actor Noah Schnapp's instagram story about wrapping Tefillin at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Judaism's holiest site.

I have a question that’s maybe a little obscure so if you don’t feel able to answer it don’t worry but I appreciate your time anyways, thank you.

I notice in these beautiful historical paintings or art of the kotel that often there are both men and women praying together, not gender segregated. I know now prayer at the wall is gender segregated… I am not really familiar with the history of what happened and why that is. Do you know? I mean the art I’m thinking of… was it depicting real life, did men and women used to pray at the kotel together? Sorry if this is a loaded question at all I’m just very curious and want to understand.

So, Jews haven't had full autonomy over the Kotel since the rule of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificant and a few of his successors (until they stopped being so tolerant of the Jews) and then not until 1967. Though the Kotel is deeply important in Judaism as the last remaining structure of the Beit HaMikdash, Jews haven't always been able to access it due to restrictions by the various occupying forces in the area over time. In the times when Jews were allowed to access the Kotel (and pray there, sometimes Jews were allowed to access it but not pray), there was no point in mandating gender segregation, as people were more worried about the fact that they were allowed to even be at the wall. So yes, men and women used to pray together at the Kotel (in the rare times when Jews were allowed to pray there). Gender segregation at the Kotel wasn't a thing until 1967.

Here are a few old photos of Jews praying at the Kotel:

Men and women together at Jerusalem’s Western Wall, between 1900 to 1920. (G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection/Library of Congress)

Jews praying at the Western Wall (circa 1917). (public domain/via Israel Daily Picture)

Two Jewish men and two women stand in front of the Western Wall, Jerusalem, circa 1908. (Underwood & Underwood/Library of Congress)

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Often Imitated, never Replicated.

Thousands gather at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to pray for the safe release of the 136 Israelis still held captive by Hamas in Gaza.

A family of Bukharan origin celebrate a young Jew’s bar mitzvah at the Western Wall. Jerusalem, Israel. 1995.

A. Abbas/Magnum Photos

Kotel, 1920

Le Kotel est toujours un lieu sacré pour les Juifs, qui viennent du monde entier pour prier et demander la venue du Messie, le retour des exilés, la reconstruction du temple et y effectuer bien d'autres prières.

La grande clôture qui sépare les deux zones de prière du mur, l'une dédiée aux femmes et l'autre aux hommes, est frappante. La prière des hommes est généralement beaucoup plus remarquable, ils ont pour habitude de chanter les psaumes à haute voix, de courir et de bouger frénétiquement la tête devant le mur. Depuis 2013, les femmes sont autorisées à prier à haute voix et à utiliser les mêmes symboles religieux que les hommes

Israeli soldiers rest at the Kotel (also known as the Western Wall) after fierce fighting to liberate the Old City Jerusalem on June 7th, 1967. The soldiers appear to be armed with FN FAL battle rifles.

Photo Credit: BaMachaneh (former official journal of the IDF)

The phrase “Talmudic Rituals” is so funny.

Kotel Kiss

And The Artist Is (SOLD ARCHIVES)

EUGENE ALEXIS GIRARDET

(1853 - 1907)

The Wailing Wall

Oil on canvas

28 3/4 x 19 inches

Signed

https://rehs.com/Eugene_Alexis_Girardet_The_Wailing_Wall.html

#eugenegirardet

#frenchart #frenchartist #wailingwall #westernwall #jerusalem #koteł #middleeast #figurativeart #paintingoftheday #frenchacademicart #rehsgalleries #fineart #soldart #academicart #instaart #artoftheday #paintingoftheday

Rosh Hashanah greeting card depicting the Kotel.