Gender separation in Judaism

In Judaism, especially in Orthodox tradition, there are a number of settings in which men and women are kept separate in order to conform with various elements of halakha and to prevent men and women from mingling. Other forms of Judaism rarely separate genders any more than secular western society.

By setting

Synagogues

Main article: Mechitza

During prayer services in Orthodox synagogues, seating is almost always separate. A mechitza is used to divide the men and women, and often to block the view from one section to the other, though mechitza heights and opacity vary by synagogue.

Conservative, Reform, and other types of synagogues generally do not have separate seating.

Weddings and Bar Mitzvahs

At many Orthodox weddings and bar/bat mitzvahs, seating at the ceremony and often the reception is separate, sometimes with a mechitza.

Swimming

A sign forbidding men entering the women's section a Tel-Aviv beach, 1927

In Ultra-Orthodox Judaism, many believe that men and women should not swim together. The laws prohibiting mixed bathing are derived from the laws of tzniut. This is due to concerns that bathing suits are inherently immodest, and do not meet tzniut requirements. In particular, a woman who comes dressed in a bathing suit to a pool is appearing publicly not meeting the requirements of tzniut, and a man who comes to a pool where women are dressed in bathing suits will inevitably see women dressed in this manner. Indeed, many pools within Jewish communities have separate hours for male and female swimming to accommodate those who follow this law.

Some women following the laws of tzniut will wear a long T-shirt style dress over their bathing suit that meets tzniut requirements, considering this to be sufficient for swimming in the presence of men. Men, though, are more strict about the presence of immodestly-dressed women, due to concerns over the possibility of arousal.

Conservative, Reform, and other forms of Judaism do not have any restrictions on mixed swimming. Many Modern Orthodox Jews will also participate in mixed swimming.

Streets

Some Haredi communities enforce or attempt to enforce gender segregation on sidewalks.

Dancing

Currently, the majority of Orthodox Jews do not participate in mixed dancing, since dancing in most forms involves some contact between dancers.

In 2013, the Rabbinical Court of the Ashkenazi Community in the ultra-Orthodox settlement of Beitar Illit ruled against Zumba (a type of dance fitness) classes, although they were held with a female instructor and all-female participants. The Court said in part, "both in form and manner, the activity [Zumba] is entirely at odds with both the ways of the Torah and the holiness of Israel, as are the songs associated to it."

Transportation

Many followers of Haredi Judaism have taken on the practice of separate seating while traveling. These range from abstaining to sitting adjacent to a member of the opposite sex, to having separate vehicles altogether.

When Haredi have attempted to enforce gender segregation on public transportation such as buses and airlines, conflict with anti-discrimination laws have sometimes ensued. There have been complaints by airline passengers who have been subjected to Orthodox male passengers attempting to impose gender segregation on flights. The New York Times interviewed Anat Hoffman on the phenomenon on Orthodox males asking female passengers on airlines to move. IRAC had started a campaign urging women not to give up their seats. In Israel religious practice and civil rights have come into conflict in the running of Mehadrin bus lines.

El Al airlines has future plans to fly single-gender flights for Haredi Jews following this practice.