On wearing grandpa’s tefillin at the Wall

Published on May 10, 2013

It’s just before 7 a.m. when I arrive at Kotel Plaza security station to find long lines. My son Andy gets into the swiftly moving line for men. I enter the longer, slowly moving line for women. Andy carries the cloth bag containing our things. I try reaching to remove mine, but Andy stops me.

Charedi Orthodox youth mob Western Wall in protest of women’s prayer service

Published on May 10, 2013

Haredi Orthodox youth mobbed the Western Wall plaza by the thousands to protest Women of the Wall as they held their monthly prayer service.

The True State of the Western Wall Compromise

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on May 9, 2013

May 6, 2013

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on May 6, 2013

The Kotel Exchange- Part 2: Is the Western Wall Compromise an Opportunity?

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on May 2, 2013

Christians honor Israel

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on May 1, 2013

Hundreds gathered in Beverly Hills on April 28 to hear from John Hagee, the Evangelical pastor who founded Christians United for Israel (CUFI), at the organization’s second annual Night to Honor Israel in Los Angeles.

Sharansky’s Kotel plan loses support from both sides

Published on April 30, 2013

Natan Sharansky’s proposal to reduce tensions at the Western Wall has lost support from Orthodox and non-Orthodox leaders.

April 29, 2013

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on April 29, 2013

The Kotel Exchange- Part 1:‘We Will Not Learn to Live Together by Further Exclusion of Women’

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on April 28, 2013

April 26, 2013

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on April 26, 2013

Why Today’s Western Wall Court Decision is a Blessing, a Problem, and a Blessing

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on April 25, 2013

Don’t ruin Robinson’s Arch

Published on April 24, 2013

I have mixed emotions about Natan Sharansky’s proposed agreement to expand the public space at the Western Wall to include the currently secluded area known as Robinson’s Arch.

April 23, 2013

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on April 23, 2013

Criticism is not Islamophobia

By David Suissa
Published on April 22, 2013

Criticism is the oxygen of journalism. Here at the Jewish Journal, we will criticize anything that we believe deserves criticism, including religion.

Sharansky gets green light to pursue Western Wall prayer plan

Published on April 22, 2013

Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky was given a green light by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pursue his plan for a permanent egalitarian prayer space at the Western Wall.

What Israel means to me

Published on April 19, 2013

Pinpointing what makes people so passionate about Israel is no easy thing, perhaps because there are so many options.

Bat Mitzvah at the Kotel: Is it possible?

Published on April 17, 2013

Every week, dozens of bar mitzvah boys from Israel and the Diaspora celebrate their rite of passage at the Kotel, also known as the Western Wall, which, after the Temple Mount, is Judaism’s holiest site.

Dedication of new Kotel site may happen within one month

Published on April 11, 2013

Natan Sharansky's plan to expand the non-Orthodox prayer site at the Western Wall could be set in motion in as little as one month, the Jewish Agency for Israel chairman said in an interview Thursday in his Jerusalem office.

Western wall compromise raises hopes, but still faces obstacles

Published on April 10, 2013

Natan Sharansky

The Unholy Alliance Between The Chief Rabbi of the Wall and the Jerusalem Police

By Rabbi John Rosove
Published on April 8, 2013

Police: Women prohibited from saying Kaddish at Western Wall

Published on April 4, 2013

Women will be prohibited from saying the Mourner's Kaddish and other prayers at the Western Wall, Jerusalem police told Women of the Wall.

With the help of Knesset members, Women of the Wall get to pray

Published on March 12, 2013

If ever there were a gathering of Women of the Wall that was going to spark a wider conflict, Tuesday’s would have been the one.

American Jews protest in solidarity with Women of the Wall

Published on March 12, 2013

American Jews held solidarity rallies in a variety of U.S. cities to protest Israeli limitations on women's prayer at Jerusalem's Western Wall.

Knesset members join Women of the Wall at rosh chodesh services

Published on March 12, 2013

Three female members of Knesset joined the Women of the Wall for their monthly prayer service at the Western Wall.

