Zvi Sukkot’s Wife Faces Harsh Reactions for Her Head Covering: Controversy Ignites Online

Title: Harsh Reactions Over MK Zvi Sukkot’s Wife’s Head Covering Spark Controversy

Subtitle: Critics Accuse Opponents of Religious Zionism of Targeting Judaism and Israeli Tradition

Bentzi Robin | October 2, 2023 | 11:05

Zvi Sukkot, a Member of Knesset, and his wife recently found themselves at the center of a severe wave of reactions following a photo he uploaded. The photo, featuring Sukkot, his wife, and Simcha Rothman, was innocent enough, but it was his wife’s head covering that attracted sharp criticism from social media users.

The comment section underneath the photo quickly turned ugly, with personal and derogatory remarks towards Sukkot’s wife. One user questioned the nature of a bandage-like accessory on her head, insinuating hidden ulterior motives. Another criticized her headscarf’s size, suggesting that it weighed heavily on her spine and deemed it as self-inflicted harm. One particularly scathing comment asked, “Where else does she want to go with the parachute on her head? Occupying public space?”

In response to the vitriolic comments, the religious Zionist party issued a statement, condemning the harassment faced by Sukkot’s wife on social media. They labeled the attacks as crossing “all red lines” and lamented the silence of opposition leaders. They asserted that the comments represented not just opposition to the government, but pure hatred against Judaism and Israeli tradition.

Zvi Sukkot himself also addressed the controversy, accusing “enlightened liberals” of targeting his wife’s head covering after previous incidents such as disrupting the Kol Nadri prayer and impeding a holiday event for girls. In his statement, Sukkot asserted, “Haters of Judaism.”

The public discourse surrounding this incident further intensified when one commenter took the criticism to an extreme, equating Sukkot’s wife’s choice to “live her life with a terrorist ready to murder innocents.” The comment sparked outrage and accusations of incitement.

This incident highlights growing tensions surrounding religious practices in Israel. It raises concerns about instances of intolerance and the need for greater acceptance of diverse religious expressions.