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| Founders of Nivcharot (Ha'aretz) |
I have no doubt about their complaints have merit. More
about my ambivalence later.
First let me reiterate what I must have said a gazillion times.
I stand second to no one in acknowledging the disparity in pay between men and
women in the workplace. It is a gross injustice whose correction is long overdue.
I stand foursquare with feminists in support of that goal. As I do in all areas
where there is an unjust gender imbalance in
which men are favored.
(However, as I have
said many times, my support for that goal stops at the door of observant Judaism
that includes not only following Halacha - but also following our Mesorah - long established
traditions that have historically not been overturned except in
existential situations. But this post is
not about that.)
There are some grey areas. Like the one discussed in this article.
I agree in principle that Charedi women should be given – not only a voice but an equal
voice in government. I also see is no issue of Serarra – the Halachic problem of women
ruling over men. They would not be ruling but simply democratically representing
their constituency in the Keneset.
So what is my problem?
Well… It isn’t exactly a problem. It is more of q question.
Which is - what is it exactly that the majority of Charedi women actually think
about this? Is this something they support in principle- even if not for themselves personally? Or do they
agree with their rabbinic leaders’ rejectionist approach – seeing these women
as some sort of renegade feminists that have gone off the reservation.
I think that matters. Sometimes doing the right thing has to
be judged in the context of what the vast majority wants. Not what the ideal
would be in a vacuum. That said, I would still support what these woman are
asking for - even if a minority would support them. Provided it was a significant minority.
But is that the case? Is there at least a significant minority of Charedi
women who agree with these women? It’s hard to tell and hard to
find out since there is always the fear of being ostracized if they shared
their true feelings in public.
What is however shocking is the
descriptions of how these women are being treated. What - for example - does it say about a community
that allows articles by women in Charedi magazines if they do not
identify as women. As noted by Esti Shushan cofounder
of Nivcharot:
“I was writing for Haredi journals at the time,” Shushan says. “Like other Haredi women, I used a pseudonym, E. Shushan. Your editor tells you, ‘If you want to write for the serious sections in the newspaper and for male readers to take you seriously, it’s better if they don’t know that you’re a woman.’ Later, I found out that many of the male names alongside mine in the op-ed section, Menachem or Yossi, actually belonged to women.
How sad is it that in some (not all) mainstream Charedi publication - even the mention of a woman’s first name is considered problematic? But the lunacy doesn’t stop there:
“I’ve been through terrible things,” Shushan says. “My mental health was questioned, my relationships with my husband and my children, too. Nothing is out of bounds for them.
Even this interview could be used as fodder against the women. “My husband will be summoned to the local welfare office to explain the actions of his promiscuous wife,” says (Tirtza) Bloch. “Getting interviewed for Markerweek [the weekend section of Haaretz’s sister business publication, TheMarker] is a vulgar and irresponsible action, and he’ll be called in to answer for it.”
“I was hurt and I cried. Letters were sent to my daughters’ school saying that we were a dangerous and promiscuous family, that I smoke, drink, beat my children and host house parties for secular political parties...”
No matter what your feelings might be about women being
accepted as members of Charedi political parties and serving in the Keneset - that kind of behavior and intimidation is outrageous - no matter which walk of life you come from.
If this is how women who express a desire to have their
voices heard in the halls of government – are treated by the Charedi political
parties, I don’t see how any sane person can support them. How can any human
being, no matter how Charedi they are vote for a political party that treats
fellow human beings like they are criminals because they expressed a desire to
be heard in the legislative body - on issues that affect all of them? What kind of rabbinic leadership condones this
kind of intimidation?
My guess is that the rabbinic leadership does not condone
it. But for some reason they let their activists get away with it. I’m hard pressed to believe they don’t know
about it. Maybe they look the other way because they support the goal. But as
far as I am concerned that is no excuse.
It apparently also escapes them that the majority of Charedi
women are the breadwinners of the family. So that their husbands can study
Torah full time. An upside down world of their own making for which they seem to
have little gratitude.
Can it really be that the activists that have treated these
women so poorly - do so because they actually consider women to be inferior
beings subject to unquestioning male rule?
I think that may actually be the case… even though that is clearly not
the intent of male/female roles in Judaism.
They must have forgotten what Mishlei (1:8) says: Al Titosh Toras Imecha – Do not discard the Torah of your mother. Or what Mishlei (14:1) says; Chochmas Nashim Bansa
Baisah” - The wisdom of a women builds a
household . Yes. Women have wisdom. They should be heard. Not treated like chattel
to be discarded at will.
Back to my question. Being mistreated is one thing. Women complaining about not being
accepted is another. For me it is important to know what the women of the Charedi
world in Israel really want. Do they support these women or don’t they? And if they don’t - why don’t they?
If most Charedi women are indeed happy with the status quo –
and might even be upset at these women are rocking their boat - I’m not sure
fighting for change is the right thing to do.
The thing is, finding out the answer to these questions may
not be possible. And I’m not sure what to do about that.
