Gender Segregation Sparks Outrage Amidst Israeli Election Tensions
As Israel's election campaign intensifies, a growing rift is evident between the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community and the general public, fueled by disagreements over national security, economic contributions, and the imposition of Haredi lifestyles on wider society. A prominent point of contention is the Haredi community's push for gender segregation, particularly in academia, with the support of the current coalition government.
A recent incident at a military base in northern Israel highlighted this issue. Female soldiers serving at the base reportedly had to hide for extended periods during a visit by the Prime Minister to avoid being seen by soldiers from the Haredi "Netzach Yehuda" battalion. This follows reports of Haredi soldiers refusing to participate in an operational mission due to the presence of a female paramedic.
Beyond the military, gender segregation is visible in public spaces within Haredi cities like Bnei Brak, where signs advocate for separate sidewalks for men and women, and historically, there have been demands for women to sit only in the back rows of buses. The article notes a shift, with even Sephardic Haredi leaders adopting practices previously confined to extreme Ashkenazi Haredi circles, such as separate entrances to event halls and excluding women from conferences, even those focused on women's fertility.
The author questions the religious basis for this strict separation, citing biblical and Talmudic figures who were active and respected regardless of gender. The article suggests a deeper, unacknowledged motive: in some Haredi communities, women are the primary breadwinners while men dedicate themselves to Talmudic study. This dynamic, the author posits, may lead some men to emphasize women's perceived inferiority and enforce their exclusion to maintain their own central role.
The piece criticizes this trend as a failure of the Haredi education system, which instills strict discipline but paradoxically seems unable to prevent perceived temptations. The author argues that terms like "gender separation" are euphemisms for establishing women's subordinate status and preventing their participation in public life and the judiciary, calling it "humiliation" rather than mere separation. The article urges the public to resist the spread of these misogynistic attitudes into broader Israeli society.
