Katya Adler reports in the BBC News:
The other day I was waiting for a bus in downtown Jerusalem. I was in the bustling orthodox Jewish neighbourhood of Mea Sharim and the bus stop was extremely crowded.
When the Number 40 bus arrived, the most curious thing happened. Husbands left heavily pregnant wives or spouses struggling with prams and pushchairs to fend for themselves as they and all other male passengers got on at the front of the bus.
Women moved towards the rear door to get on at the back.
When on the bus, I tried to buck the system, moving my way towards the driver but was pushed back towards the other women.
These are what orthodox Jews call “modesty buses”.
The separation system operates on 30 public bus routes across Israel.
The authorities here say the arrangement is voluntary, but in practice, as I found out, there is not much choice involved. …
Read the whole article here.
See also
http://dovbear.blogspot.com/2006/12/religious-woman-beaten-by-chareidi-men.html
and
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/801449.html
Modesty buses (mehadrin) are common. As is the physical and verbal abuse of Chareidi women who ride them and neglect to sit far enough in back. For shame. Really.
Whew, first Pippilli, thanks for being a real comment – today this blog got hit with thousands, and I am not exaggerating, THOUSANDS, of porn “comments.” Blech. As to the modesty buses, it’s interesting how almost every religion has a cohort that wants to “other” and separate women.