reason why the religious public that doesn’t watch TV on Shabbat should have to pay a fine for their observance. I will work to get this scandalous decision canceled.”
Young Haredim building their muscles
By David Regev www.ynetnews.com February 8, 2010
The course was initiated by the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry in a bid to help members of the ultra-Orthodox community integrate into the workforce. Gideon Zaken, head of the ministry's Jerusalem district, recently approached the Buot center, which specializes in training haredim in swimming and water therapy professions and asked for a workplace to train haredim.
Ben-Eliezer: Chareidi Community is Significant & Important
By Yechiel Spira www.theyeshivaworld.com February 8, 2010
Minister of Industry & Trade (Labor) Binyamin Ben-Eliezer on Sunday attended a conference sponsored by HaMevaser addressing the ‘leaders’ in the chareidi community.
Dozens of leading entrepreneurs, heads of businesses, MKs, ministers, and public officials attended the annual event held on the grounds of Graphoprint in Tel Yitzchak, the place where the newspaper is printed. The event was used to rate the top 100 companies serving the chareidi community.
A special insert booklet appears in Monday’s HaMevaser, containing an in-depth report from the survey, which was conducted during recent months, questioning 538 chareidi families.
Banned or Not? Kosher Internet Access Office in Yerushalayim
By Yechiel Spira www.theyeshivaworld.com February 9, 2010
YWN-Israel has stumbled across a kosher internet office services flyer, in the Ezras Torah area of Yerushalayim.
The flyer, in English, obviously addresses the English-speaking community, offering a full complement of office services for the frum women, citing the recent ban published by Gedolei Yisrael Shlita, to remove internet from Torah homes.
The flyer boasts approval from the “gedolei mashgichim” and offers morning and afternoon hours.
Haredi son, parents hold double wedding
By Kobi Nahshoni www.ynetnews.com February 10, 2010
A young Christian American man who made aliyah seven years ago, converted to Judaism and became a student in one of the most prestigious Hasidic yeshivot in Jerusalem got married last week.
"Hakol Haharedi" news distributor reported that the groom's parents, who were inspired by their son's new path decided to do the same.
Rabbonim to MDA: No Station in Modi’in Illit!
By Yechiel Spira www.theyeshivaworld.com February 10, 2010
Magen David Adom is planning to establish a station in Modi’in Illit, explaining the city of 50,000 residents demands a station towards expediting emergency medical response and care. According to Kikar, in recent weeks, MDA regional director, Yitzchak Ben-Aaron met with Modi’in Illit rabbonim to discuss the planned station.
According to the report, the rabbonim shlita rejected the idea outright.
Will Haredi kosher vacations to Turkey solve tourism crisis?
By Elad Tene www.ynetnews.com February 10, 2010
A delegation of religious and haredi journalists visited last week in Antalya and met with the Head of the Antalya Region in the Turkish Ministry of Tourism Ibrahim Ajar, who sponsored their visit.
A senior haredi media source told Ynet that this sort of vacation is tailor-made for "haredi-light" people, which he explained was a new stream that developed in recent years and includes some 10% of the haredi population.
According to the source, this new group includes both Lithuanian and Hasidic Jews who are not bothered by having a television set in the hotel room, speak freely with women, dress up in brand-names and have consumption patterns that are similar to the religious public at large.
Study: Hareidi 'Kosher' Cellphone Campaign a Flop
www.israelnationalnews.com February 14, 2010
One of the biggest campaigns ever undertaken by the Hareidi religious establishment – the campaign against cellphones with internet access and advanced services – has been a flop, according to a study.
Rabbis to deem Haredi internet kosher
By Kobi Nahshoni www.ynetnews.com February 11, 2010
The war being waged against haredi internet channels is still in full swing, but one site has received its very own 'kosher' certification. "Etrog," which was closed following a rabbinical protest, will soon be relaunched after an agreement in principle was reached stating that it would publish only "suitable" content and would be under the supervision of a "spiritual committee."
This is an unprecedented move that will likely result in a similar move for other haredi sites.
Court indicts Chabad member for assault, threats
www.ynetnews.com February 11, 2010
An indictment was filed Thursday at the Beersheba Magistrate Court against a Chabad member who is accused of assaulting and threatening two members of the Ger Hassidic group.
Haredim riot in Jerusalem over man's arrest
By Efrat Weiss www.ynetnews.com February 11, 2010
Residents of Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox Mea Shearim neighborhood on Thursday evening set fire to dumpsters and hurled stones on buses following a court decision to extend the remand of a haredi man arrested on suspicion of causing disturbances.
Shas Playing Hardball to Compel Degel to Back Off
By Yechiel Spira www.theyeshivaworld.com February 11, 2010
Shas, as has been seen in the past, is not a novice to the political arena and not without the ability to strike when pushed into a corner.
Shas is now signaling that if Degel HaTorah attacks regarding Shas’ decision to enter the World Zionist Organization continue, Degel can forget about Shas’ support for the bill seeking to add deputy ministers to Jerusalem. The bill was put forward by MK R’ Uri Maklev.
Haredi bidders win most new Beit Shemesh lots
By Einat Paz-Frankel www.globes.co.il February 11, 2010
The Israel Land Administration today published the results of the tenders for land zoned for the construction of 2,000 apartments in Beit Shemesh. The publication was delayed by the Supreme Court because of a petition for an injunction filed by Beit Shemesh councilmen who opposed turning the town into a Haredi bastion.
Poll: Only 25% of Haredim aware of green construction
www.ynetnews.com February 11, 2010
The Haredi-religious public's awareness of green construction and the environment is 60% lower than the level of awareness among the secular public, according to a survey conducted by the Geocartography institute.
About 27% of the haredi-religious public are aware of the green building issue, compared to about 45% among the secular public.
More Anti-Shabbos Tensions in Yerushalayim
By Yechiel Spira www.theyeshivaworld.com February 11, 2010
[There are] plans to challenge the current status of the community, beginning with demands to dismantle the gate that closes Mem Gimmel Street on shabbos, leading to the Undsdorf area. In recent weeks, a metallic gate was added to the community towards enhancing the eruv.
…residents maintain the new addition to the eruv totally prevents the entry of vehicles on shabbos, and they are unwilling to accept this.
February 15, 2010 (Section 1) (see also Section 2)
Editor – Joel Katz
Religion and State in Israel is not affiliated with any organization or movement.
All rights reserved.
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