Women of the Wall Megillah reading undisturbed by Israeli police

Published on February 25, 2013

A women’s Megillah reading at the Western Wall took place on Shushan Purim without incident or arrests.

Sarah Silverman’s niece can visit Western Wall on Purim despite ban

Published on February 20, 2013

The niece of American comedian Sarah Silverman will be allowed to attend a women's Megillah reading at the Western Wall despite being banned from the site.

Another peace process: Judaism in Israel vs. Judaism in America

By David Suissa
Published on February 13, 2013

While the Jewish world has focused for decades on the Arab-Israeli conflict, it has given far less attention to an equally important conflict: the conflict between Judaism in Israel and Judaism in America. Everywhere I turn, I see more signs of the growing religious schism between these two communities.

February 11, 2013

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on February 11, 2013

Ten women arrested at Western Wall for praying with prayer shawls

Published on February 11, 2013

Ten women participating in a women's prayer service with hundreds of worshippers and supporters at the Western Wall were arrested for wearing prayer shawls.

Can Natan Sharansky fix the Western Wall?

Published on January 7, 2013

He brought unprecedented attention to the plight of Soviet Jewry. He stood up to the KGB. He survived nine years in Siberia. He served in Israel’s fractious government.

The ‘war of the wall’ secret weapon

Published on January 2, 2013

It’s easy to dismiss the antics of Warrior of the Wall Anat Hoffman. Her guerrilla gatherings of women in vocal prayer services at the Kosel Maaravi, or Western Wall, in defiance of an Israeli Supreme Court decision and in affront to the traditional Jewish men and women who most frequent the prayer site, are legend.

Fight for women’s equality at the Western Wall fails to move secular Israelis

Published on December 27, 2012

Few American tourists to Israel forget their first visit to the Western Wall. They put notes in the cracks, whisper prayers and take photos against the backdrop of Judaism’s holiest site.

Netanyahu asks Jewish Agency to look into women’s prayer at Western Wall

Published on December 26, 2012

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly asked the Jewish Agency to come up with a solution for non-Orthodox women's groups that want to pray at the Western Wall.

A realistic goal for the good Women of the Wall

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on December 24, 2012

Women of the Wall and supporters: you have four options to choose from

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on December 21, 2012

Checks worth half a billion dollars found at Western Wall

Published on December 20, 2012

A worshipper at the Western Wall found an envelope with 507 open checks worth about half a billion dollars.

Women praying to be heard at the Western Wall

By Rabbi Laura Geller
Published on December 19, 2012

We approached the entrance to the Kotel Plaza a little before 7 a.m. on Rosh Hodesh Tevet. In my bag was my tallit, the beautiful purple-and-blue one that was hand woven as a gift from the students and faculty at USC more than 20 years ago, when I completed my time there as the Hillel rabbi.

A Jewish revival meeting: Is religious pluralism possible in Israel?

By Rob Eshman
Published on November 29, 2012

In a packed synagogue hall on Monday night, Nov. 26, Israel’s Consul General David Siegel posed a question: How many people present care deeply about religious pluralism in Israel?

Rockets pound Israel for seventh day

Published on November 20, 2012

More than 80 rockets were fired at southern Israel in the seventh day since the beginning of Operation Pillar of Defense, including two aimed at Jerusalem.

A focus on special needs

By Julie Gruenbaum Fax
Published on November 15, 2012

Eliza Wilson’s holy moment in Israel didn’t come at the Western Wall. Sure, the 21-year-old with autism was honored and moved to place a note in the Wall on behalf of the 40 people traveling with her on a mission to learn about Israel’s programs for adults with special needs.

Fighting for religious pluralism in Israel

By Julie Gruenbaum Fax
Published on November 15, 2012

The arrest of Israeli feminist Anat Hoffman at the Western Wall last month sent ripples of alarm across the Jewish world, and leaders in Los Angeles will address their concerns about religious pluralism in Israel to Los Angeles’ Israeli Consul General in a public forum Nov. 26 at Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills.

