Maltz tells us that "According to Kariv, the Reform movement is second only to Chabad in terms of its reach in the old country."

This is just hilarious, Between the Ukraine and Russia there are some 400 Chabad rabbis. Institutions in every city. The Reform claiming its second is absurd. And Malz shoud have at least the journalistic integrity to tells us this fact.

This article omits the rabbis of the fastest growing segment of the Jewish world who are renown for juggling varied jobs and remarkable innovation, Chabad.

The facts are a bit different. The police informed Hoffman and company that they would enforce the ruling of the Israeli Supreme Court to the letter of the law. The court ruled no Kaddish years ago so the police told them that. This came about since last month WOW flaunted the police and pushed the confrontation. . Rabinowitz did not know about the Kaddish and was suprised as others.

The facts are that the court set aside a section of the wall for non traditional prayer. Hoffman wants confrontation, not compromise. It's great for pr and fundraising.

The liberal women wo want to impose change are noble and fighters for freedom. And if religious Jews want to protest the effort to change three thousand years of tradition they are "extremnist". Maybe it's the other way around. Thw liberal women refuse to accept a compromise to use a section of the wall are "extreme". the orthodox who have not interfered with liberal prayer in that area want to traditions at the wall plaza to be the same as in the time of King Solomon.

No question if Solomon was here today, in the eyes of Anat Hoffman he would be the "extremnist".

The question is will the Forward aplogize for this story that has no basis in fact. We are all waiting.

Heilman says the library "could damage Chabad's reputation". Those were his words. There are no basis for this assertion. Just another delusional claim from a man who claims expertise he does not have

Its amazing the read the absurdity of all of this. There is already an area of the Wall set aside for non orthodox prayer. A compromise has been made. The orthodox are not attempting to break the compromise. And lets not fool ourselves, put up some posters in Jerusalem and you could have a hundred thousand protesting near Robinson's Arch. The orthodox have taken passive stance, of live and let live.

Not so for Anat Hoffman and company. They are going strong. Getting arrested on a regular basis (she must know the cops will by now.).

Still we have to ask, is this good for the Jewish people. Do we need this conflict.

It seems that its good for Hoffman, a great boost for pr and fundraising.

There is no way there will be every non orthodox prayer at the Kotel Plaza. Just after the Six Day War a group of American Reform Rabbis came to Jerusalem to the Wall Plaza intent on changing the historic standards of prayer dating back to King Solomon. A hundred thousand orthodox Jews greeted them. There saw the crowd and left.. Today the number would be more than a million.

So lets get real. Its not happening. And its outrageous to use Federations and other Jewish groups and as tool to build Reform in Israel. Let them succeed on their own merits. And the truth be told they are not doing so well. Secular Tel Aviv has over 500 Orthodox synagogues, most open daily, and lonesome Beth Daniel, the only Reform Temple is open just on Shabbat.

If Anat Hoffman has such a great product let her go door to door in Tel Aviv and enlist people to her cause. In the meanwhile its a lot easier to get yourself arrested at the Kotel than do the heavy lifting of organizational building, house by house, block by block. And off course its great for fundraising.

The already is a compromise. An area of the Wall has been designated for non tradional prayer.

The conflict stems from Anat Hoffman coming to the area of traditional prayer and provoking. Orthodox groups have not interfered or protested the area set aside for Reform and Conservative. Why can't Hoffman and her supporters respect the existing compromise. It seems they have another agenda, it's good for Reform fundraising and draws attention to their cause.

Clearly Reform is challenged in Israel. In secular Tel Aviv there are over 500 orthodox synagogues, most open daily, and one Reform Temple, only open on Shabbat. Clearly they are not successful in Israel.

There is a an area of the Wall set aside for non traditional prayer. Anat Hoffman can sing, dance, read the Torah and no one will bother her. In fact Orthodox groups have not protested this arrangement. Hoffman is interested in creating an incident. It draws attention to her cause, helps raise money for the Reform in Israel and gets great headlines.

Almost every month or two we have another Hoffman arrest. This is not about prayer, its about her not accepting compromise and looking for more conflict.

An area of the Wall has been set aside for liberal style prayer. Orthodox groups have refrained from protesting or interfering with services there. Hoffman can pray any way she wants in that area. Getting arrested is great for pr and fundraising.

For the record estermiriam is incorrect. In ancient times prayer in the Temple was in separate areas for men and women. During British and Arab rule jews congregated in separate sides. When the could the placeda Melchiza, divider