WATCH: Women of the Wall pray largely unimpeded
Police section off a ‘safe zone’ in the women’s area of the Wall in effort to avoid violence seen at last month’s service
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleRicky Ben-David is a Times of Israel editor and reporter
Despite predictions of over 10,000 ultra-Orthodox protesters, some 300 members of the pluralist prayer group called The Women of the Wall held their monthly prayer service to mark the Rosh Hodesh (new moon) at the Western Wall on Sunday largely unimpeded, as only several hundred demonstrators showed up.
Nevertheless, the police sectioned off a “safe zone” for the group in the women’s area of the Western Wall, and kept all male protesters, as well as supporters, far away.
This was done for the women’s own protection, but also to avoid the tension and violence that marred their service last month when thousands of young ultra-Orthodox men and women disrupted their prayers by heckling them and throwing objects at them.
At the end of the service, the women were escorted out by police via an adjacent construction site and ushered onto buses, concluding a largely peaceful service.
The Times of Israel Community.