women's rights being attacked in israel.

[helgaleena]

when will women get equal rights in America?

still working on it. Equal pay for equal work has to catch on, I think

 

[rawbone8]

It seems to be an ongoing reality that the political power to govern in Israel is based on deals with these extremist religious twits. Moderates are disgusted by the unfair influence they hold in that they can bring down a coalition government very easily.

 

[dolfette]

I'm still amazed that Saudi women aren't allowed to drive.

more worrying, they can't obtain medical treatment without the consent of a male relative. a 40y/o widow could need her 13y/o son to tell her doctors she was allowed to have chemo that day.

 

[sizequeenNY]

I did not say all Jewish women shave their heads. You know that is not so. It is only 'fundamentalist,' sectarian Orthodox types who do so. Any fashion statement can be done with pride, certainly. It is a woman's personal choice to listen to her sectarian leaders and conform. Just as it is my choice to wear dreads, in honor of one of my chosen patron deities.

But no, it is not Hailie Selassie, or ganja. It is His/Her Noodliness the Flying Spaghetti Monster. However, in order to be certain of my intent you would have to ask me. Similarly, if I see a woman wearing a scarf over her hair all day every day, I would have to ask her why.

Nobody is forcing me to wear dreads, or shunning me if I don't. That is a big difference here. Also, I am quite willing to sing you Flying Spaghetti Monster songs, in public, and support the Israeli woman's right to sing songs too.

I know you did not say all Jewish women. My comment is about ultra Orthodox women that do. Judaism doesn't have fundamentalists, it is a misnomer to call someone ultra Orthodox a fundamentalist. If you question why a woman wears a scarf, it just shows you are very judgmental. My comment was not about a fashion statement to be worn with pride, my comment was about women who are secure enough with themselves to wear their religion and not care about what judgmental people think. Do not twist my comments to suit your argument

 

[syphon80]

Why religion, WHY DO YOU EXIST??? And why must there be idiots who believe in these things, might as well believe in comic books and celebrate the birth of Wolverine..

 

[vibrator]

The middle east is a mess, what can you do, just be glad that you live in a place where you do have freedom and can make your own decisions.

 

[helgaleena]

I know you did not say all Jewish women. My comment is about ultra Orthodox women that do. Judaism doesn't have fundamentalists, it is a misnomer to call someone ultra Orthodox a fundamentalist. If you question why a woman wears a scarf, it just shows you are very judgmental. My comment was not about a fashion statement to be worn with pride, my comment was about women who are secure enough with themselves to wear their religion and not care about what judgmental people think. Do not twist my comments to suit your argument

Not going there. Happy Hanukkah. May you be forever in sauce, as they say in my religion.

 

[D_Fiona_Farvel]

I know you did not say all Jewish women.My comment is about ultra Orthodox women that do. Judaism doesn't have fundamentalists, it is a misnomer to call someone ultra Orthodox a fundamentalist. If you question why a woman wears a scarf, it just shows you are very judgmental. My comment was not about a fashion statement to be worn with pride, my comment was about women who are secure enough with themselves to wear their religion and not care about what judgmental people think. Do not twist my comments to suit your argument

The term fundamentalist may not have been to your liking, but there is certainly some conflict brewing around the behaviors of the ultra orthodox in Israel. This week I have been reading about recent conflict between the secular and ultra orthodox (link) and the adoption of conservative veiling by some orthodox women. (link, link)

It seems some are referring to the intrusive behavior by some orthodox men into the conduct of women in the public sphere, most recently discussed the treatment of Naama Margolese: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/28/w...of-tension-over-religious-extremism.html?_r=2, and other examples (link), as extremism.

Perhaps a better designation would be militant extremism? Either way, there is clearly an element in Israel seeking to impose fringe values upon the greater society, as initially outlined in Dolf's OP.

 

[petite]

I read about that last week. Here's a quote from the article on Jezebel.com

The case of 8-year-old Naama Margolese, who was born in Chicago, has upset some Israelis, and for good reason. She says she's afraid to walk to her all-girls school in Beit Shemesh, near Jerusalem, because of taunting from Ultra-Orthodox men. They spit on her, call her a whore, throw rocks, and shout at her. As a result, Naama says her "tummy hurts" when she walks to school.

Not that it should matter, but Margolese isn't full glitzing down the street in a Nicki Minaj outfit, gaily skipping off to Toddlers & Tiaras & Kippahs school during these impromptu stoning sessions; she's walking to an Orthodox all girls' school in her uniform, which consists of a long skirt, a high-necked, long sleeved shirt. But the clothing of Naama and her classmates, modest by nearly any other standard, are not modest enough for the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men of Beit Shemesh. Parents attempting to escort their daughters to the school are also subjected to the same treatment.

In other words, the Ultra-Orthodox men are being abusive to Orthodox little girls for not being modest enough.

 

[D_Fiona_Farvel]

I read about that last week. Here's a quote from the article on Jezebel.com

Tragic. Apparently the Margolese case is not an isolated incident - women are more often being confronted with accusations of immodesty and worse from this particular group/sect (?) in and around Beit Shemesh.

Imagine, as a grown woman, you walk down the street and some d-bag spits on you for not adhering to his religious and cultural practices? That is seriously overstepping any accepted cultural norms in a Western society - you know, ya just don't do it and they know it. This behavior shows contempt for everyone but the people adhering to their particular doctrine, which, imo, is an incredibly dangerous emotion to feel towards others in a shared society.

 

[185248]

Maybe they circumcised the wrong head with these guys. Religion = The science of more questions than answers.

 

[Pandora77]

I've seen that on the news here this week. The Ultra- Orthodox also want women to sit in the back in public transportation (such as bus or train), seperated from men.

I read about that last week. Here's a quote from the article on Jezebel.com



In other words, the Ultra-Orthodox men are being abusive to Orthodox little girls for not being modest enough.

 

[701757]

Unholy Row In Jerusalem Over Status Of Women - Yahoo!


worrying...

Religious people acting like they're living 1000 years in the past? Nothing new here...

 

[Sitronmelde]

Well, the important and highly esteemed anti-hassidic schools of jewish culture, philosophy, in eastern europe were descimated by the nazis. Without that balance, the once colorful open-ness about being Jewish, has turned into this polarity - 'my way or the highway','either-or','clean or non-practicing' dividing line between people who should be together.

 

[dolfette]

but throwing stones at 8y/o girls???

 

[B_Hickboy]

Religious people acting like they're living 1000 years in the past? Nothing new here...

Trendy militant atheists acting like they fucking know everything?

Nothing new there, either.

 

[185248]

Religion is interpretation, segregation, costume pomp and ceremony plus many others. All human inventions that have very little to do with a creator, god or supreme being.

 

[B_Hickboy]

Religion is interpretation, segregation, costume pomp and ceremony plus many others. All human inventions that have very little to do with a creator, god or supreme being.

Good point.

 

[arkfarmbear]

I'm surprised Israel does not have laws that prohibit spitting on and throwing rocks at others.

 

[701757]

Trendy militant atheists acting like they fucking know everything?

Nothing new there, either.

So you're saying I'm wrong? I guarantee you I speak from experience not arrogance.