During the year of 2011, the Israeli street has came across a known,but not so common in modern Israel, phenomenon: women’s exclusion.

It all begun in September 2011, when 9 religious cadets in the IDF officer’s course walked out of an evening seminar on the legacy of the 2008 Operation Cast Lead in Gaza . The reason for this action was two female singers…

During the last week, we have heard a few disturbing stories revolving around the exclusion of women. Beit Shemesh, a religious city near Jerusalem, has seen increased violence by Haredim(ultra religious) men, attacking women and little girls, who they feel have been dressing in an immodest manner.

These men have been spiting, cursing and throwing rocks at women. The women are not allowed to sit up front on a bus and even got worse when a few of them decided to hang signs calling women ” not to dally in the street.”..

In Orthodox Judaism men are generally not allowed to hear women sing, a prohibition called “kol isha” (woman’s voice).

This is taken from Song of Solomon 2:14: “Let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet (“arev”) and your face is beautiful.”

According to the Talmud, the word “arev” actually means “ervah” (nakedness).Many Rabies in Israel lean on the Talmud’s explanation.

However, this prohibition is not unequivocal. Many cases of women singing to men have been mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.

In the book of judges 5:1-

” וַתָּשַׁר דְּבוֹרָה, וּבָרָק בֶּן-אֲבִינֹעַם, בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא,לֵאמֹר.. “

” Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying”…

And in 1 Samuel 18:6-

” וַיְהִי בְּבוֹאָם, בְּשׁוּב דָּוִד מֵהַכּוֹת אֶת-הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי, וַתֵּצֶאנָה הַנָּשִׁים מִכָּל-עָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לשור (לָשִׁיר) וְהַמְּחֹלוֹת, לִקְרַאת שָׁאוּל הַמֶּלֶךְ–בְּתֻפִּים בְּשִׂמְחָה, וּבְשָׁלִשִׁים..

” And it came to pass as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments.”

The latest events caused an extensive public debate regarding this issue. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister says that:” Israel “must protect its public space, and maintain its openness and safety for all citizens.”

Even the U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized women’s exclusion in Israel and compared the situation to the situation in Iran.

And what do you think about women’s exclusion?  Share your thoughts with us on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/hebrewonline

Main phrases of the Post, Transcription & Translation:

Women’s exclusion – Hadrat nashim – הדרת נשים

Bus – Autobus – אוֹטוֹבּוּס

Ultra religious Jews- Haredim – חרדים

Judaism –  Yhadot – יַהֲדוּת

Attack -  Tkifa  -  תְּקִיפָה

Singing -Shira -   שִׁירָה