DIVIDING ISRAEL'S COURTS INTO MALES AND FEMALES

Nadene Goldfoot                                         

                Graduates of Israeli Air Force flight course:  While many in Israel's new government oppose women serving in the IDF, women in the IAF, women in the IDF  are busy protecting the country.       

The mandated military service requirement for Jewish-Israeli women is 24 months, apart from specified roles that instead require a service length of 30 months. Women may be exempted from military service for reasons of religious conscience, marriage, pregnancy, or motherhood.  This has not changed since I was in Israel in 1980.  I think it covers all bases.                          

WHILE SOME 600 female cadets pass the preliminary tests of the pilot’s course, about two-thirds drop out in the first year of the intensive three-year course, and only 30 to 40 of those who remain successfully complete the course.

(photo credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)

                                               

                                             

     A Jewish woman now expected to serve in army

    The New York Times has written that "Growing Segregation by Sex in Israel Raises Fears for Women’s Rights  :  Ultra-Orthodox members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition want to expand the powers of all-male rabbinical courts, and to bar women and men from mixing in many public arenas.  "   Readers miss the word, RABBINICAL in their scanning.  That means it applies to the Religious Court System.  Our religious customs are not changing from left to right; they are remaining as they always have.  Divorce is the only subject to debate about these days, though divorce is an old subject. 

                  Golda Meyerson-Meir:  (1898-1978) born in Russia, made aliyah in 1921; In 1969 became Prime Minister of Israel at age 71  during the Yom Kippur War;  elected again in end of 1973; but retired in 1974.  I read her book, MY LIFE.  Excellent!  

 Don't get excited.  Women have always been strong people in our history and in our marriages.  We've even had a Prime Minister, Golda Meir, while the USA is yet to have a woman president.  The New York Times is giving strictly an American trickle of knowledge to the article.  Check out other viewpoints in Israel from the people who are affected.                              

            Israeli Court of 15 members with head person-a woman, Esther Hayut, as President of Court (2017-October 16, 2023)   A judge serves until reaching 70 years of age, or the judge resigns, dies, is appointed to a position which is disqualifying from continued service as a judge, or is removed from office.

Esther Hayut (Hebrew: אֶסְתֵּר חַיּוּת; born 16 October 1953) is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Israel. She was sworn in on 26 October 2017, and is expected to serve as Chief Justice until October 2023.  She'll soon be 70 years old.  That's why the newspapers are panicking about men and women being divided right now.  

     Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv-a city founded in 1909: population-Tel Aviv's 2023 population is now estimated at 4,420,855. In 1950, the population of Tel Aviv was 418,192. Tel Aviv has grown by 77,271 in the last year, which represents a 1.78% annual change.  Since Tel Aviv is such an old city, one would expect that the citizens would be old as well. However, due to the steep decline in population during the 1960s when the cost of living soared and forced residents to move, only 14.6% of the population is 65 years and older. 22.2% of the population is below the age of 20 and 18.5% are between the ages of 20 and 29. The 30 to 44 age bracket makes up 16.2% and the 45 to 59 age bracket makes up 19.1% of the population.

     Jerusalem's 2023 population is now estimated at 969,804. In 1950, the population of Jerusalem was 120,895. Jerusalem has grown by 12,955 in the last year, which represents a 1.35% annual change.

Women in Israel comprise 50.26 percent of the state's population as of 2019. While Israel lacks an official constitution, the Israeli Declaration of Independence of 1948 states that “The State of Israel (…) will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex.”

Israeli law prohibits discrimination based on gender in matters such as employment and wages, and provides for class-action lawsuits. However, in tandem, sexist wage disparities between men and women remain an issue in parts of the state. In a 2012 survey of 59 developed countries, Israel ranked 11th for participation of women in the workplace. In the same survey, Israel was ranked 24th for the proportion of women serving in executive positions of power.

In 2018, South African firm New World Wealth ranked Israel as the eighth-safest country in the world for women.

I note that women also go into the army in Israel, just like the 

men.                                      

This is happening in Mea Sharim, Jerusalem's ultra Orthodox

community.  Israel has communities for everyone.  Evidently 

secular Jews, who do not live here, feel threatened by them. Mea Shearim (Hebrew: מאה שערים, lit., "hundred gates"; contextually, "a hundred fold") is one of the oldest Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem outside of the Old City. It is populated by Haredi Jews, and was built by members of the Old Yishuv. Since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, Haredi Jews have refused to serve in the Israeli military for religious reasons. Typically, they study Torah in Yeshivas, and as such are legally exempt from military service.  Government have tried to change this, but so far, have failed.  Today, others are using that as an excuse.  Citizens of Israel have refused to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) or have disobeyed orders on the grounds of pacifism, antimilitarism, religious philosophy, or political disagreement with Israeli policy such as its occupation of the West Bank. Conscientious objectors in Israel are known as sarvanim (in Hebrew סרבנים) which is sometimes translated as "refuseniks", or mishtamtim (evaders, dodgers). While religious Jews (not Haradi) have moved into Judea and Samaria,

Western pressures are against it in fear of fighting with Palestinians. In-

stead, Western government want to make Judea and Samaria "Palestine."

Here's where politics are rubbing into religion in Israel.  Thus, a religious 

statement comes to life in the government.  

Walking through Mea Sharim, an Ultra Orthodox neighborhood

in Jerusalem                            

                                Haradi Jew  in Israel

                 In Northern Israel  

We all are aware of the ultra stand that the Ayatollahs of Iran 

have taken with sexes.  I say that our Orthodox community

check into our history again  and see how we have always differed from

them in regards to respecting the women.  Are they trying to get 

even with women asserting their experience as Jews by be-

coming rabbis?  Let us not forget the positions of Sarah, Leah,

Rachel, Devorah, Queen Esther in our history along with 

others.                                  

 Have they  stopped reading "The Woman of Valor"                every Friday night to their

wives? “A woman of valor, who can find, for her price is far above rubies. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness."She gives food to her household and a portion to her maidens. She stretches out her hands to the poor, yea she reaches forth to help the needy. She opens up her mouth with wisdom and the law of kindness is on her tongue. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also and he praises her saying, many women have done valiantly, but you excel them all. Grace is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the lord she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands and let her works praise her in the gates.”

 Half of the IDF is made up of women.  What group

of Orthodoxy is pushing for what the New York Times has written

about in bills they want passed? 

                                                   

Resolution about making the Judicial Department better in

serving everyone is needed.  We always should look for

improvements in our workplace and homes, without throwing

out the baby with the bathwater.  

This means that the Orthodox will not take away rights from the

Israeli women.  Even Benjamin Netanyahu's wife will not

allow it to happen.  

Becoming sexist is not helping Judea and Samaria. It's now off 

all the burners of the stove and on the floor instead of being

on the back burners.  

Resource: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/12/world/middleeast/israel

-women-rights.html

https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/equality-religion-and-gender-in-israel 

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-726144

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mea_Shearim