Arabs Objecting to Bar Mitzvah Torah Reading by the Kotel
Latest update: September 24th, 2012
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Holocaust survivor Zeev Rave, 83 (R), celebrating his bar mitzvah together with his grandson Lior at the Kotel.
Photo Credit: Abir Sultan/Flash90
The Arab press in Israel has begun a campaign of incitement against the increase in the Torah as part of the bar – mitzvah many years held at the Western Wall, according to several Haredi websites.
Al Ayyam newspaper quoted Ahmed Qurei, member of the PLO Executive Committee and Chairman of the Committee on behalf of Jerusalem Affairs, who opposes the activity of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, which operates on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Office in this matter. Qurei argues that this initiative reflects the completion of the Israeli occupation of Jerusalem and constitutes a violation of religious and historical symbols.
Another article in the same newspaper, the Al-Aqsa Institute said that Israel invented new methods to Judaize Islamic holy relics in Jerusalem. This policy is expressed especially through the greatly increased Torah Aliyahs at the Western Wall by Bar-Mitzvah boys, which is offered free of charge by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation at the behest of the Prime Minister’s office.
After the ceremony, elegant certificates commemorating the event and signed by the Rabbi of the Kotel, are awarded as souvenirs to the bar mitzvah boys, to enhance the value of marking their bar mitzvah at the Western Wall.
Shaul Batish, project manager for “Bar Mitzvah at the Kotel,” stated that since the project began, more than six years ago, it provided its services to tens of thousands of families. “We do not need to advertise,” says Batish, “word gets around and the number of applicants exceeds all the time.”
tell a friendAbout the Author: Tibbi Singer is a veteran contributor to publications such as Israel Shelanu and the US supplement of Yedioth. Invite Tibbi to visit your blog. The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of The Jewish Press
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One Response to “Arabs Objecting to Bar Mitzvah Torah Reading by the Kotel”
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I object to the Islamization of Jewish holy sites!
why do we allow arabs in our country again. kick them all out the sooner the better.
who are the idiots who ant to give free rights to the enemy see the price we pay.
so true, Ruth.
Jerusalem is holy to both, and both are going to have to share it. A bar mitzvah Torah reading is just as appropriate, as a muezzin calling out the time for Salah. So just stupid up, and learn how to live with each other.
That's like saying there are Christian terrorists too, when discussing islamic terror. There is no comparison between the holiness of Jerusalem to the Jews with the holiness of Jerusalem to muslims.
Tim, the difference is that we protect their right to worship and their deny ours. Long ago, the pagan temple of Abu Simbel was moved so it wouldn't be destroyed by the Assuan Dam. Let's do the same: let's move El Aqsa to Amman: they'll have they Holy Place, and we'll have peace and quiet to enjoy our own temple site without their interference.
Har HaBeit Shelanu..we said this in 1967 when we defeated the Jordanians…why did we yield to the islamic wakf and not maintain OUR Har HaBeit?
What right to the Arabs have to say anything about how Jews live, worship and or celebrate milestones in ISRAEL? The Kotel is part of the 2nd Temple and belongs to the Jews. What they do there is of no business of the Arabs!
It's called AGITATION plain and simple. Put fear in the people and they will cave. Those Arabs are just of the demonic cult. Godless is what they are and never up to any good.
I know that stories like this one make for easy-populist fodder for the JP; but please guys, show some credible sources for you sensational dribble once in a great while. Yes, we all know most JP readers are provincial xenophobic tribalist Jews who don’t trust most goyim and believe that all arabs are clones of nazis. But a story like this would carry more weight with your more educated/sophisticated readers and mainstream media outlets if one can google the topic and find any other publication on HaShem’s Earth discussing this other than the JP. DUH.
When the Jordanian monarchy falls, Israel should review Jordanian Waqf control of the Temple Mount with an eye on transferring control to the Israeli Minister of Religious Affairs.
Is this anything new from the Arabs? What's new is that it seems apparent that the Jewish Press is pandering and afraid of the Islamic Jihad in their publications for twice the JP has buried my posts on Mohammed. The world needs to know that the Rambam wrote a formal didactic (teaching) letter to the Yemenite Jews in 1172 informing them that Muhammad is a false prophet and insane. We can see this in their actions not only at the Kotel and Temple Mount but throughout the world.
As long as we keep strong in our resolve to uphold the Torah laws in everything that we do in our homes, at work, in the street and at the Kotel, HaShem will continue to repay the good we do with good rewards. If one is sincere and whole hearted toward HaShem, there will be no fear of insane people.
Be strong for the good. Hatima Tovah.
It would be consistent for such Arabs who consider Israel to be an occupying power to object to Israel's supervision and coordination of the Kotel activities. Those Arabs don't offer assurance though that its just politics and not personal. I doubt there were many if any bnai mitzvah ceremonies at the Kotel when it was under Jordanian rule, and doubt the PA would be accommodating if they had the upper hand on this one.
I'm an atheist, and have been since I was 9 years old, but when I go to Israel I'm going to go up on the temple mount and daven because I support freedom of religion and speech.