The issue of Gender Segregation in Israel, always a potentially controversial and divisive issue in certain religious communities, exploded into the open in Israel, following an incident where an Ultra Orthodox Haredi man spat on seven year old Na’ama Margolis, for immodest dress. The issue has triggered Haredi violence in the often restive town of Beit Shemesh on the outskirts of Jerusalem, but also a mass counter protest, attended by scores throughout the Israeli political and religious spectrum.
Photo by: YouTube)
"Beit Shemes has become a symbol for a secular city that has become haredi. Seculars must be allowed to live here… the current situation is intolerable ," MK Miri Regev of the ruling Likud party said.
"This is a Jewish country but there is no room for imposing such religious edicts. We cannot allow religious coercion or segregation in mixed cities. Everyone should be allowed to make their own choice," she continued.
Her sentiments were echoed by numerous playcards and signs in the audience who have come to denounce the growing phenomenon. "Segregation is a red line," "Free Israel from religious coercion," "Stop Israel from becoming Iran” and "The majority is silent no more” were among many viewpoints expressed.
The issue of gender segregation has evoked in public scene during recent weeks, with public debates following Haredi calls for enforced gender segregation on public buses, a ban on female signing in public, and even some calls for a complete ban on female participation on public life in Israel. The calls caused a stir when Tanya Rosenblit, a female passenger on a bus from Ashdod to Jerusalem refused an order from an ultra-orthodox man to move to designated seating at the back of the bus. The incident caused a delay, with the woman refusing to move to designated seating, even upon police request. The bus eventually reached Jerusalem with the woman remaining in the front of the bus.
The calls and attempted enforcement have caused a split in even the highest circles of the Ultra Orthodox community with both Israel’s Ashkenazi and Sephardic Chief Rabbis harshly denouncing the phenomenon in statements last week.
"We can't be the world's landlords.” Yona Metzger, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi was quoted as saying “This isn't the haredi public's country. We have no authority to impose our opinion on others. This is a public place." Amar, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi further commented that Haredim should open a separate bus company away from the public sector if they wished gender segregated busses. “If the haredim want to be strict in their own buses, let them. But imposing it on other people is irrelevant”, he said in a statement.
One of the major speaker in the Anti-Segregation Rally was Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni who decried the conversion of Beit Shemesh from a secular town to one of religious control.
"There are amazing people that want to live here. Some are religious and some aren’t. They asked me – 'Don't give up on us.' We have no intention of giving up on you or on the State of Israel,". Her sentiments were echoed by Amir Peretz, a former cabinet minister and Histadrut chairman who wanted to “prevent a war between brothers” caused from the takeover of secular cities by the ultra religious, and stressed the widely echoed sentiment: “it is inconceivable that a little girl in Israel“ will be “afraid to go outside” in her own country.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Beit Shemesh Mayor Moshe Abutbul both denounced the increased phenomenon of gender segregation. Netanyahu, who was attending a bible study competition in Jerusalem at the time of the protest, has fiercely condemned the segregation of women in the public sphere in recent days:
"There is no room for the exclusion of any person in the State of Israel - not of half of the population. The place of women in our society must be ensured...the exclusion of women is a marginal phenomenon - but it does exist," he noted.
"The bible speaks of the fair way in which every person, and particularly women, must be treated. The exclusion of women goes against the tradition of the bible and the principles of Judaism” he was quoted as saying.
At the same time, Beit Shemesh Mayor Moshe Abutbul has decried the violence that has impacted his community. "Beith Shemesh denounces such behavior. Violent men belong behind bars. I urge the police to take a firm hand against all the rioters, and I call on you (the press) not to label all (the ultra-Orthodox) in the same manner," he said.
The debate over female seclusion is likely to continue into the foreseeable future. Increased areas near Jerusalem but also other Ultra Orthodox neighbourhoods in Israel have already enforced tight gender segregation. The debate is specifically relevant for Beit Shemesh, where 28,000 of 30,000 new units have been allotted to expand Ultra Orthodox housing which currently account for only a third of the population. “The real story is that we have been conquered by the ultra-Orthodox by virtue of an agreement that [the government] has made with them” complained one local resident.
As such, while most Ultra Orthodox are law abiding citizens, expect more stories of friction over religious values to surface, in escalations between Ultra Orthodox and secular communities in Israel.
