A pox on all their houses. Wish they'd all go find another planet on which to fight it out.

the Jewish Burqa also known as the Frumka was an item in the news a while back?

Taliban Mom Set to be Released on Sunday

<snip>

"After serving a four-year prison term, the so-called “Taliban Mom” is set to be released on Sunday, 27 Sivan 5772, the daily Maariv reports. The mother was sent to prison after being convicted of harming her children, including putting cigarettes out on their extremities.

The report states the mom decided to segregate herself from other prisoners due to her strict religious lifestyle, and as a result of her unwillingness to eat the food provided, was hospitalized on a number of occasions for malnutrition and other maladies. She also kept a taanis dibur quite often as she did her utmost to maintain her lifestyle as she felt necessary.

Upon her release, she will be permitted to meet with 11 of her 12 children. Her 14-year-old daughter has been removed from her custody prior to her imprisonment, the report states.

The report quotes friends of the Taliban Mom as stating she plans to return to her husband where they hope to live with their children in Beit Shemesh. Her attorney told the press “she is not angry at anyone and she simply wishes to live in peace and quiet, adding that his client feels the imprisonment was Hashem’s decree.

It was her arrest back in 2008 that brought the matter of the Shawl Women to the media spotlight. She was suspected of abusing her children and based on the testimony of four of her children; a criminal indictment was handed down. The indictment spoke of horrific abuse, including low voltage electrocution, cigarettes, being hit with belts, starvation and other forms of abuse and torture."

http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=130547

I was avoiding using the T word but that's what I was talking about

Municipality admits cannot handle 'complex issue' by itself after woman files police complaint over sign ordering women to avoid sidewalk frequented by synagogue goers

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4251544,00.html

<snip>

"The issue of women's exclusion is troubling the city of Beit Shemesh once again. A sign ordering women to avoid walking on a pavement at the Chazon Ish street has been removed at one woman's insistence.

Earlier on Wednesday, Beit Shemesh resident Nili Phillip filed a police complaint after noticing the sign. "The sign resembles one that was posted on the street in the past," Phillip said.

She is claiming that the sign was posted against the law and is proof that the city is ruled by anarchy. "This may come to bloodshed," she warned. "There is a direct correlation to recent attacks on women," she added referring to an incident where a woman was pelted with a stone for dressing immodestly.

Phillip herself was a victim of a similiar attack. "Women ask me why I care about the sign as it's a haredi district. My reply is that this is a main road leading to a shopping center. I once rode my bicycle near there and got a stone to the head by a haredi man," she recounted. "On other occasions I was spat on and name called."

Hopefully this trend will soon be reversed.

Check out the beaches of Tel Aviv if you think this is wide spread.

I'd love to see a lot more of the "beaches of Tel Aviv" and a lot less of the "streets of Beit Shemesh" version of Israel. Unfortunately, it seems like the latter is getting bigger, stronger, and more emboldened to impose their values in various communities.

I support an Israel where any woman can walk on any street and not be subject to harassment on religious grounds. I also would like to see those values spread throughout the region.

I would also note that it is lamentable that the treatment of women as second class citizens occurs in religious communities all over the world, including the US and Europe.

But as this particular forum is focused on Israeli/Palestinian issues - I would say that this trend in Israel ought to be addressed and condemned.