When is an Extremist Not an Extremist?

An extremist is defined as “any ideology or political act far outside the perceived political center of a society.” As CEO of a crisis PR Agency, it is quite apparent that media uses the “extremist” label only when it fits their liberal agenda, particularily as it suits their media bias against Israel.

Consider the tiny handful of mostly American Jews who call themselves “Women of The Wall”, who were fawned over in The New York Times today. Without debating whether their cause is right or wrong, can anyone disagree that their behavior is well outside the consensus of Israeli society?

The Western Wall, where these extremists seek to pray, is the holiest site for Jews in the world to pray. Jews (and people of any religion) can visit the site 24/7, and do. Some wear shorts, some goofy fanny packs, and unlike at Muslim prayer sites, anyone can enter.

The head Rabbi of the Western Wall, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz said: “They don’t come here to pray, they want to protest. They hurt us, the Jewish people, by distorting the truth.” A Rabbi who represents the holiest site in Judaism is against them – yet he’s the minority?

The Supreme Court of the State of Israel ruled on this case — and designated a discreet part of the wall for coed prayer with full regalia as they wish. Some amongst this group choose to violate the law – right or wrong, how can media not responsibly deem this behavior extremism? And why such undue attention in a region, where Israel’s neighbors treat women as marital property, women are unable to drive, be educated or do much of anything except bear children?

The article states: “While more than 60 percent of Jews in the United States identify with the Reform or Conservative movements, where women and men have equal standing in prayer and many feminists have adopted ritual garments, in Israel it is one in 10. Instead, about half call themselves secular, and experts say that most of those consider Orthodoxy as the true Judaism, feel alienated from holy sites like the Western Wall, and view a woman in a prayer shawl as an alien import from abroad.”

Quite misleading – even if 60 percent of American Jews do identify with the Reform or Conservative movements do they support women breaking the law to violate what Israel considers to be Jewish law? How many of these women don (or support) women wearing tefillin when praying? A miniscule number. Can one find even 100 Israeli women who’d support this extremist behavior?

It’s a continuation of undue media attention – and the liberal agenda at work which damages Israel.   Could one imagine if the good-looking, perfect English speaker Naftali Bennett were liberal how the foreign media would fawn all over him? But he’s a proud traditional Jew, so expect him to be labeled as an extremist.

As my mom always used to say: “Life isn’t fair, so get used to it.”