Bnei Brak Implements Separate Sidewalks for Men and Women on Main Streets

The Bnei Brak municipality has initiated a plan to enforce full gender segregation on the sidewalks of Ezra and Shlomo HaMelech streets, which serve as central routes to numerous event halls. This move follows an official directive from the city's rabbis, urging residents of all ages to strictly adhere to walking on gender-segregated paths. The need for this separation arose due to the heavy pedestrian traffic in these streets every evening, driven by the concentration of wedding and celebration halls.

As part of the plan, the municipality will introduce physical changes including directional signage and physical barriers between the men's and women's sidewalks to ensure they do not share the same walking path. City officials noted that this initiative was developed several years ago and is not a one-time measure; there are intentions to expand this segregation model to other crowded streets in the city, similar to arrangements in other ultra-Orthodox communities.

This municipal decision directly contradicts previous rulings by Israel's Supreme Court, which banned gender-segregation signage in public streets and neighborhoods, as seen in a controversial case in Beit Shemesh that sparked significant conflicts with extremist factions. However, unlike past efforts led by fringe groups, the current Bnei Brak initiative has strong backing from mainstream ultra-Orthodox leadership and key political and spiritual authorities in the city. In response to inquiries, Bnei Brak officials stated that the rabbis' letter is clear and that the city's population, which respects the guidance of senior religious leaders, will comply with their request.