Orthodox Man Attacks Young Woman for Wearing Tefillin

May 17, 2010 · Filed Under Baum's Blog 

A few days ago, a horrible event occurred in Israel.  Noa Raz, an Israeli young woman who is a Conservative Jew, was attacked by an ultra-Orthodox man at a bus stop.  Noa had donned tefillin in the morning (i.e. phylacteries; small boxes containing verses of Torah – that traditional Jews wrap with leather straps on their arm and forehead during prayer).  Traditionally, only men wore tefillin.  But, today more and more women are wearing tefillin, especially in the Conservative movement.

The man at the bus stop noticed marks from the tefillin having been on Noa’s arm and asked her if they were tefillin.  She tried to avoid him but eventually answered his question.  Once she admitted she had worn tefillin that morning, the man physically attacked her- kicking and screaming words like “women are an abomination” and “desecration.”

Fortunately, Noa was able to free herself and did not suffer any long-term physical damage.  However, that seems to be the only good news.  This event was terrible.  It shows a set of Orthodox Jews who believe they are the only “legitimate” Jews.  If flies in the face of pluralism and egalitarianism.  It is disgraceful.

Noa wrote an article after the attack.  In her words:  “This is not a story about a man attacking someone at a bus station. Itʼs not even a story about violence against women. Itʼs a story about religious violence….  The problem does not only lie with that man, the attacker. It lies with those who educated him, with his leaders who shamelessly and violently talk out against any religious practice that is not Haredi. It lies with those who brought him up and nurtured him in an atmosphere in which it is permissible to say, without blinking an eyelid, that Conservative Jews are not religious, thatsomeone from a different ethnic group is a cockroach (some Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox parents recently referred so to Sepharadi girls who they did not want their daughters to study with), that there is only one sector (extremely austere) that decides who is a Jew.
We live in a country where the strong dominate and where women are humiliated….”

Noa is right.  The problems run deep.  Some religious groups (like ultra-Orthodox Jews) encourage a belief system in which their religion is superior to all others and where women do not count.  They allow people to physically attack others.

Unfortunately, Israel has allowed the Orthodox to have the loudest voice and to take actions that should not be acceptable.   Last November Israeli police officers arrested a woman for wearing a tallit (i.e. prayer shawl) at the Western Wall.   In general, Israeli police are hesitant to arrest ultra-Orthodox offenders despite the fact that according to an article in Ha’Aretz “Hardly a week goes by in Mea She’arim [an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood]  without a stone-throwing incident, the torching of garbage containers or the blocking of streets.”

It is time for the Orthodox to not be the ones with the loudest voice.  It is time that acceptance, egalitarianism, and plurality must prevail.  There simply is no excuse for treating women as if they are not equal and for treating non-Orthodox Jews as inferior.  The ultra-Orthodox must learn to treat others with respect, and the Israeli government and police must protect all citizens and hold accountable those who do not behave appropriately.  If not now, when?

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9 Responses to “Orthodox Man Attacks Young Woman for Wearing Tefillin”

  1. Cynthia Tyler Says:
    May 17th, 2010 at 4:13 pm

    Even if the ultra-Orthodox are against something that we do, why do they feel they have to form a
    posse and take the law into their own hands? Why can’t they leave the decisions, commentary, and punishment (if necessary) to a Higher Authority? Are there no
    anger management programs in Israel?

  2. Rachel R. Peine Says:
    May 18th, 2010 at 11:35 am

    Someone needs to rein in the Ultra-Orthodox. Israel would not exist without support from American Jews, who are in large proportion Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist,or secular and unaffiliated. Much of that support comes from women, who in America are free to make a living and express their religious beliefs. It sickens me that fundamentalist zealots have so much control in a country whose Declaration of Independence promises a pluralistic, equal and just society.

  3. Ron Hahn Says:
    May 31st, 2010 at 10:44 pm

    Another sad part of such fanatic, self-righteous behavior is that it helps to alienate many young and supposedly secular Jews from their heritage.

  4. Rabbi David Mark Says:
    June 9th, 2010 at 2:04 pm

    History teaches, sadly, that Jews make the best anti-semites. We only unite when the enemy is at the gates– and sometimes, not even then: witness the episode of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai in 68 CE, who had to fake his own death in order for his students to sneak him out of the besieged city of Jerusalem in a casket, past the watchful eyes of the Zealots and Sicarii who were preventing anyone from leaving. The rabbi knew that these extremists would doom Judaism as it was then practiced, and he implored General Vespasian to spare the city of Yavneh, there to build a yeshiva to preserve Torah study, and making the Torah-based Judaism we practice today possible.
    Have we not changed at all in 1,942 years? The extremists remain, and they still determine the kind of Judaism practiced in our holiest places. Can we more moderate Jews not have a say?

  5. tefillin rabbi Says:
    July 12th, 2010 at 11:38 am

    As an Orthodox Jew, I find it very difficult to believe this happened. While we may feel it not appropriate for women to wear tefillin, it certainly is no reason to attack a women, even verbally. On top of that, it is forbidden to touch a women not ones wife, grandmother or daughter, other than when absolutely necessary (doctor, helping when injured/prevent injury…)There is no doubt in my mind that this individual is either unstable and/or lacks a proper Jewish education. Noa’s premise that it is his teachers fault is clearly wrong. It is that this person undoubtedly lacks a proper Torah education.

  6. Miriam Says:
    August 3rd, 2010 at 12:03 pm

    “Noa’s premise that it is his teacher’s fault is clearly wrong. It is that this person undoubtedly lacks a proper Torah education.”
    That doesn’t make sense. Obviously his teachers, parents, etc. did something wrong if he is not properly educated, in Torah or in how to be a decent human.

  7. David Says:
    September 30th, 2010 at 8:59 pm

    Cynthia
    This is the same mentality that allows Christians, Muslins, and others to attack us and other religions. Just cruse the websites put out by many (not all) of the so called Patriot movement. Religious hate is more than alive and well.

  8. alan Says:
    October 10th, 2010 at 10:33 am

    VERY strange how all “Orthodox” “Ultra Orthodox” “extremists” and “Haredi” are used here interchangeably, with the implication being that this vile verbal and physical attacker is representative of all these groups. That characterization is IN ITSELF a gross and inciting misrepresentation of all these groups except for, possibly, Ultra Orthodox fringe Extremists. The reality is that the behavior of that attacker is representative ONLY of himself and using this egregious behavior as grounds to attack Israel’s religious policies is nonsensical, if not vindictive, even if some criticism might be appropriate.

    It is NOT in this context in which it is appropriate to discuss the religious validity of Conservative Judaism or whether it is appropriate for Women to wear Tfillin, just as it is wrong to discuss issues of US foreign policy in the context of radical Muslim suicide bombers.

  9. Yael Says:
    October 10th, 2010 at 9:07 pm

    I have always heard the saying that, “a Jew is a Jew is a Jew”. And that was from numerous chassidic rabbis. It sounds like there was no actual truth to his words.
    I totally agree with the poster above (Rabbi David Mark) where he said, “History teaches, sadly, that Jews make the best anti-semites”. I have encountered more hate from the frum community about my being reformed and gay, then I have from anywhere else. Its really very sad. Hate is taught. Always remember that.

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