Women of the Wall
MERCAZ-Canada has partnered with Women of the Wall
MERCAZ-Canada shares the mission of Women of the Wall, which is to attain social and legal recognition of our right, as women, to wear prayer shawls, pray, and read from the Torah, collectively and aloud, at the Western Wall.
Women of the Wall work's to further our mission through social advocacy, education and empowerment.
In our social advocacy work, we aim to change the status-quo that is currently preventing women from being able to pray freely at the Western Wall. This goal has tremendous ramifications for women’s rights in Judaism and in Israel, and must be achieved through social advocacy in order to raise awareness and change social perception of these issues.
We take it upon ourselves to educate Jewish women and the public about the social, political and personal ramifications of limiting or eliminating women’s right to pray as a group at a holy site. When the law and society silence women in prayer - literally, publicly and deliberately - it is a violation of civil rights, human rights and religious freedom. Education is the key to changing perspectives, laws and lives.
Every time we meet to pray, we empower and encourage Jewish women to embrace religion freely, in their own way. We stand proudly and strongly in the forefront of the movement for religious pluralism in Israel, with the hope to inspire and empower women from all over the world and across the spectrum of Jewish movements to find their spiritual voices and create meaningful Jewish identities.
With this powerful mission before us, our vision is to strengthen and expand our organization, to reach out and influence policy makers and leaders and to demand full access for women to prayer at the Western Wall. In addition, Women of the Wall works to expand our network of supporters and partners around the world who will advocate and take action with us.
MERCAZ-Canada supports Women of the Wall in their quest for religious pluralism in Israel. Please visit the Women of the Wall website for mor information.
https://womenofthewall.org.il
Rosh Chodesh Adar 1, 5784 (February 9, 2024)
Rosh Chodesh Adar's Women of the Wall event began at 7:00 am on February 9, 2024, in conjunction with the 25th FJMC World Wide Wrap in Jerusalem. Stan Grenspan was joined in the very small "men's section" by Larry Pachter of North West Suburban Beth El (Chicago, IL.) as well as a hundred or so curious onlookers with whistles.
After the service in the Old City, we joined the leadership of Women of the Wall for a "pop-up" Wrap on Jaffa Street.
Rosh Chodesh Nisan, 5783 (April 21, 2023)
Rosh Chodesh Nisan corresponded to the last day of the Speical World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem. A number of the MASORTI delgates joined Women of the Wall, including Rabbi Jacob Bluementhal (USA), Rabbi Sean Gorman (Canada), Stan Greenspan (Canada), Allan Kahan (USA), Rabbi Jay Kornsgold (USA), Jacobo Raijman (Mexico) and Rabbi Steve Wernick (Canada).