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December 27, 2011

Israeli Woman Draws Rosa Parks Link After Refusing To Give Up Bus Seat To Ultra-Orthdox Jewish Man 
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A Israeli woman is being compared to U.S. civil rights activist Rosa
Parks after refusing to bow to ultra-Orthodox Jewish customs and
relinquish her seat on a public bus to a man. Tanya Rosenblit took a
Jerusalem-bound bus from her native Ashdod recently when an
ultra-Orthodox Jewish man demanded she move to the back of the bus. In
ultra-Orthodx Jewish communities, mingling between sexes is forbidden
and women are relegated to the back of buses when men are present.
Rosenblit refused the order, which led to an argument. The bus driver
then pulled the bus over and the police were called, but Rosenblit
maintained her position. The bus carried on to its final destination.
The act of defiance has sparked a national discussion in Israel on the
issue of gender segregation. On Monday, the disagreement turned violent
when ultra-Orthodox Jews in the Israeli town of Beit Shemesh clashed
with police. Hundreds of men in the ultra-Orthodx community took part in
the unrest. Members local news crews were reportedly hurt in the clashes
and at least six Beit Shemesh residents were arrested. An estimated
10,000 people are expected to turn out in the community today to to
protest the exclusion of women, as well as violence against girls and
women by Haredi extremists.



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