Treasure Trove: David Matlow visits Jerusalem’s ‘Praying Wall’
“The Praying Wall at Jerusalem” was pictured on this 1892 trading card from Chicago’s W.F. McLaughlin coffee company. Trading cards featuring an “exotic location” were included as a premium in tins of XXXX coffee. The back of the card stated that the beans were kept fresh by a glaze of corn starch and reclarified sugar, explaining […]
The new Minister of Diaspora Affairs says Israel will diversify the ways of praying at the Kotel
“They are all Jews and there’s enough room under the tent for all of us.”
PM urges Jews to visit Kotel’s pluralistic prayer platform
In a lengthy address at the American Jewish Committee (AJC) Global Forum in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pleaded with Jews to “feel free to pray” at the Western Wall.
Rabbi David Lau’s ‘sexist’ remarks are sowing disunity
In an interview with The CJN, Chief Rabbi David Lau made some disturbing claims about the Women of the Wall.
Netanyahu should reverse course on Kotel as he did on the Temple Mount
The Kotel decision, coupled with the marginalizing of non-Orthodox Diaspora rabbis, could lead to much broader protests: The very Diaspora Jews who’ve defended Netanyahu in past might protest him in future.
The haredim are making it very hard to be passionate about Israel
The Israeli government has given too much power to the haredim and it is having negative consequences for Jews living in Israel and around the world.
Fostering diversity in the Jewish world
Imagine a Jewish world where Jews who interpret our tradition in diverse ways listen to, learn from and honour each other.
The historical rift between Israeli and Diaspora Jews
The Israeli government’s recent decision to freeze a plan to expand a prayer space that can be used by men and women of all denominations at the Western Wall, in order to appease the ultra-Orthodox parties in the Knesset, may create an irreversible rift in the relations between the State of Israel and world Jewry.
Despite bad Kotel and conversion decisions, we must not burn bridges with Israel
Before we give ammunition to those who wish to separate Jews from Israel, let us keep a few things in mind.
How Netanyahu defended suspending the Western Wall agreement
Far from killing the compromise, Netanyahu believes the vote has given it new life. And far from betraying Diaspora Jewry, he says the vote shows his concern for Jews around the world.
