The Western Wall, or as many refer to it, the Kotel, has been known as one of the holiest sites for Jewish people as it is the last remaining part of the ancient temple mount. For over a thousand years, local Arabs have used the area surrounding the wall as a garbage dump. However, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it became a popular place to pray,developing new traditions and becoming a place of celebration.
When the state of Israel was established on May 14, 1948, the Kotel was under Jordanian rule. In 1949, an agreement was signed, guaranteeing Jews access to the wall. 18 years later, due to tensions in the Middle East, the Six Day War took place, and as a result, Israel gained jurisdiction over the West Bank—including the Kotel.
In the fall of 1967, a mechitza, or divider, was erected at the Kotel to seperate men from women. It is unclear whether the Talmud (Rabbinic interpretation of the Torah) directly prohibits men and women from praying together, but a large portion of Orthodox and some Conservative Jews pray with a mechitza. Since gaining the West Bank, decisions about the Kotel have been left up to the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. This means that the regulations are up to Orthodox standards.
In Jewish tradition, women are seen as more holy than men because God created them with no help from the angels. Men need a reminder that there is always something between them and God, so they wear kippot (hats); to recall the 613 mitzvot (good deeds) they wear tzitzit (fringes) and during prayers tallitot (shawl); they typically also wear tefillin (leather boxes and straps) to represent God’s intervention during the Exodus. Even though these are worn to become closer to God, Orthodox women are prohibited from wearing them.
In more reform sects of Judaism, women do wear kippot and tallitot. For example, the cantor at my synagogue puts on a kippah every day when she wakes up, and I received my first tallit when I turned 13 at my b’nei mitzvah. Personally, wearing a tallit gets me into the mindset of prayer. Not wearing one makes me feel farther from God. Why should I not be able to feel close to God at the holiest place?
On the women’s side of the Kotel, it is pretty much forbidden to wear shorts, or anything that shows their shoulders or cleavage. Along with this, it is asked that women refrain from wearing a kippah or a tallit; and if so, it must be distinctly feminine when at the Wall. On the other hand, men are allowed to wear shorts, kippot, tallitot, and tefillin, some of which are also provided at the Wall.
There are many things I will happily do as a Reform Jew to make people more comfortable, like dressing modestly at holy sites. I will do so because it does not affect my prayer. That being said, I should be able to pray with my tallit if that enhances my experience. My ability to wear a tallit or a kippah should not be something controlled by other people, in the same way that not walking backwards when leaving the Wall is acceptable. Some observant Jews tend to do this because it is seen as disrespectful to turn away from the Wall, while other people don’t believe as such, so they go the more convenient route of walking forwards. I understand that in Orthodox Judaism there are traditions pertaining to men hearing women sing, but I, in fact, am not a woman.
There are many other inequalities at the Kotel, such as the women’s side being much smaller than the men’s, women not being able to read Torah, and, of course, the egalitarian section being uncared for. In more recent years, an egalitarian section of the Kotel was opened. This meant that there was a place for men and women to pray together while satisfying Orthodox Jews, and suiting the 68% of non-Orthodox Jews. Not only does it serve less observant Jews, but also those who are gender non-conforming. Judaism comes with many gendered-roles and language, making it hard to practice in a way that aligns with one’s gender. The egalitarian section is open to all and is just one step towards acceptance within the Jewish community. Despite that, the plaza is unkempt: due to uneven ground, there is a platform that you have to stand on, and then a path down to the wall. It’s a much less surreal experience than the Orthodox section. A few years ago, a rock fell, damaging the egalitarian section. Construction was started to repair it, but Orthodox Jews were against construction near the wall, leaving a desecrated egalitarian section where touching the Wall is not an option.
Part of why I love being Jewish is our openness to both people and interpretation. Even the anti-modernist, Hasidic (ultra-Orthodox) Jews reevaluate laws to fit modern standards. The fact that there is not a place at the Kotel that welcomes people of all genders to pray together as intimately as they would like is unsatisfying. I hope to see progress in the future, to make one of the holiest sites more accepting of the entire community for which it serves.
