A Bad Idea

There are numerous reasons the Sharansky plan to create a third section at the Kosel for egalitarian services is a bad idea.

First and foremost, the building of what essentially would be an outdoor Reform temple in the most sacred place in the temporal world would be a terrible chillul Hashem.

Furthermore, such a section, accessible as part of one unified Kosel complex with a single entrance, would grant enormous legitimacy to a group that has long rejected the basic tenets of the Torah. While all those born of a Jewish mother are Jewish, the religion this group practices isn’t Judaism.

Now a new factor has emerged that must also be taken into consideration. As reported elsewhere in this edition, PA Religious Affairs Minister Mahmoud al-Habash declared Thursday morning that the plan “is unacceptable to the Palestinian and Arab side…  It’s a change of our heritage site, and I believe such changes may push all of us to new conflicts and problems.”

The last thing that is needed is allowing the outrageous demands of a group of rabble-rousing women to force the Israeli government to take steps that will cause Arab violence. Avoiding unnecessary conflict should never be confused with agreeing to the claims of those on the other side. This isn’t about whom the area really belongs to; it is about sustaining a status quo and maintaining public safety.

The Sharansky plan is unacceptable and should be rejected out of hand.

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