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| Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man attacking women at the Western Wall |
(Scroll down for video) For the first time ever, Israeli police protected a group of women praying at the Western Wall while wearing ritual prayer shawls.
The police have received an order from the Israeli high court recently, to allow non-Orthodox Jewish prayer at the Western Wall Site.
However, the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, was extremely angry at the developments. Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, women, and girls, flooded the Western Wall early Friday, creating a tense confrontation with the diverse group of women who for years have prayed at the holy place once a month using clothing worn traditionally by men.
Heeding calls from their rabbis, hundreds of female teenagers packed into the women's section in front of the wall before 6:30 am, forcing the group known as the Women of the Wall to carry out their service further back, in the square, as black hat Orthodox Jewish men whistled, catcalled, threw water bottles, candy, rocks and other items at the women.
After months in which several women were arrested by the police for the use of traditional male religious garments, officers protected them Friday, following the new court ruling saying they should be allowed to worship as they choose.
Instead, three ultra-Orthodox Jewish men were arrested and two were detained for questioning by trying to attack the women by throwing large rocks at them, according to a police spokesperson, as hundreds of uniformed officers locked hands forming a human chain, to protect the women.
“This is an amazing day, as for the first time the Western Wall was truly open for every Jew no matter what their background, to pray at the site without fear of arrest. I hope the Israeli police will not feel intimidated by the ultra-Orthodox Jewish rioters,” Chava Shirenbaum, 30, of Jerusalem, Israel told YourJewishNews.com after learning about the latest developments. In the video you can see how the ultra-Orthodox Jews riot at the Western Wall.Mobile video not loading? Click here to view