Remodeling Jerusalem's Western Wall

The proposed plan by Natan Sharansky, head of the Jewish Agency, calls for the existing section of the Western Wall to remain the domain of Orthodox Jews. This section maintains gender division, with two-thirds of the wall reserved for men and one-third for women, who worship in silence. Sharansky wants to open a new section of the Western Wall for other streams of Judaism, such as the Reform and Conservative movements. Here, men and women would pray together, sing and play music, and women could wear prayer shawls.

Dome
of the Rock

al-Aqsa
mosque

Western Wall

Sharansky envisions erecting a raised platform above the Jerusalem Archaeological Park, where there would be prayer above and tourists below.

Mughrabi Gate

Non-Orthodox

Jerusalem Archaeological Park

Western Wall plaza

Mughrabi Bridge: Connects plaza of Western Wall to the Noble Sanctuary, or Temple Mount. Under the plan, the ramp would serve as a barrier between the orthodox and non-orthodox sections of the wall.