Afula

Ultra-Orthodox Jews at a concert featuring Haredi singer Motti Steinmetz, in a show where men and women in the audience sat separately, in the northern Israeli city of Afula on August 14, 2019. (Meir Vaknin/Flash90)

August 14, 2019, 11:31 pm

Too late: High Court bars gender-segregated concert, when it’s almost over

Ultra-Orthodox officials celebrate as hundreds attend segregated Motty Steinmetz performance in Afula; dozens briefly squabble with Tiberias mayor who tries to protest event

By TOI staff

The auditorium in Afula divided by a white partition ahead of the planned concert on August 14, 2019 (Screencapture/Channel 12)

August 14, 2019, 7:29 pm

Court overturns ban on separate gender seating at Afula concert

Judge recommends compromise in which amphitheater be split in three for Wednesday’s event, with a woman’s section above a men’s section, as well as a mixed area; mayor rejects idea

By TOI staff

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit speaks at a farewell ceremony for outgoing Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked at Justice Ministry headquarters in Jerusalem on June 4, 2019. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

August 14, 2019, 3:25 pm

Attorney general gives cautious backing to some gender-segregated events

Mandelblit says he will hold a meeting to outline rules; Nazareth District Court, in call for compromise, advocates separate and mixed seating areas at Afula concert

By TOI staff

Haifa Mayor Einat Kalisch Rotem at the annual international Municipal Innovation Conference in Tel Aviv, February 27, 2019. (Flash90)

August 12, 2019, 10:05 pm

After Afula gender-segregated show banned, women’s group turns to Haifa

In letter to mayor, Israel Women’s Network protests ‘illegal’ men-only August 28 concert of Hasidic performers, set to take place at city-owned convention center

By TOI staff

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri leads a faction meeting of his Shas party at the Knesset on December 31, 2018. (Noam Revkin Fenton/ Flash90)

August 12, 2019, 11:14 am

Ultra-Orthodox party petitions against banning of gender-segregated concert

Shas points out that planned performance in Afula was for Haredi community, which prefers to separate men and women, calls decision ‘unreasonable’

By TOI staff

A view of an Afula street (Shay Levy/Flash90)

August 11, 2019, 5:24 pm

Court forbids gender-segregated concert planned by city of Afula

Municipality expresses regret over ruling, saying it had wanted one summer event out of 360 to allow ultra-Orthodox residents ‘to enjoy according to their customs’

By TOI staff

July 14, 2019, 4:01 pm

Reversing allegedly anti-Arab ban, Afula says nonresidents can use city’s parks

Northern Israeli municipality accused of discrimination backtracks after pressure from court and attorney general

By Tamar Pileggi

June 16, 2019, 9:37 am

Afula mayor attends demonstration against sale of home to Arab family

Deputy mayor and council members join protest ‘to ensure the city preserves its Jewish character’; protesters wave Israeli flags, banners from extremist Lehava group

By TOI staff

Host Aviv Alush, left, and torch-lighter Marie Nahmias, 93, at Israel's 71st Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem, May 8, 2019. (Kan screen capture)

May 10, 2019, 2:54 am

Matriarch who fostered 52 Jews and Arabs enchants Israel with blessing of peace

Marie Nahmias spent her life raising unwanted, disabled children after ‘God heard her prayer’ for her wounded soldier son. Lighting Independence Day torch, she enthralled a nation

By TOI staff

Fire damage following a deadly blaze in building in Bat Yam, January 15, 2019. (Israel Fire and Rescue Service)

January 15, 2019, 10:13 am

Man, 93, dies in apartment fire near Tel Aviv

Unclear what started blaze in Bat Yam building; woman in her 70s killed after being hit by truck in Afula

By TOI staff

The vehicle being driven by a Palestinian whp police say was planning on carrying out a terror attack before he was arrested on September 22, 2018. (Israel Police)

September 22, 2018, 7:38 pm

Police say they nabbed Palestinian on way to carry out attack in northern Israel

Authorities respond to a pair of anonymous tips leading them to a 21-year-old in Afula; suspect taken in for questioning

By Jacob Magid

September 11, 2018, 7:13 am

Police investigating anti-Arab graffiti daubed on home of Afula man

25-year-old resident of northern city discovers ‘death to Arabs’ scrawled on his front door, says he doubts the perpetrators will be caught and punished

By TOI staff

An ambulance in Afula after a man was critically wounded in an explosion in his car, July 23, 2018 (Magen David Adom)

July 23, 2018, 6:49 pm

Man killed in Afula car bombing; mob hit suspected

Doctors work to save life of victim in his forties but are forced to declare him dead, as police investigate motive for attack

By TOI staff

Tova Orlero shows the wounds she sustained in an assault by a man she honked at in the northern city of Afula on June 29, 2018. (Screen capture: Channel 10)

July 1, 2018, 3:15 am

Man arrested for assaulting woman who honked at him

Police detain suspect as he tries to flee Israel following road rage incident in Afula; thought to have attacked second female driver as well

By TOI staff

Afula stabbing suspect Nour al-Din Shinawi (Courtesy)

June 28, 2018, 1:05 pm

Palestinian indicted for attempted murder of teen girl in Afula

Prosecutors say Nour al-Din Shinawi, accused of stabbing and critically wounding Shuva Malka, 18, committed an act of terror

By TOI staff