Pink Pangea

Several years ago, Israel introduced a limited number of gender-segregated bus lines for the religious community. Now women are fighting back.

The Israel Religious Action Committee estimated that there are 100 such lines operating throughout the country, up from 10 when the service was introduced. Women who boarded the buses inadvertently and refused to move to the back may be subjected to severe verbal abuse. An American-Israeli tourist recounted her experience to the Israeli daily newspaper Ha’aretz, saying:

“Every two or three days, someone would tell me to sit in the back, sometimes politely and sometimes not,” she recalled this week in a telephone interview. “I was always polite and said ‘No. This is not a synagogue. I am not going to sit in the back.’…Four men surrounded me and slapped my face, punched me in the chest, pulled at my clothes, beat me, kicked me.”

A group of women recently filed a petition with the Israeli supreme court to ban gender-based segregation. Protesters handed out fliers outside of the Supreme Court building after a Transportation Ministerial Committee ruled that the segregated lines are illegal.

Keep in mind: The majority of bus lines in Israel will not present these issues. You will likely only come across these bus lines when traveling to or from ultra-religious neighborhoods such as B’nei Brak or Mea She’arim. Women travelers should be aware that such bus lines may not be clearly marked — if your find yourself on a bus with mostly men dressed in Jewish religious attire, try finding a seat next to a woman. Prepare yourself for unexpected situations by carrying a scarf or shawl with you in case you need to cover up.