It is doubtful whether the Shas electorate, the majority of which is religiously more moderate than the ultra-Orthodox-Ashkenazi, sympathizes with the forceful enforcement of laws in the Western Wall square. Although it is likely that he supports the continuation of the separation between men and women in the prayer squares there, he is certainly averse to women's covering in a tallit and tefillin, Even with the help of the women, but it must be permeated by the possibility that a prison sentence of six months, or a large financial fine, will be imposed on those who violate these prohibitions or on those who reach the wall with short sleeves.
As a general rule, the public in Israel - both religious and secular - respects the local customs at the Western Wall.
The provisions of the new law that Shas seeks to enact are unnecessary, and are expected to provoke precisely, antagonism and the opposite reaction. At the Western Wall, rules of separation between women and men have been practiced for many years. A historical study, which recently examined old photographs in which women and men are seen together in the Western Wall alley about 100 years ago , revealed that contrary to the claim - this is not a mixed prayer, but rather a constraint that resulted from a ban imposed by the British Mandate authorities on placing a partition in the place.
Netanyahu renounces the Western Wall law: "The status quo will be preserved" // Photo: Knesset spokespersons
The way to deal with those who do not respect the customs of the place at the Kotel is through negotiations, the police and ushers.
Determining what is allowed and what is forbidden in a place is a reasonable act, but prison sentences are not.
Such punishments are a proven recipe for keeping the Wall away from the general public - a complete reversal of "its ways are the ways of Noam and all its paths are peace".
Prison sentences of the type in question will also further widen the gap that is already growing between Diaspora Jewry - mainly the communities in the USA - and the State of Israel.
The timing of Deri's request for a preliminary reading of the new proposal is related to the future hearing at the High Court, in about ten days. Deri fears that the High Court will force the state to recognize the law, and formally anchor the prayer involved in the "Ezrat Israel" plaza, which was actually allocated for such prayers.
the women of the wall
The right way is to talk.
Formally anchor the mixed prayer.
"Ezerat Israel Plaza", photo: Dodi Vaaknin
In fact, the state is required by the High Court to decide between two options: to allow mixed prayers on the Western Wall square, or to grant official recognition to the mixed "Ezerat Israel". Common sense dictates that "Ezerat Israel" should indeed be the solution, and that the "custom of the place" should continue in the large and well-known plazas. But the Rabbi of the Kotel and some of the ultra-Orthodox withdrew from their early agreement to this outline, due to petty politics and competition with competing factions in the ultra-Orthodox public.
In the depths of their hearts, they know that this is the only reasonable solution now, but they do not have enough public courage to stand back behind the position they previously held.
Aryeh Deri.
It is doubtful whether Shas voters support the law, photo: Gideon Markowitz
The Shas bill could also be the opportunity for some members of the religious Zionist and Otzma Yehudit parties to separate themselves from factions in the ultra-Orthodox public, whose pressure led to a withdrawal from the earlier agreement regarding the layout of the Western Wall and the "Ezrat Yisrael" plaza.
There are quite a few voters who voted for religious Zionism and Otzma Yiddish, who are politically hard-right, but relatively liberal religiously.
These communities have no real representation in the Knesset today - and it's a shame.
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