Women Barred From Speaking At Gynecological Conference in Israel Due Pressure From Orthodox Jewish Groups

A conference on “Innovations in Gynecology/Obstetrics and Halacha [Jewish law]” will be held this week to discuss such things as “how to choose a suitable contraceptive pill” but women will be barred as speakers. Bowing to ultra-Orthodox Jewish leaders in Israel, the Puah Institute has barred female speakers and ordered that women are to be segregated in female-only areas. With the ongoing protests over the mistreatment of women and girls by Orthodox Jews in some areas, the conference only magnifies the tensions in the country.

Despite objections from various groups and the decision of some doctors to decline to speak, the Puah Institute has remained firm in its discriminatory treatment.

The United Torah Judaism party was given the position of Deputy Health Minister because it cannot formally join the coalition of Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, due to its religious objections to accepting the concept of a Zionist state. Netanyahu is technically the minister to allow the ultra-Orthodox to control the health ministry.

Again, Israel faces these difficulties due to a lack of separation of temple and state, in my view. These religious parties have inflated importance due to the constitutional system where coalitions control governments. The result is not just political instability but investing extreme groups with unwarranted power.

Source: Globe and Mail