| The Israel Religious Action Center For Human Equality, Social Justice, Religious Tolerance Contact: Joel Katz, Overseas Relations Tel.: 972-2-620-6261, ext. 127 Cell Phone: 972-54-779-1119 Email: joel@irac.org Press Release ISRAEL RELIGIOUS ACTION CENTER PETITIONS ISRAEL SUPREME COURT TO STOP SEGREGATION ON BUSES Israel Reform Movement’s legal arm and 5 women fight against making women sit in back of bus Jerusalem, January 31, 2007 The Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), the legal and public advocacy arm of the Israel Movement for Progressive (Reform) Judaism and 5 women, some of them Orthodox, have petitioned Israel’s Supreme Court to compel Israel’s Transportation Ministry to exercise its authority over the Egged and Dan bus companies’ segregated bus lines. The petition asks to stop the operation of such lines until an extensive survey is carried out by the Transportation Ministry, after which the operation of segregated bus lines will be approved only if a non-segregated line is available for passengers opposed to segregation. The writer Naomi Ragen, one of the petitioners, describes in her affidavit how she was subjected to a “constant barrage of verbal insults and physical intimidation” after she refused to move to the back of the bus. She relates that the lines “have nothing to do with Judaism and everything to do with knuckling under to fanatic forces who bear much in common with the Taliban”. For over a decade, public bus companies in Israel have been running “mehadrin” bus lines. On these bus lines – not marked in any special way – women are required to enter the bus from the rear and to sit in the back section of the bus, while the men enter from the front door and sit in the front. Women passengers are also required to wear modest clothing. Women who do not consent to this arrangement, such as the 5 petitioners, are humiliated and suffer from severe verbal harassment, are removed from the bus and even threatened with physical violence. The separation becomes even more infuriating when the women’s section is full and men still prevent the women from sitting in the men’s section. The “mehadrin” bus lines arrangement began as a trial project of only a few lines a decade ago yet has increased over the last years to include dozens of city and inter-city lines, serving both Orthodox and secular passengers. The Transportation Ministry has so far failed to address the matter, claiming this is a "voluntary arrangement" of Orthodox passengers. The petition claims that taking into account the severe infringement of women's right to equality and dignity caused by the segregated lines, the Transportation Ministry cannot continue ignoring the issue. In its refusal to regulate the segregated lines, the Ministry is aiding discrimination against women and to violence against women who do not surrender to such discrimination The petition demands the Ministry make a thorough public opinion survey to establish whether there is a real need for segregated bus lines and regulate the issue. The petition further demands that only a limited number of segregated bus lines be approved – only where it is shown that in fact a strong need exists for such lines. In addition, the petition demands that the Ministry make sure that for every “mehadrin” line there is a regular line running at the same frequency and price and that “mehadrin” lines be clearly marked. Finally, the petition demands that the Ministry supervise the bus lines to ensure the safety of the passengers, both women and men. For more information or to schedule an interview with IRAC Attorneys Einat Hurvitz or Orly Erez-Likhovski, please call Joel Katz at 972-54-779-1119 or email joel@irac.org Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism P.O.B 31936 Jerusalem 91319 Tel: 02-6256260 E-mail: irac@irac.org www.irac.org |
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