Israel's Ultra-Orthodox Jews Push for Gender Segregation in Public Spaces

The small Israeli city of Bnei Brak, known for its ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, was on the cusp of becoming the country's first city to implement gender-segregated streets. The plan, which aimed to separate pedestrians by sex through widened sidewalks and barriers, was met with fierce criticism from secular Israelis and human rights groups. While the city's administrators have since backtracked, promising to temporarily rearrange the streets for large events, the incident has reignited concerns about the erosion of gender equality in Israel.

The debate over gender segregation in public spaces is not just about religious freedom, but also about the fundamental principle of equality that underpins Israeli society.

The proposal, which originated from the desire to allow guests at wedding venues to arrive already separated by gender, has raised questions about the role of religion in public spaces. Critics argue that using taxpayer money to fund segregation in supposedly neutral areas sets a worrying precedent, especially in a country where the Supreme Court has consistently ruled against mandatory segregation. In 2011, the court struck down a plan to segregate passengers on public buses, and in 2017, it ordered the city of Beit Shemesh to remove signs promoting gender segregation.

The debate has been further complicated by Israel's demographic shift in favor of more conservative Jewish groups. With Orthodox Jewish families having a higher birth rate than non-Orthodox families, the pressure on the government to accommodate their values is increasing. As the country heads into elections, the issue of gender segregation has become a contentious topic, with many fearing that it will further entrench the divide between secular and religious Israelis.