It is the seventh anniversary of the passing – yahrzeit – of my great teacher and mentor. Elie Wiesel, of blessed memory, was a prophetic voice of the Jewish People and messenger of peace to all of humanity.
As a student in his classes at Boston University from 1976-1979, and then for the rest of his life, I learned many things that inspired me. One in particular, moved me, as I had never thought of it this way.
Wiesel explained that the mere act of holding a prayer book was a sacred privilege. Imagine if you were a concentration camp prisoner, even owning a prayer book meant instant death. Imagine the spiritual strength a prayer book could give you at that time. How many people imagined a prayer book and recited whole services from memory? My cousin Poldi led a service from memory and was punished in a camp for it. Owning a prayer book was forbidden and deadly dangerous.
Growing up in day school, and teaching in religious schools, singing as a cantor, we take for granted the powerful impact of holding a prayer book in our hands. “Please turn to page 28 and rise for the Kiddush.” We had a prayerbook in our hands and never thought how powerful it was and how lucky we were.
This all changed when I heard Wiesel describe the mere act of holding a prayerbook as a sacred privilege. I never forgot his words and have shared them with students for over 45 years as a cantor.
Two years ago, a group of fervent extremists felt they had the right to destroy 39 precious prayer books belonging to Women of the Wall, leaving torn pages scattered throughout the Kotel Plaza. 150 police officers and Kotel security guards stood by and watched.
After two years of police inaction after filing a complaint, a notice was given that the case was officially closed. Meir Fahima added that one person with a questionable name was interviewed and released. No one has been charged. Case closed.
Imagine if a neo-Nazi had destroyed prayer books in front of worshipers, or a mob of non-Jews defiling 39 prayer books at the Kotel. There would be uproar and police would have jumped all over it.
When it comes to Women of the Wall, there is silence and sometimes a gleeful passive wink, as if glad the incident occurred.
Recently, a Torah was confiscated, and the security guard seen on film said, “I was waiting for this moment!” Thrilled to take a Torah away from women who want to read from it; silent when prayer books are destroyed. This is not right; this cannot be tolerated.
While I do not live in Jerusalem, my heart is there along with Jews all over the world. I and many others would like to see this case reopened and the perpetrators prosecuted. The original complaint said it was a hate crime, but the police excused it as “an expression of fervent religion.” If expressions of fervent religion mean destroying prayer books, we are in serious trouble as a people.
If Elie Wiesel could speak to the religious extremists, I am sure he could make some progress in this situation. “Fervent religion” should be heartfelt prayer and song, raising voices, not fists and praying with our hearts, not with violent hands.
The Kotel Agreement
THE KOTEL Agreement was voted on January 31, 2016, and was approved with a government vote of 15-5.
“One Kotel for One People” meant an improved expanded Robinson’s Arch connected to the main Western Wall Plaza. There would be separate sections, men only, women only, and a mixed gender site. The Orthodox would continue to run the men and women’s sections, while the egalitarian section would be run by a combined committee of government, Masorti, Reform, and Women of the Wall. It took three years of negotiating to get this agreement, and included the efforts of Natan Sharansky, then-chairman of the Jewish Agency and then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Sadly, the agreement was formally suspended after a year and a half due to pressure by religious extremists.
Sharansky who had suffered in the Soviet prisons for years, seen as a Jewish hero, was disrespected by these actions in my opinion. Who knows better than Natan Sharansky how important religious freedom is? Why should an extreme expression of Judaism control everyone? Shouldn’t there be room for everyone as the Kotel Agreement so carefully and thoughtfully crafted?
When it is permissible to desecrate sacred prayer books by one group (imagine if Women of the Wall did that) with the law enforcement standing by, it is clear that there is no law protecting all of its citizens.
When a law is proposed that anything that angers or disturbs haredi prayer will be illegal, we have a real problem. A woman wearing a tallit, tefillin, reading from a Torah, and even leading prayer could be illegal?
Is this Iran or is this Israel? It is time someone stood up to the religious bullies and said no. There can be room for everyone to pray as they wish.
All prayers should be welcome. Don’t we have other things to worry about? We need prayer in all forms – one does not negate the other. My prayer does not interfere with or lessen others.
I am a proud founder of the Women Cantors’ Network and the Women of the Wall Choir. The WOW Choir has been adding beautiful harmony and spirit to the monthly Rosh Hodesh services at the Kotel this year. I am thrilled to hear these young, devoted women surrounded by women who come from all over the world to pray together. If the Kotel Agreement were implemented, the Robinson’s Arch Plaza would be the location for these beautiful services.
The violence against the Women of the Wall cannot be tolerated. Violence against prayer books can turn into violence against people.
Elie Wiesel reminded us that the act of holding a prayer book is a sacred act. We are privileged to hold a prayer book in our hands. No one has the right to destroy a prayer book. All prayer books are sacred.
Prime Minister Netanyahu – bring those who destroyed them back to court and treat them as criminals.
We are the People of the Book. Let’s act like it.
The writer, from Ridgefield, Connecticut, is founder of the Women Cantors’ Network and cofounder of the Women of the Wall Choir.