While American Jews feel hurt and ignored at Israel’s latest decision regarding the Western Wall, it could be they don’t fully comprehend what it means. There already is a place within the Western Wall area where men and women can pray together. That would be the space created for this purpose at Robinson’s Arch. Jewish men and women have been holding egalitarian prayers there for 15 years and no doubt will continue to do so.

In other words, men and women have a way to pray together at the Western Wall, and have had this for over a decade. While they had hoped for this new space, it’s not as if their rights are being trampled on. This should be made more clear in Jewish newspapers and in statements by the American Jewish leadership.