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Liberals, ultra-Orthodox battle over Israel’s public spaces

The debate over gender separation at a concert in Afula is an example of the ongoing struggle between liberal groups and the ultra-Orthodox, which are both trying to shape the Israeli’s public spaces according to their own norms.
Visitors walk on down a path at a park in the northern Israeli town of Afula, July 13, 2019. Picture taken July 13, 2019. REUTERS/Rami Ayyub - RC127FCC8540
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 These days it looks like Israel is closer than ever to a culture war between two ideological groups: liberals and the ultra-Orthodox. In its most recent iteration, the conflict pits liberal groups headed by feminist organizations who opposed a concert in Afula with separate seating for men and women and the ultra-Orthodox, who insisted that the concert must have complete gender separation. Their stubborn rivalry highlights the gap separating these two groups, both of which are trying to reshape the public space in accordance with their ideals.

The women's equal rights law was adopted by the Knesset in 1951, but it is not fully implemented. The current public debate could revive the issue to shape the character of the state of Israel and respect all its communities. 

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