Rosh Chodesh Adar with Women of the
Wall
by Dahlia Locke, 11th grade, Brooklyn NY
Let me start by saying that the Women
of The Wall are my favorite organization and I have
been following their work for over a year now. Needless to say I was ecstatic when I heard we would get the opportunity to participate in their service. We had been warned about the Haredi protesters but I hadn't anticipated the impact it would have on me. What struck me the hardest were the young girls who covered their innocent faces with scarves while the
attempted to drown out our service with deafening shrieks.
It hurt to see these girls being impacted and engrained with such hate. Beyond religion it
stunned me how many women were against their own rights. Did they not want to have the same connection with God a their male counterparts? How could they accept the reality that they couldn't chant the Torah they swore by? Jews are born into adversity as it is, so one would assume we would look past our differences and support each other. As naïve as it may sound it was the unrealistic reality I had hoped for. However, the disappointment I felt towards my own people shifted to pride as I became empowered by the members of the WOTW who met their opposers with such dignity and grace. Although I still haven't fully processed the event I was immediately grateful that Heller High had taken us on such an
important and memorable trip.
been following their work for over a year now. Needless to say I was ecstatic when I heard we would get the opportunity to participate in their service. We had been warned about the Haredi protesters but I hadn't anticipated the impact it would have on me. What struck me the hardest were the young girls who covered their innocent faces with scarves while the
attempted to drown out our service with deafening shrieks.
It hurt to see these girls being impacted and engrained with such hate. Beyond religion it
stunned me how many women were against their own rights. Did they not want to have the same connection with God a their male counterparts? How could they accept the reality that they couldn't chant the Torah they swore by? Jews are born into adversity as it is, so one would assume we would look past our differences and support each other. As naïve as it may sound it was the unrealistic reality I had hoped for. However, the disappointment I felt towards my own people shifted to pride as I became empowered by the members of the WOTW who met their opposers with such dignity and grace. Although I still haven't fully processed the event I was immediately grateful that Heller High had taken us on such an
important and memorable trip.
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