Women Fight Back Against Haredim

Jewish women in the Britain and the US are being urged to send photographs of themselves holding signs saying "women should be seen and heard" in a campaign against efforts by the ultra-orthodox to remove female images from advertising billboards in Jerusalem.

Israeli women fight back against Jerusalem billboard vandals
Women in UK and US urged to send photographs of themselves to counter ultra-orthodox campaign against images of women
Harriet Sherwood • The Guardian

Jerusalem – Jewish women in the Britain and the US are being urged to send photographs of themselves holding signs saying "women should be seen and heard" in a campaign against efforts by the ultra-orthodox to remove female images from advertising billboards in Jerusalem.

The New Israel Fund (NIF) is planning to compile the photographs into posters to display in Jerusalem.

Similar posters of Israeli women are being displayed by Yerushalmim, an organisation opposed to religious extremism and gender segregation which is funded by the NIF.

The appeal to British and American Jewish women is to show "this struggle is not just waged by the women of Jerusalem alone. It is the struggle of people of conscience everywhere", says the NIF.

Its appeal follows pressure from extremist ultra-orthodox, or Haredi, Jews on advertisers to remove images of women.

Among the companies which have complied is the Israeli fashion brand Honigman, which cropped a female model's head from its Jerusalem poster displays. Billboards which continue to show images of women have been vandalised.

Ohad Gibli of the Canaan advertising agency, which launched a campaign to attract organ donors using only images of men, told Israel Army Radio: "We have learned that an ad campaign in Jerusalem … that includes pictures of women will remain up for hours at best, and in other cases, will lead to the vandalisation and torching of buses."

Opponents say images of women have been almost eliminated in Jerusalem. "Advertisers are caving in to the demands of extremist ultra-orthodox groups," says the NIF email. "Even ballet studios and women's clothing stores have stopped using photos of women."

The email continues: "When the advertisers eliminate images of women, they reinforce a world view in which women must be hidden, where women can't have any meaningful role outside of the home. That's what happens when religious extremism overwhelms basic freedoms."

Shira Ben-Sasson Furstenberg of the NIF, who describes herself as liberal orthodox, said: "We're experiencing a snowball effect. And we can't say that the only people being affected are Haredi, because it's not only Haredi women – and even the Haredi women don't want it."

The secular mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, has publicly opposed the Haredi campaign. "We must make sure that those who want to advertise [with] women's images in the city can do so without fear of vandalism and defacement of billboards or buses showing women," he has said.

Extremist ultra-orthodox groups have also demanded the segregation of women and men on public transport and separate hours, entrances or queues at supermarkets, post offices and medical centres.

Comments

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Good on them.

It's about time.

[Office of the Chief Rabbi]

I was surprised to see this story onVIN.

[p]

Jewish women in the Britain and the US are being urged to send photographs of themselves

... wearing as little as possible :)

[Jeff]

Yidden! This is a terrible aveira! If these women only had husbands... .

(I'm getting to be pretty good at this!)

[JPACNYC.BLOGSPOT.COM]

Soon you will have a campaign for MEN to be heard if feminism has its way. Every man will send in a picture demanding he should be heard and maybe the UJA will post Tel aviv with such ads.

[Rebitzman]

Whoa!

Good thing I've already davened shachareit this morning, otherwise this picture would distract me to the point of skipping brachot in the shemoni esra......

Or maybe not.

[Yochanan Lavie]

In extreme patriarchies, alpha males try to monopolize, or at least control, the women. By extension, they seek control over the children and even the beta males. Subconsciously, they want to spread their seed exclusively. That is why the Catholic clergy (nominally celibate, but not always in practice), the Islamo-crazies, and the Jewish extremists marginalize women and exploit children. It has probably been this way since Neolithic times, and will continue till people say "enough!"

[Waiting4Moshiach]

Oy, the trouble with these women is that they make to much noise wherever they go and we see them where they should not be seen so much and never where they should be, like taking care of some kinder. Maybe if we give each one an iphone and a cat and a dog they will go away.

[Jeff]

Maybe if we give each one an iphone and a cat and a dog they will go away.

Posted by: Waiting4Moshiach | December 04, 2011 at 09:14 AM

What would it take to make you go away?

[Rochel]

There is a great slideshow of photos already received and I am happy to see that it also has pictures of men! :)

So guys and gals, send in your pix!

http://www.nif.org/get-involved/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1258:women-should-be-seen-and-heard&catid=12:general

[Yoel Mechanic]

It has probably been this way since Neolithic times, and will continue till people say "enough!"

Posted by: Yochanan Lavie | December 04, 2011 at 08:02 AM
=======================================
Oh man, do you "believe" in evolution?? or perhaps "guided evolution"? (Hey, I am just stirring the pot towards another fun subject)

[Jeff]

I was surprised to see this story onVIN.

Posted by: Office of the Chief Rabbi | December 04, 2011 at 06:16 AM

Yes, and look at the comments:

http://www.vosizneias.com/96152/2011/12/03/jerusalem-western-jewish-women-fight-back-billboard-vandals/

Just fills one with hope, doesn't it? I like this one in particular:

I'm also having a very hard time believing that this site represents the view of the average Orthodox Jew.

This guy's beef is that VIN doesn't represent the view of the "average Orthodox Jew" - because isn't strict enough! Seriously.

It's a collective psychosis, and I'm convinced it's neurological. This isn't going to be changed by opening up a few spaces at Technion.

[Rochel]

Sorry, here is the email address (from the link I previously posted). Guys can send in pictures too.

Email your photo to info@nif.org. Show that this struggle is not just waged by the women of Jerusalem alone. This is a struggle for people of conscience everywhere.

