Jewish women pray at Jerusalem holy site, angering rabbi

They planned to hold an all-female "priestly blessing," a prayer typically done by men.

Jewish women wear prayer shawls as they pray during the Jewish holiday of Passover in front of the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, in Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday. The move of the liberal women's group has drawn criticism from the site's ultra-Orthodox rabbi, who called it a "provocation."

A liberal women’s group held a special Passover prayer service on Sunday at a Jerusalem holy site, drawing criticism from the site’s ultra-Orthodox rabbi, who called it a “provocation.”

The group, Women of the Wall, calls for gender equality at the Western Wall, the holiest Jewish prayer site. The site is overseen by a rabbi who enforces conservative customs, including separate prayers for men and women.

“Not at the Western Wall”

The group planned to hold an all-female “priestly blessing,” a prayer typically done by men, but Israel’s attorney general banned it from doing so. The Justice Ministry said a women-led priestly blessing has never been held at the Western Wall.

In a compromise, dozens of women prayed on Sunday, but a group leader said they did not perform the priestly blessing. Some Orthodox Jews protested.