Court strikes down restrictions on women’s prayer at Western Wall

In a historic High Court decision, the government of Israel has until February 1 to find good cause why a woman may not pray from a Torah scroll at the Western Wall.

In a sweeping decision joining three petitions, the court rules that women may read from the Torah at the Western Wall, pending a government response.

It also says that the government may no longer argue that the Robinson’s Arch area of the plaza constitutes “access to the Western Wall.”

Further, contrary to current practice under the plaza’s administration by the Western Wall Foundation, women will no longer be subjected to body searches for “contraband” Jewish ritual objects by foundation staff.

If the government fails to find “good cause” for not permitting women from reading for the Torah, it is still a question whether they will have access to the hundreds of scrolls now located in the men’s section of the Western Wall plaza.

Anat Hoffman, head of the Women of the Wall, says she is “elated” over the decision.

“Today, we have come much closer toward implementation of the Western Wall agreement on gender equality and religious freedom at the Wall. I am elated because when I was looking for justice, and then courage, they were missing and now the highest court in the land has shown me both,” she says.

— Amanda Borschel-Dan