Battle of the Sects(es): Jerusalem Style

One of the main sources of conflict within Israeli society is between the different sects of Judaism. We went to Jerusalem last week to hear a few speakers from different backgrounds/ sects. The first speaker gave a really good introduction to the conflicts and why they are so difficult to resolve. The two main sects of Judaism in Israel today are the Orthodox and the secular. Within these sects, there are a variety of sub-sects.
First up was a speaker from the Haredi (ultra-orthodox) community. He was in Paris and came to Israel to teach at Tel Aviv University. He discussed the issues of maintaining your customs and beliefs in a society in which you are the minority. The ultra-orthodox are a minority born in Israel, and even though everyone's Jewish, the ultra-orthodox do not recognize secular Judaism. So, they stick to themselves in communities scattered throughout Israel. Despite being a minority, the ultra-orthodox have control over the religious sites in the country and marriage laws. In order to get married in Israel, you have to "prove" your Judaism, which seems a bit crazy in a country where all of the citizens are Jewish. The ultra-orthodox are in charge of the regulations for visiting the Western Wall, including attire and separation of men and women.
The next speaker was a woman from Women of the Wall, a Pluralistic organization that fights for equal rights for women in Orthodox Judaism. They protest the laws forbidding women from carrying a Torah at the Wall, wearing Talit that are not strictly feminine, and segregation, which still exists today in Haredi communities. In Jerusalem, some of the religious bus lines force women to sit in the back so the men don't have to see them/ aren't tempted because they're not allowed to look at or touch women in any way.
The speakers posed many issues and showed how complicated it is to determine what customs should be preserved in Haredi communities and which ones are simply outdated. Furthermore, it is unclear who should be the ones making such a decision. The same is true for Women of the Wall and the laws governing religious sites and marriage regulations.