A League of Their Own

 Dear friends of IRAC,

A few weeks ago it took me the longest time to get dressed in the morning. It's not because I was going to the Supreme Court or meeting with a politician. I have those meetings on a regular basis and I know how to dress for them. No, this time I was getting dressed up as a Haredi woman to go on a freedom ride on one of the segregated buses.

There's a long list of do's and don'ts. I had to find opaque stockings and plain black shoes. My shirt had to be buttoned to the top of my neck and my skirt could be no shorter than a hand width away from my ankle. My sleeves had to cover the bone of my wrist when my arm was outstretched. My tan rain coat was too provocative so I had to get a long black coat. Ipotchkeyed with my hair for ten minutes to make sure not one strand of hair was dangling under my hair covering. Needless to say I never felt more self conscious of my body. How did I know what to wear? I have been studying Haredi women on my freedom rides for the past year. It's clear they are in a uniform. They can spot each other within a split second and know whether you are one of them or not.

I was dressing as a Haredi woman not to be provocative but because I wanted to feel how our ultra-Orthodox clients feel when they get on a segregated bus. The last few times I went on a freedom ride nothing happened. No one harassed me and no one sat down next to me. Haredi women have told us they get harassed more because they are breaking the “rules” of their own community. I wanted to see for myself.

It was one of the most interesting rides I have ever taken. I sat by myself in the front of the bus for a long time. Eventually, a frightened but brave woman sat down next to me. She could not stop smiling at me as if thanking me for helping her find a place in the front. A second courageous woman joined us a few stops later. As she sat down she said “In a minute they'll ask us to get up.” She was right and a man told us to move to the back. I asked why and he replied “According to Israeli law you can sit where you want…” and continued staring at me as if to say “but we adhere to a higher law”.

I asked the driver if I had to move to the back and if he could help me since a man was harassing me. He said “Sit where you want but I won't intervene. If it gets ugly call the police.” How exactly do you call the police to come to a moving vehicle? The driver did not seem to care that he is legally obliged to intervene. The driver's response is like the government's “There is a verdict on segregation. We won't implement it and if it gets bad, call someone else.”

IRAC today published a booklet consisting of personal stories told by thirteen women, who experienced segregation. We salute these brave women who shine a light on this dark corner of Israeli society and call us to action. I invite you to follow this link and read for yourself.

L'Shalom,

Anat Hoffman