Six women detained for wearing prayer shawls at Western Wall

Published on November 15, 2012

Six women were detained by Jerusalem police for wearing prayer shawls at the Western Wall as more than 100 women gathered there for the monthly Women of the Wall service.

Western Wall not Orthodox or Reform, rabbi says

Published on November 1, 2012

The Western Wall is not Orthodox just as it is not Reform, the rabbi of the Western Wall, Shmuel Rabinowitz, said.

Letters to the Editor: Entitlements, Women of the Wall, Mormons, Christians, Prager

Published on November 1, 2012

Rob Eshman correctly notes that tzedakah is not merely charity but is also a religious and community response about social justice (“Entitled,” Oct. 19). Nowadays, “entitlements” are frequently used as a synonym for charity. However, Eshman inadvertently undercuts his own argument by failing to point out an essential fact: For working Americans, Social Security and Medicare are earned benefits paid for by payroll deductions.

Jewish Agency committee calls for new approach to Western Wall prayer

Published on October 30, 2012

A Jewish Agency committee has adopted a resolution calling for a "satisfactory approach" to prayer at the Western Wall.

Anat Hoffman’s arrest at Western Wall galvanizing liberal Jewish groups

Published on October 22, 2012

Last week’s episode was hardly the first time Israeli police stopped activist Anat Hoffman while she was leading a women’s prayer service at the Western Wall in violation of Israeli law.

Reform leaders call for probe into Israeli colleague’s arrest, police treatment

Published on October 18, 2012

Reform Jewish leaders are calling for an investigation following reports that an Israeli colleague was roughed up by police after leading a women’s prayer group at the Western Wall.

Women of the Wall head arrested for singing at Western Wall

Published on October 17, 2012

Jerusalem police arrested the leader of Women of the Wall for singing at the Western Wall.

POINT: Romney vs. Obama vis-à-vis Israel

Published on September 19, 2012

“President Obama has thrown allies like Israel under the bus.” That’s what Mitt Romney, Republican candidate for president, said in the high-profile speech accepting his party’s nomination on Aug. 30, repeating a slang phrase for sacrificing a friend for selfish reasons that he had deployed before, for example in May 2011 and January 2012.

Water reservoir from First Temple period discovered near Western Wall

Published on September 10, 2012

A public water reservoir dating to the First Temple period was unearthed next to the Western Wall.

Notes removed from Western Wall

Published on September 10, 2012

The Western Wall was emptied of layers of notes from its cracks and crevices for the New Year.

Western Wall is just fine, test of its stability shows

Published on September 4, 2012

The Western Wall checked out fine in a test of its stability by engineers.

Abbas denies Jerusalem’s Jewish heritage

Published on August 22, 2012

Jerusalem's identity is Arab, and the city's and Christian holy sites must be protected from Israeli threats, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said.

Shame at the Holiest Site in Judaism

By Rabbi John Rosove
Published on August 20, 2012

ADL slams Western Wall replica as part of anti-abortion center

Published on July 19, 2012

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) described a plan by Evangelical pastors in Kansas to build a replica of the Western Wall as part of an anti-abortion shrine as “an outrageous affront to the Jewish people.”

Western Wall replica to be part of anti-abortion center

Published on July 17, 2012

Evangelical pastors in Kansas are planning to build a replica of the Western Wall as part of an anti-abortion shrine.

Cartoon depicts haredi Orthodox Jews praying to Wall Street

Published on July 12, 2012

A cartoon depicting three stereotypically haredi Orthodox Jews praying in front of the Western Wall, which is labeled Wall Street, won an Iranian cartoon contest.

VIDEO / Israel and the Diaspora: Two sides of the same coin?

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on June 27, 2012

Woman praying in tallit detained at Western Wall, questioned by police

Published on June 21, 2012

Israeli police detained a woman wearing a tallit at the Western Wall and later questioned her for four hours.

David Arquette has bar mitzvah at Western Wall

Published on June 11, 2012

Actor David Arquette had a spontaneous bar mitzvah at the Western Wall while in Israel filming his new show for the Travel Channel.