Bnei Brak Municipality Orders Gender Segregation on Sidewalks

The municipality of Bnei Brak, guided by city rabbis, has decided to separate men and women on two main streets by installing barriers and signs.

• The city will set up barriers and signs on Shlomo HaMelech and Ezra streets to prevent mixing between men and women, particularly near crowded wedding halls.
• The decision follows prior Israel Supreme Court rulings in 2017 and 2021 that prohibited municipalities from enforcing gender segregation or dress codes in public spaces.
• Former Knesset member Michal Rozin said she will petition the Supreme Court against the decision, stating “Bnei Brak will not become Tehran.”
• Knesset member Vladimir Beliak asked the government’s legal adviser to examine the decision’s legality, calling it a violation of equality and freedom of movement.