Reform MK Gilad Kariv Provocatively Takes Torah Scroll To Women’s Section Of Western Wall And Reads From It

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Reform MK Gilad Kariv desecrated the Western Wall’s sanctity Thursday morning when he  attempted to bring a Torah scroll into the women’s section using his parliamentary immunity to prevent police from stopping him. The provocative act occurred during Rosh Chodesh prayers which were attended by hundreds of religious worshipers as well as some 20 Women of the Wall.

Kariv, a Reform rabbi, somehow succeeded in transferring the Torah scroll into the women’s section, a clear violation of the status quo at the Western Wall which requires services to be held in accordance with religious tradition. He then continued the provocation by reading from the Torah scroll in the women’s section while angry worshipers tried to prevent the desecration of the holy place.

ראש חודש חשון, זעזוע וביזיון בכותל: ח״כ גלעד קריב מנצל את החסינות שלו ומנסה להכניס ספר תורה לעזרת נשים בכותל המערבי . pic.twitter.com/6Cv0IEqaja

— ישראל כהן (@Israelcohen911) October 7, 2021

The Western Wall Foundation said that it is “upset by the unpleasant incidents at the Kotel plaza which occurred in the wake of MK Kariv’s decision to bring a Torah scroll into the women’s section in violation of clearcut directives of the Justice Ministry.”

A representative of the foundation met with MK Kariv when he arrived and asked him not to use his immunity to perform such an acction in order to allow prayers to continue in a calm and serene atmosphere at the Western Wall.

Kariv replied that he respects the activities of the Western Wall Foundation but he intends to act according to his own conscience. The Foundation had attempted to prevent friction between Women of the Wall and other worshipers by making a special path for them and separating them from other worshipers.

MK Meir Porush issued a sharp protest regarding the desecration of the Western Wall by Kariv who serves as head of the Knesset’s Law and Justice committee.

“The fact that Gilad Kariv uses his immunity and entices others to violate the Western Wall’s rules, to denigrate and trample the sanctity of the site, is crossing a red line and is intolerable. This is a disgrace which must end.”

Porush sat down on the Knesset committee floor and recited Tehillim in protest against Kariv’s actions Thursday.

ח"כ מאיר פרוש מעורר פרובוקציה בועדת חוקה בכנסת מסרב להתפנות ע"י סדרני הכנסת, מתיישב על הריצפה וקורא תהילים.
הסיפור החל לאחר שהיו"ר גלעד קריב הורה להוציאו מהדיון על כך שמחה על זה שקריב התפלל היום בכותל עם נשות הכותל. pic.twitter.com/1S7BjpTUMO

— יוני אוחנה (@yoniohna) October 7, 2021