In Tel Aviv, a Mechitzah Sparks a Battle Over the Role of Religion in the Public Square
Earlier this week, a religious group in Israel decided to hold a rally in Rabin Square, Tel Aviv’s central hub. Invitations were sent, posters were printed, and speakers booked. Then, however, a few of the city’s enlightened residents noticed one troubling detail: This being a religious event, it would feature a mechitzah creating separate sections for men and for women.
This was more than Tel Aviv’s mayor, Ron Huldai, could take. In a fiery video message posted online, the mayor informed his Orthodox constituents that their beliefs were unacceptable. “Our city,” thundered Huldai, “where the Declaration of Independence was read out loud, was always a pioneer of protecting human rights, equality in general, and gender equality in particular. This decision is aligned with the values of the State of Israel, always striving for equal rights and working to put an end to the grave phenomenon of pushing women out of the public space.” The event’s organizers argued that they had no intention of doing anything but putting together an event in which Orthodox Jews could partake according to their beliefs and traditions. Just as the men and the women prayed separately in shul and celebrated separately at simchas, they would not be able to attend the event unless it allowed them to observe their custom. The mayor refused to budge, and the organizers appealed to the court.