Activists of the Women of the Wall organization announced this week their plans to protest at the Western Wall on Friday with 70 empty Torah scroll covers against a ban on women's public Torah reading at the holy site.
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"Women at the Western Wall are not allowed to hold a Torah scroll or read the Torah [publicly]," Yochi Rapaport, the director of the Women of the Wall, said. "We are discriminated against and excluded in the holiest place for Jews. All that is left for us to do is hold empty Torah scroll covers to protest the terrible injustice endorsed by [Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall] Shmuel Rabinovitch."
Video: Women of the Wall
The announcement garnered criticism from ultra-Orthodox lawmakers. The Sephardi Shas party called on followers to arrive at the Western Wall on Friday "to pray and and protest."
Commotions at the holy site between ultra-Orthodox worshippers and the Women of the Wall are not uncommon as activists come to the compound at the beginning of every Jewish month, known as Rosh Chodesh.
However, tensions have been on the rise in recent months, after the Women of the Wall were joined by Gilad Kariv, formerly executive director of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism and now, Knesset member for the Labor party.
Shas claimed that Kariv, "a member of the reform movement, aims to desecrate the sanctity of the Western Wall." The lawmakers called on followers to arrive at the compound en masse to demonstrate against the activists.
In response, the Women of the Wall accused Shas "encouraging their supporters to use violence against" activists and Kariv.
By inciting violence against other worshippers, they show the magnitude of their hypocrisy. We are concerned for our well-being and the well-being of our supporters. The police must intervene and provide security for the Women of the Wall and Kariv, they said in a statement.
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