On Jan. 31, the cabinet approved an agreement to create an area for pluralistic Jewish prayer at the Western Wall, in the Robinson's Arch area south of the existing Western Wall plaza, in what advocates described as a historic show of government support for liberal streams of Judaism. The agreement was the result of years of negotiation between the government, the Jewish Agency, the Jewish Federations of North America, the Reform and Conservative movements, and Women of the Wall, a multi-denominational group of women who have been praying and reading Torah together in the women's section of the Western Wall for nearly three decades. Last week, Israel Hayom Insider heard from Rene Feinstein, who represents a group of Women of the Wall members, now calling themselves the "Original Women of the Wall," who are dissatisfied with that plan. Rather than using the new section for egalitarian and pluralistic prayer, they wish to continue praying, wearing tallitot and tefillin, and reading Torah in the existing women's section. This week, we speak with Women of the Wall chairwoman Anat Hoffman, one of the chief negotiators of the agreement. Hoffman explains what has been agreed for the new section and the threats that potentially stand in the way of its implementation.
Anchor: Steve Ganot. Camera: Doron Persaud. Makeup: Hagar Nahmias. Archive: Zohar Kligman.
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WATCH: What was agreed on pluralistic prayer at Western Wall?
The new section for pluralistic prayer at the Western Wall has sparked controversy • Women of the Wall leader Anat Hoffman speaks with Opinion Editor Steve Ganot about what was agreed and potential threats to the plan's implementation.