Anat Hoffman Arrested for Carrying Torah

July 13, 2010 · Filed Under Baum's Blog 

I recently blogged about a woman in Israel who was attacked by an Orthodox man for wearing tefillin (ritual object that Orthodox Judaism says is only for men).  Last November I blogged about a woman being arrested for wearing a tallit at the Western Wall (again, the Orthodox (and Israeli government) say women should not wear a prayer shawl there).  I am deeply saddened by the fact that I am once again blogging about traditional Judaism’s (and Israel’s) mistreatment of women and disregard for liberal Judaism.

Each month at the beginning of the month (Rosh Chodesh), a group called Women of the Wall meets to pray.  Their website explains their cause:   “Women of the Wall, a group of Israeli women joined by Jewish women from around the world, seeks the right for Jewish women from Israel and around the world to conduct prayer services, read from a Torah scroll while wearing prayer shawls, and sing out loud at the women’s section of the Western Wall– Judaism’s most sacred holy site and the principal symbol of Jewish people-hood and sovereignty.”

An Israeli Supreme Court ruling prohibits women from reading the Torah at the Western Wall.  Of course, I completely disagree with this exclusion of women.  I am a firm believer in total equality.  I also believe strongly in religious tolerance and do not understand why the Orthodox so often limit the ways the rest of us can express our religion.

While I disagree with the Supreme Court’s ruling, I understand it stands.  But, what I don’t understand is why Anat Hoffman was arrested.  She was not reading from the Torah at the Western Wall.  She was merely carrying it to an area where she is allowed to read it.  There is nothing wrong with that.

Two of my colleagues have written powerful first-hand out accounts of the events.  One is by Rabbi Leah Berkowitz and the other is by Rabbi Denise Eger.

I have watched videos of the events multiple times.  The first one below was shot professionally; the second by Rabbi Berkowitz.  The first shows that Anat refused to put the Torah down, even when she got in the police car.  The second shows a horrific moment when one of the women (Nofrat Frankel, the medical student arrested in November for wearing a tallit) is pushed down the stairs, I believe by a police officer.  I have watched each video multiple times, and my feelings of complete anger and sadness only deepen each time I watch.

One of my Twitter followers wrote my yesterday to say she took her 7 year old daughter to the Kotel (Western Wall) last week and her daughter asked why the women’s side was smaller.  I tweeted her back, “I hope your daughter’s daughter won’t have to ask that question.”


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5 Responses to “Anat Hoffman Arrested for Carrying Torah”

  1. Bill Says:
    July 13th, 2010 at 2:45 pm

    I think they arrested her under the same logic that a cop will arrest a driver for an open container violation — it’s not that she DID read it, it’s that she COULD have read from it! (Just like in a car – it’s not that you DID drink the alcohol, but that you COULD have drunk it.)

    A lame excuse if you ask me – and pushing an unarmed woman down stairs is just plain wrong.

  2. TQ White II Says:
    September 8th, 2010 at 10:44 pm

    I cannot believe that an intelligent, cultured person could adhere to a philosophy that so mistreats women. I admit falling victim to cynicism.

    I wonder what you think about this? Do you accept the sincerity of people holding beliefs that would allow them to physically impede worship or to consider women in such a light? Is it possible that such a person could truly avoid misogyny? Can a person that mistreats women like this be a truly ‘good’ person?

    I have had a lot of trouble in my heart in recent times trying to avoid feeling as bitter toward them as they act toward women. I’m not sure how to see it in a way that supports good Jewish feelings.

    Sincerely,
    tqii

  3. Shaun Says:
    September 14th, 2010 at 3:52 pm

    I am sure they arrested her believing she had the intent to read it. It is sad that, while there is so much progress in Israel, so many people still cling on to every tradition and practice simply because it is tradtion. The temple wall is supposed to be a place where even the prayers of gentiles are heard. It is sad and, ultimately, disgraceful to see and read about some of the events that have been taking place there. However, we can’t let this instances harm our views of the Jerusalem or Israel. There are still many great people of all movements, there, who respect religious tolerance.

    Shana Tova!
    Shaun

  4. Helen Says:
    February 1st, 2012 at 2:37 pm

    Obviously, she was looking for the publicity. From looking at the video, she is not arrested for carrying the Torah, she is arrested for not listening to the police, not following instructions. I think it is unrespectful to the Torah she so dearly loves, to hold on to the Torah that way, like a child you are trying to keep a toy from others.
    She wanted to be arrested. She wanted to make a point. It would have been better if she just listened to what police was telling her to do.

  5. Rabbi Baum Says:
    February 1st, 2012 at 3:20 pm

    @Helen, I agree Anat did want publicity – in order to bring change so that women are not treated unfairly. I admire her for that.

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