WALL WARRIOR One of the myths propagated by the Reform movement is that the battle over the status quo at the Kosel is a fight between the chareidim (the “ultra-Orthodox”) and the rest of world Jewry. In truth some of the most ardent fighters for preserving the religious character of the Wall would not call themselves chareidi. And the most vocal and persistent warrior in the battle is Matti Dan

O ne of the myths propagated by the Reform movement is that the battle over the status quo at the Kosel is a fight between the chareidim (the “ultra-Orthodox”) and the rest of world Jewry. In truth some of the most ardent fighters for preserving the religious character of the Wall would not call themselves chareidi and are staunchly entrenched in the nationalist (considered more “pluralistic” camp). And the most vocal and persistent warrior in the battle to abolish these new attempted forays of the Reform movement is Matti Dan better known for his role over the last 40 years as the redeemer of Jewish properties in the Old City’s Muslim Quarter.

Dan founder of Ateret Cohanim in what is commonly referred to as the Muslim Quarter — but what he more accurately terms “Central Old Jerusalem” as it was actually a mixed quarter until the Jordanian Legion overran the area in 1948 — is practically single-handedly responsible for the Jewish repopulation and redemption of Jewish properties in the area. His people have been working with Jewish philanthropists since the 1970s to repurchase properties in the Old City many of which were owned by Jews before 1948 but fell into Muslim hands after the War of Independence when Jordan took control of the Old City. Today more than 80 Jewish families live in these properties spread out in various enclaves in the Muslim and Christian Quarters. His organization is involved in redeeming properties with similar ownership status in other neighborhoods of Jerusalem as well including Shimon Hatzaddik Silwan and Maaleh Zeitim.

Matti Dan the man who raised the alarm bells on the basic legality of the now-shelved cabinet agreement that has caused an international uproar by Reform activists over the last two weeks says all his moves are coordinated with gedolei Yisrael. While this past year has seen him put much of his other work on hold in order to campaign against the Reform’s inroads into the Holy City he’s also known for his vigorous opposition to those from the Religious Zionist movement who ascend Har Habayis in contravention to the opinion of the poskim of recent generations and of the chief rabbinate.

The Reform movement might claim it represents the majority of world Jewry and is therefore entitled to equal rights at the Western Wall but even if majority often rules when it comes to the Kosel and other holy sites in Eretz Yisrael the plan that was initiated to appease this plurality — and the suspension of which has caused the international furor — actually has little legal standing. And that could be the major reason the Netanyahu government agreed to suspend implementation of a cabinet decision to provide space for egalitarian prayer at the Kosel as opposed to the more popular media narrative that Bibi caved to his chareidi coalition partners on this hot-potato issue.