Growing Gender Segregation Among Israeli Haredim Seen As Repressing Women

[Purveyor]

JERUSALEM (JTA) – On the No. 3 bus line in Jerusalem, women passengers pay their fare and walk directly to the back to find a seat.

Men, most of them haredi Orthodox with long sidecurls that brush the shoulders of their black wool suits, sit in the front section. Behind them, following a space of about two feet separated by the rear doors of the bus, sit the women and girls.

The Arab driver tersely explains protocol as he begins his route through a string of largely religious neighborhoods toward the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City.

“This is a ‘mehadrin’ bus,” he says, using the term for strictly kosher. “Women sit in the back.”

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http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/11/13/3090256/growing-gender-segregation-among-israeli-haredim-seen-as-repressing-women

[mzteris]

1. doesn't every fundamentalist religion

repress women?

[atreides1]

3. Not Sure

Just from watching Christian Fundmentslists, haven't seen them try to repress their women...at least not in public!

[mzteris]

5. WHAT?

how could you possibly entertain the notion that Christian Fundamentalists don't try to repress their women. The fact that they have some few token "puppet" women (who do their husband's bidding) in visible positions, does NOT mean they are not a severely repressive organization.

Women are NOT allowed to hold positions of power in the Church. Women are NOT allowed to PREACH. Or be Deacons of the Church. Women must ALWAYS SUBJUGATE themselves to the will of their husband - and pastor. They are little more than chattel. As are the children.

[a_post_8]

2. My tax money funding repression of other women...

Why do we have to keep funding countries that practice gender apartheid?

[vminfla]

4. Where do you live exactly?

How are your tax dollars used to fund a private bus company?

[oberliner]

6. Incidentally, most buses in most other countries in the region are like this

In fact, Israel is one of the few countries in the area that has any buses that are not segregated in this fashion.

The norm for much of the region is that women aren't allowed to ride buses with men at all.

[Purveyor]

7. Well there then, it must be ok afterall since 'others' are doing it too. /sarcasm eom

[oberliner]

8. Not OK - just not unusual

My preference would be for Israel to be less like its neighbors in this regard, not moreso.

[Scurrilous]

9. Shameful. n/t