Women of Wall, Thank You

It was Rosh Chodesh Elul at the Kotel, the Western Wall,

and thanks to Women of the Wall (WOW) I went to see what was happening.

It is interesting that each month that I have gone has been so different.

Kosse;, Kosel , Al'Quds, photo Rosh Chodesh

Looking down at the Western Wall Plaza, it was hard to tell what was going on. 

The area on the right was full with the Women of Wall supporters last month,

but WOW protested to police that they could not see the Kotel from that location.

image WOW, women of wall

This time they were facing the Western Wall, in a secured area in the back of the Plaza.

Women of Wall,

A security line was determined to keep protesters away from WOW

and not have a repeat of that dreadful episode in May.

 Just mentioning that awful morning and the stench comes back.

old man protesting WOW

There were far fewer protesters, I only saw one old man 

protesters WOW

and a few young men with whistles. 

WoW protesters, thousands fill women section WEstern Wall

Women for the Wall arranged for thousands of religious girls and women

to fill the women’s section of the Western Wall.

image crowd in Old City

So many busloads of girls came that they had to stand behind in the Plaza.

Men praying at Western Wall

The number of men seemed to be fewer.

woman blowing whistle at western wall

The same one woman with a whistle was back.

Seems she really believes that blowing that blasted thing will do some good.

So what was different this time?

WOW media

WOW had microphones.

police protection WOW

Police made sure that protesters throwing anything at WOW would have a hard time.

WOW and media

There seemed to be less international media coverage.

media WOW

Most of the media was up close,

image WOW media

  inside the secured area with WOW.

It was difficult to come and go even with a press pass.

western wall protesters WOW

There were fewer “young men” protesters,

WOW protesters

but those who were there,

WOW protesters

looked even younger than before,

WOW protesters and police

and seemed to be looking for a confrontation with police.

woman against boys blowing whistle at western wall

This lone woman, not a member of Women for the Wall, 

tried very hard to get the boys to stop blowing their whistles and go away.

The result:

protesters WOW on Rosh Chodesh

they blew whistles loudly at her.

On Rosh Chodesh Elul they should have gone back to class,

I wondered who their educators could be?

Meanwhile, 

one problem for women who want to pray at the Kotel

has been not being able to hear what is happening.

There is a loudspeaker system that is used for huge gatherings on holidays.

As it was last month, the loudpeaker was in use.

Women for Wall, Women of Wall

The women’s section was packed, women were quiet and

 one could clearly hear and follow the service.

Western wall, Kosel, Kossel

Such a simple thing took so long to happen. 

As the girls finished praying and left the area,

I found a chair and a siddur, prayer book, and

got to hear the shofar blasts marking the month before

Rosh Hashanah, the New Year.

Thank you, Women of the Wall.

Chodesh Tov!

 

 

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