Editor's Letter

Freedom Riders

S

egregated public buses are illegal in Israel. It took a
Supreme Court ruling to confirm that simple free-
dom for women after boarding. The decision was
brilliant in distinguishing tradition from coercion.
On public lines, women are entitled
to sit wherever they choose except for
seats designated for people who are
disabled.
On the dozens of Mehardrin lines
serving the heredi community,
gender-segregation is allowed for tra-
ditional religious reasons as long as
women passengers aren't coerced or
physically forced to sit in the back of
the bus, but instead choose to do so.
According to the Jan. 6 ruling, the
Egged bus company serving the gen-
eral community must provide open seating. During a 30-day
trial period, the Transportation Ministry was to conduct
inspections to assure enforcement. The commercial company
also must offer complaint centers for women passengers.
The high court finding adopted recommendations made
last year by a Transportation Ministry panel. The state
accepted the finding.
In the ruling, Supreme Court Justice Elyakim Rubinstein
gave a reasoned opinion amid his, and our, astonishment
that such a ruling was even necessary today. "Have the days
of Rosa Parks, the African American woman who collapsed
the racist segregation on an Alabama bus in 1955, returned?"
Segregated seating in Israel is a relatively new phenom-
enon, having bubbled up over the past 10 years. Haredi rid-
ers demanded that women sit in the back of public buses on
routes traversing haredi neighborhoods; the front sections were
reserved for men. Egged complied with the demand. Women

CONTENTS

who objected "were subjected to verbal abuse and occasional
physical abuse by some male extremists:' writes Israeli lawyer
Sharon Shenhay.
Religious tradition is an important component of Jewish
life; abuse of any sort isn't. The high court finding must be
well publicized and bus drivers must be trained in enforce-
ment.
The legal opinion derived from a 2007 lawsuit filed by a
group of women and the Israel Religious Action Center, an
organization of Israel's Reform (Progressive) movement. The
case is rooted in what's viewed as mainstream activity in public
places. One of those determined women is Israeli author and
women's activist Naomi Ragen."While I think the battle will
be won on the buses and not in the courts:' she blogged,
"I am still pleased to say that the case we brought to the
court has resulted in a victory for women's rights, at least on
paper."
Justice Rubinstein concluded that the influence of court
decisions on human behavior might be limited; he expressed
hope that all parties would behave with tolerance and good
will, for the benefit of society.
That's great advice.
Optimistic as they are, Israeli women opposed to the
segregation have announced Freedom Riders, a campaign
to ride buses on previously segregated routes and to report
their experiences — not taking matters into their own
hands, but notifying the police as necessary via cell phone.
It took a court ruling to state the obvious: segregation is
an anathema in Israel. But it will take the men and women of
this Jewish ancestral homeland to be sensitive toward other
non-halachic views in order to make the Israeli High Court
of Justice legal opinion work for everyone.
Israelis would do well to realize they have many issues more
pressing than the seating arrangement aboard buses.

theJEWISHNEWS,com

Feb. 17-23, 2011 I 13-19 Adar I 5771 I Vol. CXXXIX, No. 2

Jake Baron looks forward to going
to Tamarack each summer. "I love
camp," Jake says. "I like being with
my friends, I like the independence."
Last year, Jake was part of a camp-
sponsored adventure trip to various
national parks, and this coming
summer, he's excited to be a junior
counselor.
Hebrew Free Loan helped Jake's
parents, Leslie and Mark, with
camp costs. For many years, HFL
has been giving loans for children's
summer camp programs, including
JCC Day Camp and Tamarack.
"Working with Hebrew Free Loan
was so easy," says Mark. "It enables us
to provide an enriching experience
for Jake."
"Camp isn't a must-have," says
Leslie. "It's not an immediate critical
need, so it may be hard to justify in
tight times. But when you see your
kid's face, it's totally worth it. I do
feel it's important to try to give my
son a Jewish experience that
makes him happy and also helps
make him a stronger person."
"It's great," says Jake. "When I
have kids, I would want them to
have the same experience I had."

The Power of Recycling

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