Question about the stampede disaster in Israel

[Coventina]

Was it a male-only event?

I'm asking because in all the pictures I've seen, I have not seen a single woman or girl.
Even a shot of the crowd, before the stampede, I could not spot a single woman.

However, the coverage does not mention it being a male only event.

I read the entire NYT article and it made no mention about the make up of the crowd.

I'm not saying the stampede happened because of men, because history has proven that large crowds in small spaces = disaster, no matter what the gender make-up of the crowd is.

I just find it interesting that there is absolutely no mention of women, but the coverage doesn't specify that no women or girls were in the crowd.

[EYESORE 9001]

1. They were ultra-Orthodox

To the best of my knowledge, men and women do not commingle during religious events.

[luvs2sing]

2. Exactly.

Men and women worship separately in Orthodox Judaism.

[Coventina]

3. So were women completely absent from the festival? Or in a different area?

It just seems strange to me that the absence of women and girls is never mentioned.

[comradebillyboy]

13. They were in a separate area according to

the Washington Post.

[Coventina]

15. Thanks. I didn't read WP as they are behind a paywall for me.

What a nightmare for separated families!

[soothsayer]

4. I think those were Orthodox men and boys

Women are part of the hundreds of thousands who take part in the celebration — actually sounds like a fun day — but I think those were strictly men heading for the prophet’s grave.

[Coventina]

5. Well, score one for being a woman in that instance, I guess.

Being a religious fundamentalist in any religion seems to bring with it real physical risk.

[Sneederbunk]

6. Apparently social distancing not a priority.

[Coventina]

7. Agreed, the photos are horrifying.

I get that Israel has the highest vaccination rate of any country on earth, but still.....

Also, the images of the crowd before the stampede look scary. It was a tragedy waiting to happen.

[maxsolomon]

9. It's been resisted among the Haredi in both the US & Israel.

If you search for the Rabbi's grave on Google, there are drone shots that show the now-collapsed bleachers. I would assume they were massively overloaded.

[msfiddlestix]

8. I'm more puzzled as to why there was a stamped at all.

some religious cult leader they were all desperate to kiss the feet of?

I just don't get that.

[Coventina]

12. It was as the crowd was exiting. There was a bottleneck and people just kept pushing from behind.

[Mosby]

10. There was a fenced off section for women. nt

[Coventina]

14. I guess that section must have been pretty separate.

As even footage / images of the rescue workers, etc. has no women.

What a nightmare for separated families!

[Hawker123]

16. I would get a hide

If I actually said what I thought about these religious events of any faith.

[Coventina]

17. Well, religion is not a matter of common sense.

I feel bad for the kids.