This is the Forward’s coverage of the Western Wall, also called the Kotel, a Jewish holy site in Jerusalem adjacent to the Temple Mount.
Western Wall
The Latest
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Fast Forward Key Israeli Government Minister Drops Support For Egalitarian Prayer At Kotel
JERUSALEM (JTA) — The Israeli government minister whose approval is needed to advance the plan for the Western Wall’s egalitarian section has dropped her support for the proposal. Miri Regev, the culture and sport minister, announced in a Facebook post late Wednesday that she would not approve the plan in her position as chairwoman of the…
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Community Women Of The Wall Is Fighting For Ultra-Orthodox Women, Too
It is Rosh Chodesh Iyar, and over one hundred women have come prepared with Israeli flags and strong singing voices. After a last-minute deliberation, we made the decision to enter the dreaded metal “cage” (the barriers set up for Women of the Wall for the Western Wall Heritage Foundation and police, “quarantining” us on the…
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Fast Forward Convicted Sex Offender Rabbi Drives Car Into Western Wall Plaza
A prominent Israeli rabbi who is also a convicted sex offender was allowed during Passover to drive his car directly into the Western Wall plaza — an honor that is only permitted for the religion’s greatest leaders. Rabbi Eliezer Berland, accompanied by dancing and praying followers running alongside him, was driven through security checkpoints and…
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Fast Forward Ambassador David Friedman Joins Priestly Blessing At The Western Wall
JERUSALEM (JTA) — U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman joined hundreds of kohanim, or members of the priestly class, in blessing tens of thousands of worshippers at the Western Wall. Friedman was joined by his son and grandson in the Birkat Kohanim, or priestly blessing, raising their hands and blessing the worshippers, including many visitors…
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The Schmooze Milo Yiannopoulos Uses Western Wall As Prop For Anti-Immigration Stunt
Alt-right activist Milo Yiannopoulos staged a photo-shoot for social media this week in which he put a letter in a mock Western Wall, asking for “speedy deportations.” The 33 year-old who has said of sexual relationships between 13 year-olds and adults, “these things do happen, perfectly consensually,” wore a kippah emblazoned with the acronym “ICE,”…
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News Ultra-Orthodox Americans Tell Israel To Stand Ground On Western Wall
American ultra-Orthodox leaders traveled to Israel this week to tell Israeli officials to ignore liberal American Jews’ demands to allow women to pray at the Western Wall. In statements and documents announcing the trip, the ultra-Orthodox leaders attacked non-Orthodox Jewish groups, saying that while ultra-Orthodoxy is growing, non-Orthodox Jewish movements are “dying,” and that acceding…
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Fast Forward Construction Begins On Western Wall Section For Egalitarian Prayer
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Construction has begun to upgrade the section set aside for egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall. Workers reportedly arrived at the site on Thursday and began erecting scaffolding at the southern end of the Western Wall. The work, which has a budget of more than $7 million, comes more than a year…
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Fast Forward Kotel Rabbi Apologizes To Female Reporter For Discrimination During Pence Visit
JERUSALEM (JTA) — The rabbi of the Western Wall sent a letter of apology to the editor of the Israeli business daily Globes for the discriminatory treatment of one of its reporters during Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to the site last week. Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich, writing to Globes editor-in-chief Naama Sikuler, said “I want…
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