No Better Place to Be
December 23, 2009
Israel
(3 comments)
by JanetheWriter
An article in this week's New York Times and this post right here on the Union's blog--also published this week--both reminded me of a Facebook conversation I had with a college friend back in February, right after Rosh Chodesh Adar when women celebrated by (gasp!) singing at the Wall. At that time, I'd posted this piece on my own blog, which prompted my friend to be in touch.
My friend: "Hi Jane - enjoyed your blog and the links about the women singing at the wall. Doesn't that hatred of women make you never want to visit Israel again? It makes me furious. How do you reconcile?"
Me: "Thanks for reading my blog. No...in the same way that I didn't stop traveling immediately after 9/11, neither do I not visit Israel or the Wall. It belongs to all of us and try as they might, the ultra Orthodox cannot take it away from us. If we don't go, they win. On my last visit to Jerusalem, I visited the Wall on Shabbat with two friends. One of them had forgotten to write the note she wanted to insert into the Wall and so we went into the ladies room, I gave her a pen and paper, and she scribbled it right there, using the sink as a desk. Somehow, it seemed like a little piece of justice!"
Sadly, not much has changed for women at the Wall in the months since my friend and I had that exchange. As I was there (in spirit) with those who sang at the Kotel in February, so was I there (in spirit) with Nofrat Frenkel and the others as they donned tallitot for prayer at the Wall more recently. In fact, I can think of no better place to be. As we gather there--in person and in spirit--may all of us know equality and religious freedom and may we know it, as our tradition tells us, "speedily and in our day."
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Thanks for reminding us that to withdraw in the face of what we don't lke is to give the other side victory.
The battle for equality is multi-dimensional -- and there are two specific actions Reform Jews should take to make sure we win.
1. Join ARZA (www.arza.org), the URJ affiliate that provides our connection to Israel, and that provides a major segment of the funding for the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC). IRAC is the Reform movement's legal and advocacy arm, whose goals are advancing pluralism in Israeli society and defending the freedoms of conscience, faith, and religion. RAC uses litigation, legislation, public policy and advocacy to advance civic equality - for women, for Reform congregations and rabbis, for Israeli Arabs -- to help realize the Israel we want, a light to the nations.
2. Contribute directly to IRAC (www.irac.org), either via their web site or by mailing a check with IRAC in the memo line, made out to the World Union for Progressive Judaism, 633 Third Avenue, New York NY 10017. (Channeling through WUPJ makes it tax deductible.)
Women at the Wall gives the struggle visibility, but your check will give it viability. And it's our struggle too.