Rachel Cohen Yeshurun grew up in Montreal, where she attended an Orthodox girls’ school: she never thought women could read from a Torah scroll or get to hold one whenever they wanted. These days, however, after she moved to Israel 30 years ago, she’s not only breaking that custom regularly, but teaching other women in Israel to read from the Torah as well.
Every month, she attends controversial sessions held by Women of the Wall, an organization that advocates for women’s rights to pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. She’s been arrested more than once by Israeli police, though the country’s Supreme Court has ruled that the women are not breaking any laws or causing any harm. They are making incremental progress, having won the right to wear prayer shawls and tefillin, though the rabbi in charge of the Wall still prohibit them from using Torahs or bringing their own.
Still, each month, the Women of the Wall visit the holy site, only to be disrupted by ultra-Orthodox protestors who spit on, shove and whistle at the women. It’s a scene that has been playing out for years—and now, after a particularly heated encounter on May 2, inflamed by the World Zionist Organization reportedly bussing in Haredi girls to protest, Cohen Yeshurun joins The CJN Daily to talk about what it’s been like to fight for women’s rights at one of the most sacred spots in Judaism.
What we talked about:
- Read about the legal struggles of the Women of the Wall
- Read an essay on the Women of the Wall by Rabbi Elyse Goldstein in The CJN archives
- Read about Bobbie Rosenfeld in The CJN archives
Credits
The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To learn how to support the show by subscribing to this podcast, please watch this video.