[NeverFrum]

Maybe if we give each one an iphone and a cat and a dog they will go away.

Posted by: Waiting4Moshiach | December 04, 2011 at 09:14 AM

What would it take to make you go away?

Moshiach, so unfortunately we are stuck with him forever.

[seymour]

Posted by: Yochanan Lavie | December 04, 2011 at 08:02 AM

that is the way it works in the animal kingdom

[Max]

Wrong approach. Few pictures will be sent, and the companies won't care if they are. Much better to play the same game and threaten a boycott. Women do buy most of the products after all.

[p]

Maybe if we give each one an iphone and a cat and a dog they will go away.

Posted by: Waiting4Moshiach | December 04, 2011 at 09:14 AM

iPhone - hmm, then they could Facetime each other :)

[Rochel]

Wrong approach. Few pictures will be sent
Posted by: Max | December 04, 2011 at 09:48 AM

Checking their Flickr page I see already over 110 pictures - and that is just the ones they've uploaded since Nov 30th. Considering Shabbat took 24+ of those hours, that's pretty good.

[jancsipista]

Waiting4Moshiach- for sex they are good and for nothing else,thats why you want to dominate woman so you should play god with them ,youre waiting for moshiach is a n insane wait when the universe in a trillian years collapse in onto itself maybee then you will realize you mindless meshigas.

[adams]

I wish them well, it is very good idea.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Seymour: There is a continuum between us and the animal kingdom. The only difference is that we are self-aware enough to overwrite our biological programming, by conscious effort. Perhaps that is what tzelem Elohim is.

[Jeff]

The only difference is that we are self-aware enough to overwrite our biological programming, by conscious effort.

You know, at this point, you'd have to work pretty hard to convince me of that.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Yoel: Disclosure: I believe in evolution, because the evidence to support is overwhelming. The Rambam seems to indicate that when the torah seems to contradict established scientific facts, we have to reinterpret it. I also believe in "guided evolution" since I think God is the author of the universe and its laws, including evolution. It reflects God's will. That is a theological opinion, not a scientific one. I wouldn't teach it in a science class. I have no problem compartmentalizing. Now, let's not get off into the evolution tangent any further.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Jeff: Just overwrite your programming ;)

[Yochanan Lavie]

See this excellent article: http://rabbimichaelsamuel.com/2011/12/the-microcosm-of-creation/#more-9469

[p]

Checking their Flickr page I see already over 110 pictures - and that is just the ones they've uploaded since Nov 30th. Considering Shabbat took 24+ of those hours, that's pretty good.

Posted by: Rochel | December 04, 2011 at 10:02 AM

I don't see it. What is the link?

[maven]

Talking about mental illness, has anyone looked at this http://jpacnyc.blogspot.com/ site? It is the funniest thing I have ever seen! Its a like a recruiting site for leaving Torah.
My favorite segment is How a Jew can defeat illicit sexual urges... with a picture of a young hassidish guy, I'm not sure that looking at the picture is the sex drive killer or a suggestion that he's the illicit sexual urge in the jpacnyc world?
And this is classic: http://jpacnyc.blogspot.com/2011/11/secrets-of-elimination.html

[corn popper]

the Ramban seems to advocate for guided evolution...

[Alter Kocker]

We need to teach these women one very important thing: Take the sharpest pair of scissors that you own then take black hatted sperm donor that your parents sold you into slavery to and neatly snip off each testicle, then lovingly sever the penis at the base.

That should end all Haredi problems in a night or so.

[U Avi]

I like the toilet tactic to getting rid of sexual urges on the JPAC NYC site. I would say it is funny because it is so childish but it is sad someone is serious about that site.

[Rochel]

I don't see it. What is the link?

On this page, click on the part that looks like a video - it is really a slideshow:

http://www.nif.org/get-involved/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1258:women-should-be-seen-and-heard&catid=12:general

[Adam Neira]

Kudos to the organisers.

[HadEnuff]

Waiting4Moshiach.

Moshiach just called me on my iphone.

He said he'll be here as soon as you're gone.

[Adam Neira]

To HadEnuff,

That's not very nice...

[ultra haredi lite]

Alter Kocker,
What is hateful unto you, don't do to others.

You are an unmitigated ass.

[Alter Kocker]

Ultra Haredi Lite:
Fuck you very much!

[Korbendallas72]

The Haredim have made a Jewish women's civil rights movement necessary in 2011. Twenty. Goddamn. Eleven.

[Sarah K]

When Bella Abzug ran for Congress her bumper stickers read, "A woman's place is in the House." These ultra-religious fanatic men should learn a woman's place is not only to hide in the house -- or in the kitchen.
Liked reading about Hillary taking on the fight against gender segregation in Israel. I wish she'd go to Brooklyn and ride in the front of one of the frumster run buses wearing one of her pants suits. After all, she did once represent NYS in the Senate.

[The F-Stops Here]

@ Sarah K, very good point indeed! But the US has a higher stake in Israel than it does Brooklyn. After all, it sends way more $ there, for starters!

Anyway, is it any wonder there's so much male-on-male pedophilia in the Haredi world? With no women around (or wives who might justifiably be on terminal niddah status w/them) these guys have no one else to unleash their urges on than those who are dutifully entrusted to them.

Hmm, can't help but think of Arafat and his Turkish Towel Boys in Tunisia!

[Rochel]

140 pictures were uploaded so far :)

[Hal]

Just leave the Charedi world all ready. Come to my nice modern Orthodox shul. We keep mitzvos and fear Hashem but don't pull any of this blurring images or women in the back stuff.