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Excluded, for God's Sake: Gender Segregation and the Exclusion of Women in Public Space in Israel

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Excluded, for God's Sake: Gender Segregation and the Exclusion of Women in Public Space in Israel Excluded, For God’s Sake: Gender Segregation and the Exclusion of Women in Public Space in Israel המרכז הרפורמי לדת ומדינה -לוגו ללא מספר. Third Annual Report – December 2013 Israel Religious Action Center Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism Excluded, For God’s Sake: Gender Segregation and the Exclusion of Women in Public Space in Israel Third Annual Report – December 2013 Written by: Attorney Ruth Carmi, Attorney Ricky Shapira-Rosenberg Consultation: Attorney Einat Hurwitz, Attorney Orly Erez-Lahovsky English translation: Shaul Vardi Cover photo: Tomer Appelbaum, Haaretz, September 29, 2010 – © Haaretz Newspaper Ltd. © 2014 Israel Religious Action Center, Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism Israel Religious Action Center 13 King David St., P.O.B. 31936, Jerusalem 91319 Telephone: 02-6203323 | Fax: 03-6256260 www.irac.org | [email protected] Acknowledgement In loving memory of Dick England z"l, Sherry Levy-Reiner z"l, and Carole Chaiken z"l. May their memories be blessed. With special thanks to Loni Rush for her contribution to this report IRAC's work against gender segregation and the exclusion of women is made possible by the support of the following people and organizations: Kathryn Ames Foundation Claudia Bach Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation Bildstein Memorial Fund Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation Inc. Donald and Carole Chaiken Foundation Isabel Dunst Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation Eugene J. Eder Charitable Foundation John and Noeleen Cohen Richard and Lois England Family Jay and Shoshana Dweck Foundation Foundation Lewis Eigen and Ramona Arnett Edith Everett Finchley Reform Synagogue, London Jim and Sue Klau Gold Family Foundation FJC- A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds Vicki and John Goldwyn Mark and Peachy Levy Robert Goodman & Jayne Lipman Joseph and Harvey Meyerhoff Family Richard and Lois Gunther Family Foundation Charitable Funds Richard and Barbara Harrison Yocheved Mintz (Dr. Alan and Rabbi Yocheved Mintz Fellow) Zanvyl and Isabelle Krieger Fund New Israel Fund Harvey and Connie Krueger Amy and Gary Perlin William Lowenstein Arthur and Betty Roswell Lenore and Dan Mass John Roth and Jillian Segal Robert Meyer Social Justice Fund Daniel Reich Robert Sillins Family Foundation Fred Reiner and Sherry Levy-Reiner z"l Pamela and Laurence Tarica Foundation Temple Isaiah of Costa County Seventh Grade Philanthropy Fund Women of Reform Judaism Zucker Memorial Fund We would also like to thank our partner organizations: ARZA, ARZA Canada, ARZENU, HUC-JIR, URJ, WUPJ, Canadian Friends of the WUPJ, ARZA Nederland, and FPJ Contents Preface .............................................................................................................................................................11 Introduction................................................................................................................................................13 A. Factual Findings ...............................................................................................................................22 Segregation in the Provision of Public Service ..........................................................................22 1. Segregation on buses .............................................................................................................................22 2. Segregation in funeral halls and cemeteries ..................................................................................35 3. Segregation in health clinics ................................................................................................................42 4. Segregation in institutions of higher education ...........................................................................46 Opinion: The Need to Integrate Haredim in Higher Education ...................................................49 A. The Haredi population ...........................................................................................................................49 B. Making higher education accessible to the Haredi sector ........................................................51 C. The need for special frameworks for the Haredi sector..............................................................53 D. Ensuring equality .....................................................................................................................................56 E. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................57 Opinion: Gender Segregation in Legal Studies ..................................................................................60 A. The university cannot separate people in its discussions .........................................................60 B. The faculty of law as a vocational school ........................................................................................62 C. The three spheres of life in the liberal state ....................................................................................63 D. Gender segregation within the framework of the Haredi community .................................63 5. Exclusion of women in a preventive driving course ....................................................................66 6. Special course for female Kashrut supervisors ..............................................................................66 7. Jerusalem Day: Segregation in the Flag Parade ............................................................................68 8. Exclusion of female lecturers at the High School for Technology in Jerusalem ................68 9. Establishment of a rabbinical supervisory committee in Magen David Adom .................69 10. Magen David Adom standby point for men only .........................................................................70 11. Segregation on an El-Al flight ..............................................................................................................71 Prohibition of Public Appearances and Singing by Women ..............................................91 12. Segregation barriers on airplanes ......................................................................................................73 34. Exclusion of women on the Kol Barama radio station ................................................................91 13. Segregation on sidewalks .....................................................................................................................74 35. Prohibition on women’s singing at a Hanukkah candle lighting ceremony at Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheva ................................................................................96 14. Segregation and prohibition on girls riding bicycles in a playground .................................75 36. No solo performances by women singers at a conference of youth movements ............96 15. Segregation in taxis .................................................................................................................................76 37. Mayor of Modi’in Illit and other senior officials leave an event when they realize that women policemen will be singing .....................................................................................................97 Segregation in Conferences and Events Organized by Public Bodies .........................77 38. Lev Institute prevents Ayelet Shaked from participating in political panel because 16. Exclusion of women at a conference of the Puah Institute on the subject of she is a woman ..........................................................................................................................................98 innovations in gynecology and Halacha .........................................................................................77 39. Young woman removed from the stage during a Pesach show in Modi’in ........................98 17. Exclusion of women from a combat course at Bnai Yehuda Community Center in the Golan Heights ....................................................................................................................................78 40. Deputy Minister Litzman leaves conference to avoid hearing female students sing .....99 18. Exclusion of women from the committee on Moshav Eitan.....................................................79 Exclusion of Women in the IDF ........................................................................................................100 19. A segregated Haredi market ................................................................................................................79 Women’s singing in the IDF ...................................................................................................................100 20. Beersheva Zoo open to the Haredi public only .............................................................................80 41. Chief Rabbinate forms committee to oppose women’s singing in the IDF ........................100 21. A bridge for men only .............................................................................................................................81 42. Religious soldiers ask for ear plugs to avoid hearing woman singers at a Holocaust 22. A first at the Israel Museum: Separate visiting hours for women and men ........................81 Memorial Day ceremony .......................................................................................................................100
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