Men and Women Sitting Together, Oh My!

Every week, at our egalitarian synagogue, at least one man pokes his head in, looks around, sees men and women sitting together, and quickly leaves. Yesterday morning, it was no different and it just infuriates me.

Shabbat morning, it was a dad with his two sons. They appeared at a side door, looked around and the dad quickly pulled his sons back (perhaps he thought they’d be struck by lightening if they saw women praying?). Certainly, these individuals are entitled to pray at whatever synagogue where they feel comfortable, where men can pray without seeing women, but their severe reaction and obvious venom to witnessing a modern, egalitarian sanctuary, just makes me mad. I want to shout, "Try it, you might enjoy a situation where men and women have equal rights," or "Welcome to the twentieth century!"