Thousands of Israelis protest against discrimination against women --Israelis feels strong antipathy towards the utra-Orthodox Jews’ behaviors

Thousands of Israelis gathered together to protest against the ultra-Orthodox Jews who want enforce segregation between men and women in the town of Beit Shemesh on Dec. 27. This Jewish city situated between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. On another side, the ultra-Orthodox Jews also gather there, one of them held a sign written in Hebrew: “Women are asked not to linger in this area.”



Sexual discrimination exists in Israel, among special ultra religious fanatics, like ultra-Orthodox Jews. The ultra-Orthodox men and boys hurled rocks and eggs at the police and journalists and yelled them “Nazis”.



Detonating this resistance is the story of 8-year old girl Naama Margolese televised on an Israel weekend television program. She is a daughter of American immigrants. One day while she was on her way to school, she was insulted by an untra-Orthodox man and he spat on her, that man’s behavior frightened her and made her has a great fear of walking near that area.



The public were outraged by this behavior. Israel president has said a minority in Israel is acting outrageously and violating national solidarity.



According to Jerusalem mass media report, tensions ran high in Beit Shemesh Tuesday night as people gathered to protest against the rise of ultra-Orthodox extremism.



Protesters from Beit Shemesh and the other cities, religious and secular, kids with parents and even the Israeli Hells Angels arrived to speak out against a growing frequency in attacks against a local religious-Zionist girls’ elementary school and the ultra-Orthodox Jews who want enforce segregation between men and women.



The protest took place directly opposite the Bnot Orot School, which has been at the center of controversy in Beit Shemesh since it opened last September.



“Enough is enough,” commented Jenny Zivotofsky, a protester who came all the way from Efrat after watching Naama on the TV program. “This is not only the fight for Beit Shemesh, it’s a fight for everyone in Israel.”



Former Labor leader MK Amir Peretz said, “We can’t hide from this any longer. A young girl spoke out about how she was scared to go to school, therefore it’s time the haredim realize they have to stop acting like this.”



He emphasized that the discrimination against women goes against the tradition of the Bible and the principles of Judaism.

Ps. original version published on the website of Taiwan News by Theresa Huang