Tiberias Israel – A prominent ultra-Orthodox rabbi has asked a Tiberias bus company to launch a line similar to the ones in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak that segregate women from men.
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Rabbi Asher Idan from Jerusalem, a ruler on religious matters pertaining to modesty, contacted the company Veolia Transportation last month, saying that ultra-Orthodox Jews from Tiberias wanted a segregated line.
“The requests came after an increase in the number of Haredim in and around Tiberias,” Idan told Haaretz. He said the request was for segregated buses “in certain neighborhoods in certain hours – when schools and religious seminaries close for the day.” He added that “it is important to us that the Haredi public receives services that it is entitled to and that its needs are met.”
A veteran woman resident of Tiberias who spoke on condition of anonymity said the request was “an enraging attempt to take over the city.” She said that despite her “advanced age” she will wear a miniskirt and sit in the front of the segregated bus “to make a statement.”
An ultra-Orthodox resident, who also requested anonymity, said the line was “unnecessary and can only serve to alienate people from the Haredi minority.”
But Idan says the segregated line will change people’s minds once it is launched. “The secular people of this city will see and learn how good this modesty is,” he said. “We don’t want to coerce anything – coercion goes against the Torah. We are simply begging that this thing be allowed to happen and that the secular public see how the holy Torah looks.”
Idan said the line could be “problematic” in Tiberias because “unlike in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, the Tiberias line would pass through secular neighborhoods as well as Haredi ones.” For this reason, Idan said, the people promoting the new line are “being careful and are looking to check how this thing works out.”
He added that Veolia would be glad to meet the needs of the Haredi public. But when queried by Haaretz, Veolia would only say that it was “acting according to the directives of the Transportation Ministry as they are issued from time to time, and will continue to act according to them.”
The ministry said the issue of segregated lines is pending a court ruling. “For this reason, the ministry does not process requests of this kind until a ruling is made,” it said.
The ministry is expected this month to give answers about the segregated lines to the Supreme Court, which is reviewing the legal basis for their operation following a petition on the matter. The petition was filed by the Israel Religious Action Center, which is associated with the Reform Movement. It also prompted Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz to form a committee on the issue.
The committee ruled two months ago that the 90 segregated lines currently operating in Bnei Brak and Jerusalem should be canceled. Segregated buses are a relatively new phenomenon in Israel, with the first one appearing 10 years ago on a line between Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh.
Maybe if “men” chose to sat in the back of the bus instead of the coveted front seats things would go better in these discussions. It is the concept of sending women to the back of the bus as if they were inferior. If they treated the women with a little respect and dignity and simply said “we will choose to sit in the back of the bus” respectfully for religious reasons so we won’t bump into one and other maybe that would have a different effect especially on young bochurim and older ackshanim who think they have a right to berate, humiliate and abuse women who do not wish to comply. The attitude and atmosphere would change. For example if a couple got on a bus and the husband graciously sat his wife down in the front and then proceeded to the back that would show he coveted his wife for than the seat in the front.
segerated bus lines is unnecessary and causes uneeded friction. do we have seerated bus or subways in nyc????? in a way it makes a mockery of frum torah jews…..
As long as there is a request for them, and alternatives provided for those that don’t want it, it should be allowed.
Why is it ok for the non-religious to force their views on us, and we can’t demand some respect for our beliefs.
This attempt to block everything chareidi is racism at its best. Kudos for those that are fighting back.
If they are so desperate for separation, just put men on one side and women on another side with a mechitzah in between. This is already happening on some frum bus lines.
if he is so prominent why did no one ever hear of him before?
Maybe there should be Mehadrin min Hamehadin bus. Men in the front, woman in the middle, boys under sixteen in the back.
Why don’t these Rabbanim do something even more important and stand up and tell the Frum community that there really is no need for such buses. This would be a service to all, the Chareidim and all others-it would teach the correct Halacha and lead to peace.
actually i would be more interested in a bus line that seperates arabs from jews…
my preference ofcourse..
is their a halachic basis yea or nay on that concept?
I have a better idea. how about alternating every 3 buses. One bus for men,, the next one for women and the next one mixed. Continue like that all day. If anybody wants to wait for a single sex bus, he can do so in all types of weather.
If you lived in T’veryah in the summer months you would understand the need for segregated buses.
First of all, the Chareidi population is not 8%, they are a significant population in most major cities. If there is a significant population request for something, then it should be accommodated. For someone to say I will davka sit with a mini skirt in the front is pure incitement.
As for racist, if you specifically prevent anything chareidi without judging the merits, then it is racist!! Racism means discrimination because of racial factors and not on the merits.
I guess for all the people who say if their is a demand it should be permitted. What about the people who want cloths optional buses, should that be permitted?
This has nothing to do with halacha it has to do with power.
Why don’t the Chareidi run vans along the bus route and pick up whoever they wish? If it works on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, why shouldn’t it work inTiberias?