Female IDF officer blocked from leading swearing-in ceremony at Western Wall

In a last-minute change, a feminine navy officer was barred Thursday from main a swearing-in ceremony on the Western Wall.

The Israel Protection Forces mentioned the reversal adopted a request from the Western Wall Heritage Basis. The federal government physique is answerable for managing the holy website and does so in accordance with Orthodox customs, corresponding to sustaining mixed-gender prayer areas.

“The feminine IDF academic officer who deliberate to steer the ceremony was requested not to take action by the civilian basis,” the IDF mentioned. “The commanders on website accepted the request, which was an error in judgment of these current [and] who didn’t seek the advice of with senior commanders.”

Nevertheless, Hebrew media reviews mentioned the Western Wall Heritage Basis explicitly demanded the feminine officer not lead the ceremony.

The IDF mentioned the incident can be investigated and careworn that it doesn’t not prohibit girls from main official ceremonies.

In its response, the Western Wall Heritage Basis mentioned navy ceremonies on the website are held in accordance with IDF pointers and chalked up the incident to a “native misunderstanding.”

The inspiration additionally mentioned it might conduct a joint probe with the IDF.

Rabbi of the Western Wall Shmuel Rabinowitz on the website’s plaza in 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Ladies of the Wall, which advocates for pluralistic prayer on the Western Wall and ceaselessly clashes with the muse, accused the positioning’s directors of “working to silence girls” utilizing non secular legislation.

“This isn’t a non secular subject however a forceful domination,” the group mentioned.

The non secular pluralism group Israel Hofshit — Be Free Israel accused the Western Wall Heritage Basis of appearing like Iranian morality place and referred to as for the resignation of Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, the positioning’s prime non secular official.

“The capital of Israel isn’t the capital of Iran and the workers of the Western Wall Heritage Basis usually are not chastity guards,” the group mentioned.

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