Jewish tradition in Israel stands at a critical juncture, and your voice must be heard — on a petition at https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/kotel/ to preserve traditional standards at the Western Wall, and to avert changes being made for political reasons. Please sign — and just as important, please share with friends.

American liberal groups demand changes at the holy Western Wall — to take control of the Plaza from the Rabbi of the Kotel and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, and give it to liberal activists. They are demanding a new section for “egalitarian” prayer, although they are unable to demonstrate actual need.

Beginning in the late 1980s, a group calling itself “Women of the Wall” began monthly demonstrations at the Western Wall designed to provoke change among traditional women. They claim to merely wish to “pray in their own fashion,” but in actuality sing as loudly as possible, wave prayer books overhead, and otherwise do everything possible to disturb the prayers of others.

In the United States, they portray this as an issue of women’s rights or religious rights. The level of falsehood is astounding. Several years ago, the government provided a new, beautiful, expanded platform for their use. Most of the time, it stands entirely empty, and it has never been filled. [The traditional plaza is in use 24/7, and overflows its bounds several times each year.] Yet they demand a larger space with no trace of actual need besides their political agenda.

Their leadership promotes their cause in Reform Temples, calling upon congregants to “not leave Israel to Israelis,” to deliberately interfere in the free religious practice of their brethren in Israel. Their directer envisions a day when there will be no divided prayer at the Western Wall, and has advocated for “returning” it, along with the Old City, the Cave of the Patriarchs, and all the other areas where Jordanians refused to allow a single Jew prior to 1967, to Arab control.

Recently, the Reform movement in particular has taken up this cause, attempting to use this as an opportunity to replace traditional standards for Jewish practice in Israel, with their own.

When Reform leaders go to Israel, they claim to speak on behalf of of “Diaspora Jewry.” This is why it is so important for Jews, especially those currently living outside Israel, or those who were born outside Israel, and especially those who have visited the Kotel or pray towards the site of the Holy Temple, to say otherwise. And this is why we urge you to sign the petition.

Again, it is at https://coalitionforjewishvalues.org/kotel/ — and please do forward this letter on to others.

Thank you,

Rabbi Pesach Lerner
President, Coalition for Jewish Values