"A struggle for religious and gender equality"

In December of 1988 Jerusalem was the scene of the First International Jewish Feminist Conference entitled "The Empowerment of Jewish Women."

It was within this context that a group of Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, and unaffiliated Jewish women decided to pray collectively in the women's section at the historic Western Wall known as the Kotel.

What was noteworthy at the time was the women had worn prayer shawls and they also had read from the Torah Scroll. As soon as the group opened the Torah Scroll they were confronted with ultra orthodox men and women cursing them and even threatening bodily harm. These ultra orthodox men and women, who are referred to as "Charedi" believed it was blasphemous for women to pray collectively, chant and read from the Torah Scroll at the KOTEL.

Women Of The Wall edited by Phyllis Chesler and Rivka Haut comprises the writings of over thirty-five contributors who recount how the struggle has continued for the past fourteen years in order that these women, who are referred to as WOW, may relive the first service.

Despite several legal victories the struggle still continues, as they are still not permitted even to stand together and pray aloud as a group at the Kotel. It chronicles the verbal and physical violence the group has had to endure, the court battles and the personal experiences of some of the participants.

The book also analyzes the legal and political battles as well as the various views expressed by the different branches of Judaism.

For many readers the first question that probably comes to mind is why is it so important that the prayers and the services take place at the Kotel. One of the contributors, Haviva Ner-David best sums it up when she asserts: "The Kotel has always symbolized for me the Jewish people's return to Zion in the twentieth century. It was one of the retaining walls of our Second Temple. The feeling I have when standing there about the history of the place is so powerful. The fact that we are so privileged to be able to pray there, and that only thirty-five years ago we could not, is reason enough to feel pulled to the site."

For others, the struggle is about fighting against being silenced and as they maintain, there is no religious law that expressly prevents them from praying in the manner that they have chosen. According to Frances Raday "The violence against the Women of the Wall (WOW) is a manifestation of the attempt of ultra-religious activists to preserve their patriarchal hegemony."

The book serves as not only a description of one group's tenacity in fighting for their rights, but also as a fascinating insight into the various views concerning the freedoms of expression and assembly.

Reviewed by Norman Goldman
Posted December 12, 2002