page_title: Haredi Judaism
section_title: Gender separation
hierarchical_section_title: Haredi Judaism / Practices and beliefs / Gender separation
caption_attribution_description: English: Тhe second graduating class of the Bais Ya'akov in Lodz, Poland, in 1934. Русский: Второй выпуск школы Бейт-Яаков в 1934 году. Лодзь, Польша.
context_page_description: Haredi Judaism consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism characterized by a strict adherence to halakha and traditions, as opposed to modern values and practices. Its members are often referred to as strictly Orthodox or ultra-Orthodox in English; however, the term "ultra-Orthodox" is considered pejorative by many of its adherents. Haredi Jews regard themselves as the most religiously authentic group of Jews, although this claim is contested by other streams of Judaism.
  Some scholars have suggested that Haredi Judaism is a reaction to societal changes, including emancipation, the Haskalah movement derived from the Enlightenment, acculturation, secularization, religious reform in all its forms from mild to extreme, the rise of the Jewish national movements, etc. In contrast to Modern Orthodox Judaism, followers of Haredi Judaism are usually uncompromising in their adherence to Jewish Law and custom, and, as a result, they segregate themselves from other parts of society to an extent. However, many Haredi communities encourage their young people to get a professional degree or establish a business.
context_section_description: While Jewish modesty law requires gender separation under various circumstances, observers have contended that there is a growing trend among some groups of Hasidic Haredi Jews to extend its observance to the public arena.
  In the Hasidic village of Kiryas Joel, New York, an entrance sign asks visitors to "maintain gender separation in all public areas", and the bus stops have separate waiting areas for men and women. In New Square, another Hasidic enclave, men and women are expected to walk on opposite sides of the road. In Israel, residents of Meah Shearim were banned from erecting a street barrier dividing men and women during the week-long Sukkot festival's nightly parties. and street signs requesting that women avoid certain pavements in Beit Shemesh have been repeatedly removed by the municipality.
  Since 1973, buses catering for Haredi Jews running from Rockland County and Brooklyn into Manhattan have had separate areas for men and women, allowing passengers to conduct on-board prayer services. Although the lines are privately operated, they serve the general public, and in 2011, the set-up was challenged on grounds of discrimination, and the arrangement was deemed illegal. During 2010–2012, there was much public debate in Israel surrounding the existence of segregated Haredi Mehadrin bus lines (whose policy calls for both men and women to stay in their respective areas: men in the front of the bus, and women in the rear of the bus) following an altercation that occurred after a woman refused to move to the rear of the bus to sit among the women. A subsequent court ruling stated that while voluntary segregation should be allowed, forced separation is unlawful. Israeli national airline El Al has agreed to provide gender-separated flights to cater for Haredi requirements.
  Education in the Haredi community is strictly segregated by sex. Yeshiva education for boys is primarily focused on the study of Jewish scriptures, such as the Torah and Talmud (non-Hasidic yeshivas in America teach secular studies in the afternoon); girls obtain studies both in Jewish education as well as broader secular subjects.
  In 2012, A Better Safe Than Sorry Book, aimed at Haredi Jewish children, was published with some controversy, as it contains both sexes.
caption: The Bais Yaakov graduating class of 1934 in Łódź, Poland
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