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Women of the Wall

The Women of the Wall voted to “lead the Jewish people toward change” by accepting three equal sections at the Western Wall as the response to their request to be allowed to daven in an egalitarian manner.

Anat Hoffman, one of the WOW leaders, said:  “We are not leaving the women’s section right now and we reserve the right to pray freely at a public holy site. However, we are prepared to be the catalyst and leaders of building a new, equal third section for all Jews to pray and celebrate at the Western Wall. When that is completed to our satisfaction, we will pray there.”

The central mission of Women of the Wall is “to achieve the social and legal recognition of our right, as women, to wear prayer shawls, pray, and read from the Torah collectively and out loud at the Western Wall.”  On November 4, 2013, they held a Rosh Chodesh service at the Wall followed by study sessions at the Fuchsberg Center in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of pluralistic davening at the Western Wall.  BaOlam Editor Marilyn Wind, Nativ students and staff, and students and staff from the Conservative Yeshiva were among the 1000 people in attendance. According to Marilyn, “It was a day of incredible celebration since we were able to daven according to our own customs and I was able to wear tallit and tefillin without being harassed.  Since it was Rosh Chodesh, we chanted Hallel and we did with incredible spirit and kavannah.”