Women of the Wall

Praying in Her Own Voice --
The Struggle of the Women of the Wall for Freedom of Worship

A documentary film by award winning director Yael Katzir

What is it about the Kotel that is so important for Jews?
According to the Women of the Wall, who have been trying so hard for recognition and permission to pray at the Kotel – the kotel is the symbol of Jewish survival; it is a place where one experiences the presence of God. According to Rabbi Laura Geller, "This site has held Jewish prayers for centuries.

Anat Hoffman, one of the founders of Women of the Wall, explains that what we want is that our voices will be heard!

This is a film about the Women of the Wall, their continued struggle for the right to pray at the Kotel, to wrap themselves in tallitot, to raise their voices in song, and to read from a Torah scroll. This is a film about passion and intimidation. These are feminist women, religious women, many of them Reform and Conservative rabbis from the USA. Others are Israeli-born and bred. They come to the Kotel every Rosh Chodesh to doven shacharit together, to recite Psalms and to read Torah.

Why do the religious authorities call this an abomination? How does a woman who wants to raise her voice in prayer threaten Jewish tradition? Tovah Hartman asks an additional important question: Who has the power to make legitimate change within the Jewish framework?

This is a film about religious freedom, about the role and place of women within halacha, about their struggle before the Supreme Court of Israel, and about the grip that the ultra-orthodox rabbinate has on religious life within Israel. Rabbi Gilad Kariv says this fight is about who holds the keys to the gates of Judaism.

One of the women states: "Women of the Wall are the prophetesses of our time!" This is a film about women who are committed to a cause and who care about their Jewishness.

Women of the Wall are an inspiration for all progressive Jewish women.

View Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-xjZWX5rlE

Praying in Her Own Voice (60 minutes) is available from: http://newlovefilms.com