For Immediate Release: After Incitement from Minister of Religious Affairs David Azulai, Women of the Wall Read from Torah on Rosh Hodesh Tammuz
Over 250 women and men came this morning (June 18th) to the Kotel to celebrate Rosh Hodesh Tammuz with Women of the Wall. In honor of the new month, Women of the Wall prayed with a Torah scroll that was brought in covertly through security. Amidst the sounds of whistles and harassment from detractors, five Bat Mitzvah ceremonies were celebrated. Three girls and two women were able to make Aliyah and read from the Torah scroll.
Yesterday, Minister of Religious Affairs David Azulai spoke against women’s rights at the Kotel. “To come with a tallit, tefillin and a Torah scroll isn’t to come to pray, it’s to come to cause a provocation” said Azulai in an interview to Israel Hayom.
In response, Women of the Wall have launched a campaign asking women to take pictures of themselves wrapped in their Tallit with a sign “My Tallit is not provocative – it’s my prerogative” under the hashtag #letmyTorahgo and tag Prime Minister Netanyahu. Women of the Wall call on Prime Minister Netanyahu to condemn such expressions of discrimination from his ministers.
Anat Hoffman, Chairwoman of Women of the Wall: “Minister Azulai should be reminded that he was inaugurated as the Minister of Religious Affairs of Israel, and not the minister for the affairs of ultra-orthodox men.”
Women of the Wall will celebrate Rosh Hodesh Av on July 17th.
For 26 years Women of the Wall has continued to fight for religious freedom and women’s rights at the Western Wall. As Women of the Wall, our central mission 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.