Merle, as usual your writing has transformed me to another location entirely. Thank you for sharing this so that others may know of the hatred being displayed within the Jewish community. I'm so sorry that you experienced this hatred and that you were physically threatned. I recall how much my own experiences of davenning with WOW and having chairs thrown at us (captured on video and posted online - I wonder if the perpetrators ever watched it and reflected as you offer) colored my own feelings towards the Kotel, taking away much (all?) of the holiness for me; making it feel like the Wall Itself is Divine and thus avodah zarah (idol worship). For how could such hatred occur in a place where God's Presence is to be most strongly felt?
Including you in my prayers for healing and so glad you were able to visit Lisa.
Merle, as usual your writing has transformed me to another location entirely. Thank you for sharing this so that others may know of the hatred being displayed within the Jewish community. I'm so sorry that you experienced this hatred and that you were physically threatned. I recall how much my own experiences of davenning with WOW and having chairs thrown at us (captured on video and posted online - I wonder if the perpetrators ever watched it and reflected as you offer) colored my own feelings towards the Kotel, taking away much (all?) of the holiness for me; making it feel like the Wall Itself is Divine and thus avodah zarah (idol worship). For how could such hatred occur in a place where God's Presence is to be most strongly felt?
Including you in my prayers for healing and so glad you were able to visit Lisa.