A Wall for Us All

A Wall for Us All

This week, the Jewish world rippled with excitement as the Jewish Agency and the authorities governing the status of the Western Wall in Jerusalem announced the establishment of a permanent site for egalitarian worship there.  This historic moment marks a triumphant achievement in the ongoing struggles by non-Orthodox Jews to establish the Western Wall as a sacred location for all Jews, traditional or progressive, Conservative or Orthodox, male or female.  It truly is a moment in which the arc of social justice bent toward the good and the evolution of Torah values spoke loudly for all of us, not just the historically privileged few.  It is a miracle to see in our lifetimes the strivings of generations before us now shining brilliantly in the light of a vibrant and pluralistic Judaism.  

The screams of ultra-Orthodox men and the waste products of young yeshiva girls that were once hurled at those who came to pray with the Women of the Wall or a Conservative/Masorti minyan will not easily be forgotten now that the Israeli government has emphatically validated our right to pray at the Kotel - the Western Wall.  This decision is heralded by the explicit statement, "The customs of this site will be based on principles of pluralism and gender equality, and prayer at this site will be egalitarian and unsegregated, women and men together, without a partition.”  Indeed the process of this change was met with some of the most vehement resistance our brothers and sisters could mount against their fellow Jews. Still, there is room for healing between us, may such healing come speedily and completely.

This landmark decision now paves a positive path toward the egalitarian treatment of other essential Jewish concerns, including marriage and divorce, conversion, and Kashrut.  We are most certainly witnessing a watershed moment in the life of worldwide Jewry.  We have so much to be proud of and to celebrate through our authentic expressions of Judaism and what part we have played to bring this moment to reality and celebrate its existence moving forward. 

It was in Fall 2013 that the Jewish Agency successfully established a temporary site just outside the precincts of the Western Wall.  In December 2013, just about one month after the temporary structure was built on the Southwestern Wall area near what is also called Robinson’s Arch, Valley Beth Shalom led its first ever B’nai Mitzvah family trip and celebrated the coming of age of Matthew Blumberg, Zachary Corsun, Zev Fagen, Sami Kaplowitz, Louie Kulber, Samantha and Molly Myman, Samantha Payab and Adam Schreiber.  We stood proudly before our children who were growing into maturity to share with them a Judaism they could be proud of.  Nothing was more moving than watching a family, father AND mother together, son AND daughter folded in the arms of loving parents says prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving as their hands caressed the rocks linking them to thousands of years of history and tradition.  In June 2015, Valley Beth Shalom once again stood at the Western Wall and celebrated the reading of Torah by three of our amazing young b’nai Mitzvah, Lilienne Bazel, Henry Ozen, and Elijah Pressman.  It was captivating to be standing at the Wall on Shabbat morning while watching each family lifted their child up into their emerging adulthood. We even welcomed new friends from Boston, Arizona and even Tel Aviv to experience our living Judaism together. Our Judaism wasn’t simply for ourselves, we shared the Torah and Jewish tradition with the Jews who came to the Wall that morning to pray and celebrate Torah with their spiritual family too.   

There is still much work to be done toward establishing a legitimate and viable expression of pluralistic Judaism in Israel.  In hearing from Natan Sharansky, the Chief Executive of the Jewish Agency, his steadfast support and commitment to promoting Judaism in Israel of all streams was clear and emphatic.  Lo aleicha haMelacha Ligmor, v’Lo Atah ben Choreen Li’Batel Meemenah. You are not obligated to complete the task alone, neither are you free to stop trying. This is truly a moment of great change, for this we offer our prayers and hopefully book our tickets to visit Israel soon!