My tallit is fraying; my prayer should not

On each corner of my tallit, embroidered in purple, red and blue are the names of our four matriarchs – Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. I wear this beautiful tallit, made by the Women of the Wall, with pride. 

But when I wear it at the Kotel, the Western Wall in Jerusalem, I also wear it with fear, knowing that I may be attacked by those who disapprove of women wearing tallit.  

If Israel’s government passes a proposed new law, I will not be able to wear it at the Kotel at all. The proposed law to grant the Chief Rabbinate control of all prayer at the Kotel would prevent egalitarian services or women’s prayer groups at Judaism’s holiest site.  

 My beautiful tallit is now fraying from use. I bought it about 30 years ago, at the Kotel from the Women of the Wall. These women, from all walks of life, including Orthodox and Progressive Jews, first formed as a group in 1998 to hold services at the Wall and advocate for the rights of women to pray there, wearing tallit and kippah and reading from the Torah.  

Women of the Wall prays each month at the Kotel, holding a morning service on Rosh Chodesh, the day beginning of the new month which is traditionally a day gifted to women.