Five female worshipers detained at Western Wall

Five women were arrested Thursday morning for illegal worship at the Western Wall.

The women, including Women of the Wall director Leslie Sachs, were arrested for praying while wearing prayer shawls during the group’s monthly Rosh Hodesh (first of the month) prayers at Judaism’s holiest site.

Police said about 120 woman, including Meretz MKs Michal Rozin and Tamar Zandberg, arrived for the prayer service.

“This reminds me of the darkest days of our history when Jews were dispossessed of religious artifacts and not allowed to worship,” said Sachs.

“This is completely irrational. The world didn’t collapse when women weren’t arrested last month. Police should have behaved similarly this time,” said Rozin. “It is unfathomable that in 2013, Israel is the only place in the world where Jewish women are arrested for praying.”

A man who tried to burn pamphlets distributed by the women and a Haredi woman who yelled abuse at the worshipers were also detained, Israel Radio reported.

Police said they would arrest other women who they videotaped transgressing the ban on women reading from the Torah or donning prayer shawls at the holy site.