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Women are banned from driving... and Even Occupying the Front Seat in Some Parts of America!
although the situation has changed in americatoday but it did not embrace all american women. this may be surprising to the westerners and americans in particular. however, a little bit of clarification along with evidence will reveal that the united states itself, which calls saudis to allow women to drive, prevents some american women not only from driving, but to occupy the front seat, even if the driver is this woman's son, husband, or father. this occurs on american soil, particularly in the williamsburgdistrict of brooklyn, where the hasidic village [48] inhabited by jewish hasidism sect. highlighting the status of woman according to the teachings of this jewish-american sect will reveal, both simply and bitterly, the great difference between man and woman:
the value pyramid of jewish hasidism gives less importance to woman than man. therefore, the education they provide for woman is diametrically different from that for man. since jewish hasidism does not believe that the minds of both man and woman are equal, it is satisfied with telling woman about the religious holidays and diet regulations in the torah. [49]
jewish hasidism carefully women separates women from men from their early years to marriage. sex issues are never discussed and there is no preparation of the physical changes that occur in puberty or any talk about matters of marriage between a mother and her daughter. [50] female education often ends at secondary education and a few of them join universities. some women hold jobs in trade or factories before marriage. after marriage woman can work until she becomes pregnant because this prevents her from engaging in any profitable outdoor activities. [51] in this society, men are the religious and political leaders while women raise children and strengthen the integrity of marriage and the family. in addition, they can provide financial assistance to the needy and visit them, go shopping and cooking for them. they light the saturday candles to prepare the house for the holy days. there exist blinds or woven wood networks that obscure women from the gaze of men. on the holy days, some women gather to pray behind the curtains and watch the activities practiced on the main floor of the house in which the lesson is delivered. this separation between men and women occur during the social and religious activities as well. [52]
this is not all. according to the teachings of hasidism, "it is forbidden for a dog, a woman or a palm tree to be between two men and men are forbidden from walking in the middle of dogs, women or palm trees. there is serious risk when woman menstruates or sits at the crossroad." (pesahim, 111a). joseph caro - author of the fifteenth century constitution of jewish law (shulhan aruch) – describes the status of woman in the jewish society accurately as follows: "a man is forbidden to walk between two women, two dogs, or two pigs. if there are two men, they should not allow a woman, a dog or a pig to pass between them." [53] this shows how woman was at the level of the dog and pig in the belief of jewish hasidism! this is confirmed by another quotation: "man should take care not to pass between two women, two dogs or two pigs and if there are two men, they should not allow a woman, a dog or a pig to pass between them." [54] the orthodox jewish writer, evelyn kay, wrote a whole volume (the hole in the sheet) to document the miserable life of woman under traditional judaism. she states, "orthodox and hasidic men believe that woman is evil, unreliable and seduce for sex ... when i walked in the streets of new yorkbehind the hasidic jews i felt that feel they tried to evade me as if i were an outcast."[55] this is in addition to the observation of james yaff with respect to traditional orthodox judaism: "a woman has to shave her head after marriage and put hair wig for the rest of her life."[56]
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[48] edward guthmann ,san francisco chronicle, october 31, 1997
[49] mintz, jerome. legends of the hasidim. p 83
[50] mintz, jerome. legends of the hasidim. p 83
[51]mintz, jerome. legends of the hasidim. p 85
[52] mintz, jerome. hasidic people: a placein the new world. p. 66.
[53] lesley hazleton, israeli women the reality behind the myths (new york: simon and schuster, 1977) p. 41.
[54] ganzfried, rabbi solomon. translated by goldin, hyman e. code of jewish law. kitzur shulhan aruh. a compilation of jewish laws and customs. hebrew publishing company, new york, 1961., p. 7
[55] evelyn
[56] yaffe, james. the american jews. portrait of a split personality. random house, new york, 1968, p. 100
